Shop Goss is the Georgia Straight’s weekly feature, where we give you the lowdown on Metro Vancouver’s coolest independent boutiques—and the spirited minds behind them—that deserve a spot on your shopping radar.

This week, we meet Melanie Hull, owner of Riley Park's Neighbourhood Quality Goods (4301 Main Street). 

Describe your business in three sentences or less.

Neighbourhood is a curation of beautiful things that are well-made and focus on easy living. 

How did you come to own/operate your own shop?

My 10-year-old self always wanted to own a little shop someday, somewhere. I had a small business selling candy out of my desk in elementary school, which got shut down fast!

In 2015, Neigbourhood became a reality in the community I live in—I actually live steps away from my shop. The space sat vacant for four years before my husband and business partner at the time signed a lease and transformed it into the shop you see today. We pulled a lot of favours and worked many long days and nights for three months getting it done. It’s my happy place.

My favourite brands we carry at the moment are…

Monk Oil: the smell of the Palo Santo Skin Potion, which is charged in smokey quartz, does something to the inner psyche. I wear it as a daily scent.

Los Angeles's Back Beat Rags makes the most amazing everyday staples using organic cottons, Tencel, and hemp. Their colour palette is like a trip to a desert heaven.

Nala Care: they make the best all-natural and unisex deodorant that I’ve come across. I love the peppermint-and-activated-charcoal version: it’s a great detox for your pits, and cooling for the hot weather that’s on the way. 

You’re being sent to a desert island with limited Wi-Fi access for an indefinite amount of time. What three products in the shop right now would you take with you?

The biggest crystal that I could carry; the Pink House Natural Solutions Glow Stick in peach; and a copper water bottle from Copper H2O.

Name new arrival you can’t wait to show off.

The latest pieces from Two Fjords, our in-house linen line. The collection is filled with linen tanks, shorts, and T-shirts in the most amazing colours. Beach bags and linen towels will launch once the hot summer days arrive.

I also love our new Sandgren Clogs, which come in the perfect wheat colour, and our jade and rose-quartz facial roller balls: they're perfect for toning and energizing the skin with pure crystal power.

What’s the weirdest, wackiest, or most out-there item on your shelves or racks at the moment?   

It's not exactly a weird or wacky "item", but we do have a "spirit dog" that left his paw prints in the concrete floor.

The shop was originally a convenient store owned by a fellow from India for 30 years; he unfortunately passed away and the store sat vacant for three years until we opened Neighbourhood.  When we were renovating, we had to grind the floors to remove grime and old-tile grossness. Upon returning the next morning, a circle of a dog's paw prints appeared on the floor.

We could not understand as to where they came from: we didn't have a dog at the time and there were no dogs in the shop during the renovation. So we once again ground the floor to remove the paw prints. The next morning, they appeared again. We thought that it was definitely a sign, but didn’t know where they were coming from.

Then, one day, the wife of the convenient shop owner popped by to see how the renovation was going. We showed her the paw prints and asked her if they owned a dog when they operated the space. She started to cry and explained that, the day her husband passed away, a Dalmatian appeared at their home. They did not own a dog either.

We thought that it was the old owner who might be a dog in his next life leaving his mark at the shop. So we feel that we are always being kindly cared and guided for by his spirit.

My last purchase—from the store or otherwise—was…

Reassembly’s Detox Luxe botanical sea salts: the bottle is basically a natural form of whoop-ass for your lymphatic system. Bye-bye body aches and pains; hello detox!

When I’m not at the shop, you can find me…

Skiing in the mountains and enjoying the sunshine with my husband and friends or soaking it up at a hot spring. Or doing anything that involves swimming.

What’s another local business you love?

I absolutely love that the Flower Factory (4285 Main Street) has become one of my new neighbours. Since they've moved south on Main Street, my shop always has a fresh flowers that smell so good and always brighten up the day.

Trafiq (4216 Main Street) is one of my favourite places to have a great coffee and the perfect sweet treat to go along with it. The carrot cake will not let you down.