Windermere's Locally Owned Hotspots
Traditionally, suburban living has meant relying on big-box stores and chain restaurants for nearby shopping and amenities, but in southwest Edmonton’s Windermere this is changing. The Windermere area is one of the city’s fastest-growing communities, master-planned to keep everything residents need within reach.
In recent years, an increasing number of locally and nationally owned brands are opting for Windermere over more traditional retail locations like downtown, 124th Street, and Whyte Avenue—or have expanded into Windermere as their second or third location.
Not only is the community offering the modern housing variety, schools, parks, and price point that make suburban living so appealing, but it’s also bringing in the quintessentially Edmonton local business scene that has been defining the city’s most established neighbourhoods for decades.
In this blog, we’re highlighting some of Windermere’s trendiest locally owned eateries, boutiques, and amenities, proving that these days suburban living does not mean sacrificing local charm.
Shop Windermere, Shop Local
For those who crave something with more character than chain retailer fast fashion finds, the Currents of Windermere offers several locally owned options.
Jilly’s Boutique, a beloved lifestyle and gift shop, has been inspiring Edmontonian women with its inventory of trending home décor and bath and body products for over 30 years. Cloud Nine Pajamas has expanded beyond its High Street and St. Albert locations to offer comfortable sleep and loungewear that keeps the entire family cozy day to night. Shades of Grey Boutique, with a sister store in the 124th Street shopping district, brings a taste of New York and Los Angeles to Edmonton with its distinctive, edgy, and minimalist style mantra.
These boutiques offer a refreshing take on suburban shopping, bringing unique style and personality to the Windermere area.
Photo Credit: Shades of Grey Boutique
Local Flavours
In the suburbs, chain restaurants are aplenty but look a little closer and you'll discover a trove of locally owned eateries throughout the Windermere area.
Get a taste of Kb&Co’s organic, plant-based offerings at its Currents of Windermere location, or head to Windermere Crossing for Sorrentino’s Restaurant Group’s Buco Pizzeria + Vino Bar.
Scoop n Roll Creamery, originally a celebrated seasonal fleet of food trucks, has expanded to brick-and-mortar locations across the city, with Windermere being a prime spot to enjoy these sweet treats year-round.
Photo Credit: El Corazón
For date night, West Block’s El Corazón expanded into Keswick this past fall, serving elevated Latin-inspired flavours, while Black Pearl Seafood Bar brings the culinary experience their flagship 104th Street location is known for to the suburbs. Flame & Barrel Restaurant is another great locally owned option.
Step aside, Starbucks. Common Ground Coffee has become a staple neighbourhood coffee shop in Royal Centre Keswick, offering quality coffee, matcha, and bakery items in a simple modern atmosphere designed with community connection in mind.
Photo Credit: Common Ground Coffee
Staying Fit in the Suburbs
Windermere offers plenty of outdoor spaces to stay active with walking trails and golf courses nearby, but it’s the area’s boutique fitness options that are garnering the most attention.
Movati Athletic, an Ontario-based premium fitness facility, selected Windermere as the first location for its western Canada expansion and has been rapidly growing ever since.
The massive state-of-the art facility includes high-end equipment and seven boutique fitness studios, including hot and “sky” yoga studios, a cycle studio, and a reformer Pilates studio.
Movati offers the usual array of group fitness classes along with some more unique offerings like aerial hoop, bungee, burlesque, and aerial yoga and fitness classes. The women’s-only area is a destination in its own right with its dedicated women’s-only fitness studio and indoor pool. Movati also boasts a café with a smoothie bar and a zen lounge, raising the bar for fitness clubs across Canada.
Just across the street in Keswick, House of Lagree is pioneering the Los Angeles-born Lagree method in Edmonton. The boutique studio workout combines the benefits of Pilates with strength training and cardio, becoming incredibly popular since its opening this past summer.
Photo Credit: House of Lagree
Your Local Grocer
The Italian Bakery is a household name in Edmonton, established in 1960 and family-run for over three generations. The family’s latest grocery concept, Tesoro, has recently opened in the Shoppes at Windermere South, offering all of the Italian Bakery grocery favourites Edmontonians know and love. The Windermere location also features a dedicated café serving up donuts, espresso, and other delicious takeaway treats.
Tesoro’s arrival in Windermere brings a much-welcome, locally owned alternative to the area’s grocery offerings.
Find Your New Home in Windermere
The Windermere area is setting a new standard for suburban living in Edmonton. With its evolving local business scene, Windermere is fostering the vibrant, locally-driven energy that has long defined Edmonton, but has typically been missing from its suburban communities.
Windermere is quickly becoming a prime choice for real estate in Edmonton, with a wide array of properties available for sale, including some fantastic luxury options. Click to discover homes for sale in Keswick and homes for sale in Windermere, or reach out to us for more information on buying a home in southwest Edmonton.
Posted by Kerri-lyn Holland on
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