This Saturday, July 11, is a pretty special day for all of us at Urban Nature Store.
After months of planning, renovating, painting, merchandising, unpacking boxes (and then unpacking more boxes), we will officially open the doors to our newest—and largest—Urban Nature Store in Thornhill.
Our 10th location. Ten.
Honestly, if someone had told me years ago that we'd one day be opening our tenth store, I probably would have smiled politely and suggested they spend a little less time in the sun.
When we first started Urban Nature Store, the goal wasn't to build a chain of stores. It wasn't about counting locations or putting dots on a map. It was simply about helping people enjoy nature a little more by feeding the birds in their own backyards.
One bird feeder. One customer. One conversation at a time.
Somewhere along the way, those conversations turned into friendships, those customers became part of our Urban Nature community, and before we knew it, we were preparing to open store number ten.
It's amazing where a few chickadees can take you.
Of course, while my name may occasionally appear on articles like this one, I can assure you that opening a new store is very much a team effort. In fact, I think my biggest contribution during the final weeks has been trying not to stand in everyone's way.
I want to offer a huge thank you to every member of the Urban Nature Store team who has helped bring our Thornhill location to life.
From the construction crews and tradespeople who transformed an empty space into a beautiful store, to our merchandising team who somehow knows exactly where every bird feeder, bag of seed, squirrel baffle, and hummingbird accessory belongs—it has been an incredible effort.
Then there are the team members who've spent countless hours unpacking shipments that seem to reproduce overnight. I swear every time someone empties one box, three more appear.
I still don't understand how that's possible.
Our store managers, warehouse staff, buyers, marketing team, and everyone behind the scenes have poured their energy into making this our best store yet.
Opening a retail store isn't glamorous. It's ladders, tape measures, dusty floors, moving shelving for the fifth time because "it looked better over there," and surviving on coffee and takeout.
Lots of coffee. And somehow, despite all of that, everyone still shows up smiling.
That says a lot about the people I'm fortunate enough to work with.
As if opening our tenth store wasn't exciting enough, I was also honoured recently to be featured in Retail Insider Magazine. The article shares the story of Urban Nature Store, our journey to ten locations, our new Thornhill store, and a little about yours truly.
I'll admit, it felt a little strange reading about myself.
I've always been much more comfortable talking about birds than talking about Paul Oliver.
Still, I'm grateful to the Retail Insider team for taking an interest in what we've built together. It's nice to see the retail industry recognizing something we've believed for a long time—that Canadians are discovering just how rewarding it is to connect with nature right outside their own homes.
Whether it's watching a hummingbird hover at a feeder, hearing the cheerful song of a chickadee, or finally identifying that mystery bird that's been visiting the backyard, people are realizing that nature doesn't have to be hours away.
Sometimes it's just outside the kitchen window.
One thing I have learned over the years is that Urban Nature Store has never really been about selling bird feeders.
It's about creating moments. It's about introducing a child to their very first cardinal. It's about helping grandparents share a hobby with their grandchildren.
It's about giving people a reason to slow down for a few minutes each day and appreciate the incredible wildlife living all around us.
If a bird feeder happens to be part of that experience, we're happy to help.
So, as we get ready to cut the ribbon this Saturday, I'm feeling a mixture of excitement, gratitude, and maybe just a little relief that the construction dust is finally settling.
To our amazing team—thank you.
To our loyal customers—thank you for believing in what we do and for making ten stores possible.
And to everyone who plans to visit our new Thornhill location, we can't wait to welcome you.
Just don't be surprised if you find me wandering around with a coffee in one hand, admiring the store and wondering how on earth we got to number ten.
I still think it all started with one hungry chickadee.
Happy Birding!
By Paul Oliver
Founder of Urban Nature Store
