Discovering Morinville: there's more here than you think.

or why the most suprising shop in town might be inside a gas station

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Before I started building this site, I saw Morinville much like many others who live here do—a clean, safe, affordable place to live, great for kids and, if I’m being honest ... kind of boring.

My daily routine mostly involved getting kids to school, commuting into the city for work, and getting as much done on the way home as possible. (There's an unappealing term for that behaviour in the field of economic development: 'retail leakage.' Commuters leave little drops of money all over their routes to and from work—money that, if spent at home, would help build up the town).

At first, this site was just a web development course project partially inspired by a podcast I had recently listened to. But something interesting happened: the more I looked around town, the more I realised how much I’d been overlooking. There were shops in unlikely spots, products in unlikely shops, and things to do I'd never heard of because I just wasn't bothering to look.

This site—EverythingMorinville.com—was born from that realisation. It’s part local business directory, part event calendar, and part invitation to rediscover what’s right in your own backyard.

Small town shopping: less predictable, but ultimately rewarding

Here’s an example of how local shopping isn’t always as obvious as in a big city.

Say you need a new weed wacker or lawn mower this summer. Your first thought? Probably that one of the three big-box stores just down the highway has the best selection and prices.

But did you know that right here in Morinville, you can find power equipment at:

• Home Hardware (you knew that one, I know)

• NAPA Auto Parts on 100 Avenue (our main street needs a better name)

• Smokehouse Grills in the industrial park

• The Shell station by McDonald's (yes, really—it's also a Husqvarna dealer)

• Tool Shed Rentals near Heritage Lake (do you really need to buy every power tool?)

Morinville might, in fact, be a destination location for power equipment shoppers—St. Albert, take note.

Beyond selection, shopping locally means personal service from business owners who actually know their products instead of part-time employees at a chain store who know as much as you do.

There's more to Morinville, and EverythingMorinville.com, than just shopping

It’s not just about where you buy things—it’s about rediscovering and reconnecting with your town and neighbours.

When was the last time you:

• Stepped inside the Musée Morinville Museum or dropped in to a program at the Morinville Community Library?
  

• Spent a lazy afternoon browsing the two thrift shops in town, perhaps followed by an iced Vietnamese coffee at Pho Morinville or bubble tea at Morinville Pizza Palace?
  

• Checked out somewhere entirely off your radar ... like inside the Morinville Petro-Can? Yup, you read that right. Go in and you'll find a gift shop strangely reminiscent of an old San Francisco novelty store!

I knew about the Town's official leisure centre programs, but I didn't know about ceramics and painting classes at Creative Cove, or that yoga sometimes happens at the Foxhole Canteen, or that Sturgeon Brewery hosts live comedy nights.

And I definitely wasn’t appreciating the beauty of Cardiff Park enough—or the fact that you can rent paddleboards there in summer now.

An online directory EverythingMorinville.com helps shift habits to local

A lot of people want to shop locally, but it has to be easy. If you've ever tried to search online for something you need to buy or something you need to get done, you know the struggle: outdated websites and old directory listings, inactive Facebook pages, paid listings from not-one-bit-local businesses.

That’s where EverythingMorinville.com make all the difference:

• Only local businesses and non-profits. No sifting through listings from other cities.

• Up-to-date information. Monitored by real humans who live here.

• A community resource. Local businesses, event organizers, and activity hosts can update their own listings, keeping the info fresh.

For residents, it means shopping locally is finally easy—you can quickly find what you need without having to guess or dig for details. For local businesses and non-profits, it means more visibility and a direct connection to the community.

Get involved—help shape the site!

We’ll keep exploring and updating the site, but it'll be its best if you're part of it too.

• Local business or non-profit? Check for your free listing by searching your name. If it’s missing or doesn't say what you'd like, just fill out the Add/Verify Listing form and we’ll take care of it.
  

• Hosting an event? Add it to the Upcoming Events calendar using the Add Your Event form.
  

• Local resident? Try something new! Use this directory to visit a shop you’ve never been in, check out a local event, get a facial at a local day spa or your prescription filled at a small pharmacy. You might be surprised by what you find.

Morinville turned out to be much more than I expected—and I hope this site helps you discover that too. Let’s support what makes our town a great place to live already so we can attract even more businesses and fun things to do!

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Curious about my podcast inspiration?

Listen too and get motivated to explore Morinville and the surrounding countryside.