Meet the Members: The Collective YQR

When Richard and Lindsay Rothenburger opened The Collective YQR, they wanted a space where they could not only sell their own products but also showcase their favourite vendors from across the province. “That’s why we do it. We really believe Saskatchewan has a lot to offer, and we want everybody to know about it,” Richard said.

Like many others, Lindsay’s work was greatly affected by the onset of the pandemic. Without being able to attend trade shows to sell her vegan bath and body products, Lindsay had to look elsewhere to secure her income, which led to The Collective YQR opening in November of 2020. “We muddled through for a few months, trying to figure things out, and this opportunity came up, and so we opened The Collective YQR,” said Richard.

Not only did Lindsay and Richard find a new home for their previous businesses (Spa Stuff, Lindsay’s bath and body company and Warped Vinyl, Richard’s vintage music store), but they also created a new outlet for countless other Saskatchewan vendors. “When we opened up, Lindsay couldn’t get into any of the other stores like this because they were already full […] What we found is that there are so many people like Lindsay who couldn’t break into that market who came to us, so a lot of our products and a lot of our vendors aren’t in any other stores. Some of them have started to expand, but a lot of them are not in any other stores at all, and so this is kind of their breakout market. And so we’re proud to say we’re supporting brand-new companies as well as established ones,” said Richard.

As well, everything in their store comes from right here in Saskatchewan. “We’re spanning the province, and we truly just want to represent and support any local creator who is trying to break out or grow,” said Richard. Their store now hosts fifty different vendors from across Saskatchewan.

In addition to supporting local vendors, Richard and Lindsay have also made commitments to supporting the local community through contributions to different local charities and nonprofits via raffles, food drives, silent auctions, and donations to the local community fridge. “We’re very community-minded. We’re always trying to find ways to reach out to everyone in our community, whether they are our regular customers or not. We believe it’s important to support everybody,” said Richard. “It’s not just supporting local vendors; it’s supporting everybody in the community.”

You can find The Collective YQR at 1168 Albert St. Stop in and say hello today!