On May 5, 2026, the City of Kitchener launched its latest round of monthly retail residencies at the Square Peg micro-market, aiming to inject fresh entrepreneurial energy into the downtown core.
Operating out of a high-visibility storefront at 220 King St. W., the initiative allows established makers and emerging entrepreneurs to test physical retail concepts all year long.
According to Aura Hertzog, the manager of Downtown Development and Innovation at the City of Kitchener, the program represents a deliberate effort to lower the barriers of entry for local creatives. Following a successful pilot run in 2024, the city utilizes these short-term, one-month residencies to keep the retail landscape dynamic while reducing the immense financial risks associated with traditional commercial leases.
“At its heart, the program is about creating opportunity,” Hertzog said. “It gives local entrepreneurs and makers a chance to step into a real retail space and experience what it’s like to run a business in a downtown storefront. For many, it’s their first time engaging directly with customers in this way.”
By removing the long-term commitments of standard commercial real estate, the micro-market acts as an incubator. The city provides a supportive, lower-risk operational environment, which works in tandem with nearby civic placemaking areas like Gaukel Block to drive foot traffic and public programming.
“Running a retail business can be a big step, both financially and operationally,” she said. “We’ve already seen the impact; some participants have gone on to open their own permanent storefronts.”
For Ashley Stone, the owner and founder of sustainable stationery brand, The Good Card, the micro-market provided the exact launchpad she needed to transition her five-year-old online venture into a face-to-face hub. Her brand specializes in post-consumer waste stationery embedded with wildflower seeds, completing all production by hand. While her goods sell year-round in local boutiques, the month-long residency fulfilled a long-term goal.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a storefront and interact with customers face-to-face rather than just online,” Stone said. “It’s been really exciting to see people’s reaction to the cards in person.”
Throughout May, Stone leveraged the physical footprint to integrate community-centric initiatives, such as an in-store letter-writing station and the donation of a portion of sales to Mamas KW, a Waterloo Region organization supporting local caregivers. For Stone, the market layout proved that a temporary storefront could yield deep human connections. The micro-market model benefits both the fluctuating roster of vendors and the city’s broader economic outlook.
By continuously rotating unique storefront concepts, the city fosters a destination mindset for downtown shoppers. The city is already looking toward the future of the program, confirming that the Square Peg space is fully booked with monthly residencies through December 2026. Scheduling is underway for 2027, and a multi-vendor market is slated for this November. Ultimately, the city hopes the continuous rotation of innovative concepts like Stone’s will reshape the local economic ecosystem. For vendors like Stone, the program offers a tangible taste of the future.
“My grandmother always taught me to leave things a little bit better than when I found them,” Stone said. “And that’s what I’m trying to achieve through my business.”
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