It's one of Squamish's wonders.
Stuffed full of China tea cups, electrical equipment and everything else from a World War One gas mask to a brass horn from a 1935 Jeep Willy, the Mini Flea Market looks like it's about to burst. The lava flow of contents, a mishmash of hidden treasures, defy gravity as they precariously sit stacked high to the ceiling.
But Edith Cutler always finds space to squeeze more in. The petite, 78-year-old knows every nook and cranny of the building. She can place each item, down to the last spoon.
"I have a visual memory," Cutler says, while sitting on a couch surrounded by a sea of goods.
The mini market started through Cutler's desire to help people. It began with bargain hunting at garage sales, items Cutler sold out of her basement to raise money for the Howe Sound Women's Centre.
But, Cutler's basement quickly filled up. She needed to expand. So she moved into Mike McEwen's shop on Second Avenue. Six years ago, Cutler moved again, this time to Cleveland Avenue. Seven days a week, Cutler can be found quietly organizing toasters, dishes and books on the store's shelves.
"There is always a market for something," Cutler says. "It's just accelerated the last two years."
Cutler still donates money to the women's centre. She also does what she can for the Squamish Helping Hands Society and the local food bank. But more than that, her mini market is the one of the first stops for people trying to get back on their feet.
From time to time, Cutler sorts through her shop, filling out requests for household goods. The handwritten lists come from homeless youth or adults aiming to get their lives in order. Cutler doesn't judge, she goes about her business in the same calm manner as she does every day. With the same care as if it were for her own children and free of charge, Cutler puts together the packages.
"I feel like I have a huge family," Cutler says, noting homelessness in the community isn't as bad as it was a few years ago.
Family has always been a focal point in Cutler's life. The oldest of seven sisters, Cutler moved from Vancouver to Squamish in 1974.
"I hated Vancouver," she recalls. "I always loved the mountain and the rivers and the people here."
Cutler went on to have six children of her own and one she adopted into her family. Today, her son Jack works with her in the mini market. They have their differences of opinion, but in the end they always make it work, she says.
"He thinks it is time for me to retire," Cutler says, as Misty, Cutler's 13-year-old tabby cat joins her for a cuddle.
But that's the furthest thing from Cutler's mind. The store gives her enjoyment, she says with a shy smile. Behind the counter, she meets a lot of people and she does her best to help where help is needed.
"If I didn't work I would waste away."
