Artifacts owner Mila Tettero has started the morning by displaying a new collection of butter amber necklaces she's received from a Canadian crafter. Down the hallway the rich smell of coffee wafts from Espresso Junction. Across the plaza in The Forks Market, Ashok Malhotra at Yash Global is talking to his wife Sadhana about the new shipment of Indian shawls that has just come in. It's a new day at The Forks, one of the most interesting indoor shopping hubs in the city.

Twenty years ago The Forks site was composed of abandoned buildings sitting in a once-buzzing rail yard. In 1987 the city began redeveloping the river-side site into a port marketplace. The atmosphere inside the buildings, and outside overlooking the Red and Assiniboine rivers, is one of celebration. Buskers sing heartily in front of diners enjoying mini-donuts, rotis, and perogies. Kids' performers skilfully twist balloons into animals. And festivals happen every month of the year here—from March 27 to April 3 it's the Festival of Fools.

Indian vases, Yash Global, The Forks Market, 2nd floor, 204-949-9497

Image © grajewski.fotograph.inc

Inside The Forks Market, mini kiosks, glass-framed spaces, and large stores are tucked haphazardly on two floors, creating a bustling bazaar atmosphere. Across the way, the Johnston Terminal is home to sprawling, window-lined spaces, and a basement antique mall. Regardless of their size and location, all of the stores are independent, with their owners almost always on hand, either behind the cash register or helping customers.

The product mix at The Forks is richly diverse. Craft Cupboard and Artifacts focus on Canadian-made products—funky silver jewellery, whimsical pottery, photography, and fairy hats, wands, and wings. Conversely, stores like Global Connections, Dragon House, Gilbert's Stones, and Mandarin International carry exotic items imported from India, China, Africa, and South America. Targeting the ultra-feminine market, Bramblewood carries April Cornell apparel, vintage-style jewellery, and a tub full of bath bombs, while Tattered Rose specializes in ruffle-rich Victorian and medieval-style clothing and jewellery. For kids, there is whimsical Kite and Kaboodle and Elements of Nature, which is inside the nearby Children's Museum. As well, there are numerous stores that feature food products, most notably Fenton's Wine and Cheese outlets and The Human Bean. Written March 2004