Nicole Heddema has opened Common Letters, a café and art collective located within the Gather Local Market in Saskatoon's Riversdale district. Drawing on her background as a holistic nutritionist, Heddema's establishment offers vegetarian and gluten-free products alongside a rotating selection of goods from local artisans.
A New Venture Rooted in Community
Heddema explained that she moved to Saskatoon almost three years ago without knowing anyone. After working as an educational assistant in inner-city schools, including St. Mary's, she faced health issues that prompted a career change. "I wanted to go back to my roots of community and people and cafés and healthy foods and see what I could come up with," she told the StarPhoenix.
Common Letters operates as both a café and a collective, offering a space that combines food, drink, and local art. The café features a menu focused on vegetarian and gluten-free options, with low dairy content. Heddema emphasizes that the café is more than just a place for coffee: "The café is not just a place that offers coffee, but it’s a place that offers an array of different experiences."
Unique Offerings and Atmosphere
What sets Common Letters apart, according to Heddema, is its location within Gather Local Market, a social and retail hub that hosts food, drink, artisan vendors, and regular community events. "Being at Gather Local Market sets me apart just naturally because it allows you to come in and experience an array of different things while still having the café vibe as well," she said.
The café also showcases rotating local artwork and participates in workshops and events organized by the market or hosted by Heddema herself. This integration with the market's community-focused environment distinguishes Common Letters from other similar businesses.
Menu Highlights
The drink menu includes typical café offerings like London Fog and lattes, as well as specialty drinks such as turmeric latte and a calming latte made with chamomile, lemon balm, and lavender. Heddema incorporates superfoods like chia seeds, hemp seeds, and maca root into her beverages. One standout is the blue butterfly pea flower tea, which is bright blue and high in antioxidants.
In addition to hot drinks, Common Letters serves smoothies named by color: pink, green, yellow, and orange. The pink smoothie, a healthier version of a strawberry milkshake, contains strawberries, cherries, hemp seeds, agave syrup, and a bit of jam, topped with whipped cream. The green smoothie blends kale, spinach, cucumber, chia seeds, fresh lime, mango, and pineapple, with coconut water as the only liquid. "It’s very refreshing and hydrating," Heddema noted.
Art and Community Focus
Heddema, an artist herself, has ensured that Common Letters supports local creativity by displaying and rotating works from different artists. The café also serves as a venue for events, further embedding it in the community fabric of Gather Local Market. This combination of health-conscious food, art, and community engagement aims to create a welcoming space for diverse experiences.
