When it comes to shopping in Surrey, there’s something for every kind of consumer. Whether you’re stocking up on souvenirs, treating yourself, or searching for something a little different, there really is something for everyone, from glitzy shopping centres filled with popular retailers and designer brands, to locally-owned boutiques, farmers markets and artisan fairs.
What type of shopper are you? The Bargain Hunter? The Spontaneous Splurger? The Wishy-Washy Window-shopper? The Long-Suffering Partner? It doesn’t matter what your spending style is. If it’s a shopping experience you’re after, and we mean an EXPERIENCE, then there’s one place in Surrey you won’t want to miss.
Potters Nursery is British Columbia’s largest Farm & Garden Center with four locations throughout Surrey. Their quality product, impeccable customer service and award-winning advertising have made them a popular destination throughout the lower mainland, but it’s their commitment to celebrating Halloween and Christmas that’s really put them on the map. The folks at Potters Nursery are serious about the holidays. Refreshingly, they’re less concerned about making a sale and more interested in creating a spectacular experience that you’re likely to remember long after you’ve returned home.
Each October, their 72nd Avenue location is transformed into Potters House of Horrors. The second largest Halloween event in BC attracts over 15,000 petrified guests annually and spans 14,000 square feet of winding hallways. With a production of this magnitude, the planning and preparation is a lengthy endeavour, with groundwork beginning in the early summer months and building starting in September. In the front of the shop, business continues as usual, but behind the scenes a frightening world is gradually coming to life. What makes Potters House of Horrors so convincingly terrifying? The owner of Potters, Ed Holden’s connections to the film industry have enabled him to purchase old movie sets and animatronics. Live actors also contribute to the haunted house’s chilling authenticity.
Don’t worry. If hair-raising horror isn’t your thing, Potters’ Christmas festivities will be sure to warm your soul.
In fact, Christmas at Potters 48 Avenue location starts in early October. Their usual inventory of plants, bulbs, pots and garden ornaments goes into hibernation as Christmas, in all its glory, takes over the 28,000 square feet space: fairy lights, stockings, life-sized Santas, snowmen and every kind of Christmas ornament conceivable. Of course, what’s a holiday extravaganza without live music and appearances from Santa and Mrs. Claus each weekend?
The team behind Potter’s winter wonderland starts planning for next year before the current year’s event has even ended. The buyers selecting the holiday inventory often start in December and January, travelling as far as Mexico to find unique festive items. The six designers responsible for the displays begin planning in early February and construction commences in September. If you’re visiting Surrey and decide to shop at Potters, you now know that no matter what time of year you’re passing through, Santa’s (or Potters’) elves are already hard at work.
If you’re wondering what kind of Christmas magic takes this long to create, then you’ll just have to see for yourself. We’re betting that a Christmas at Potters just might get you believing in Santa again!