Go back
Go home

  Features




NNSL Photo/Graphic





NNSL Logo .
bigger textsmall text Text size Email this articleE-mail this story  Discuss this articleOrder a classified ad
NNSL Photo/Graphic

Len Nowak and Gretel Matrai display a blanket and some jewelry for sale at the L.G. Crystal Creations kiosk outside the Shell station on Range Lake Road. The two have been coming to Yellowknife from B.C. every summer for 10 years to sell their blown glass ornaments and other giftware. - Jennifer Obleman/NNSL photo

A sparkling travelling business

Jennifer Obleman
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, June 18, 2008

YELLOWKNIFE - A very unusual cement mixer was parked outside the Shell station on Range Lake Road over the last two weeks.

It made no noise, emitted zero greenhouse gases and wouldn't have looked out of place beside a china cabinet with a collection of fragile ornaments.

The cement mixer was one of several blown glass ornaments for sale at the L.G. Crystal Creations kiosk, along with a trailer full of other items such as blankets, key chains made of insects enclosed in enamel, one-of-a-kind jewelry and aboriginal-themed pewter belt buckles.

"Every time we come we try to bring something new," said Gretel Matrai.

Though their company L.G. Crystal Creations is based in Westbank, B.C., every summer Matrai and partner Len Nowak pack up a trailer full of blown glass ornaments and other giftware and travel across B.C., Alberta, the Yukon and the NWT.

They first came to Yellowknife to take part in Raven Mad Daze, setting up a booth in the mall and making blown glass objects. In recent years, they've set up a kiosk outdoors instead. This year, their custom-built trailer was parked on Range Lake Road.

Having visited Yellowknife for a couple of weeks every summer for the past 10 years, trips to the city are now a bit like a homecoming.

"People invite us over for a meal. They drive by and honk their horns and wave. When you're here as long as I've been, you're no longer a tourist. You're considered a local," said Nowak.

Nowak and Matrai used to make blown glass objects in Yellowknife when they rented space in the mall. The wind and dust make it too challenging to do it now that their business is outside, though they still make repairs in their trailer.

"People know if they buy stuff from us, if it breaks, they can bring it back to us the next year for repairs," said Nowak.

There is no charge for minor repairs to objects purchased from Nowak and Matrai in previous years.

The L.G. Crystal Creations kiosk drew a number of shoppers while it was open for business in Yellowknife.

Robbie Beaulieu was one customer who stopped by last week to buy a blanket.

"I'm a traditional cultural person. I use this when I pray," he said.

"They sell a lot of interesting things and useful things like skinning knives."

Nowak and Matrai planned to head south again Sunday.

"We leave when the blackflies come out," said Nowak.

But they plan to be back again next year with a trailer full of blown glass animals and athletes and other unique giftware.

The two look forward to coming North every year to see the cranes nesting at Wood Buffalo, taste local restaurant fare at Bullocks and the Wildcat Cafe and of course soak in the near-24 hour sunlight.

Nowak also enjoys the local fishing and the rocky scenery, which he laughingly calls "your six-foot high mountains."