At Walmart Canada’s Store 1175 in Saint John, New Brunswick store, associates aren’t just serving the community. They reflect it. Through a homemade cookbook and an annual associate art show, the store is giving customers and associates a closer look at the family traditions, creative talents and local pride behind the familiar blue vests.
It all started with a simple idea from Accounting Office Associate Lynda Johnson. She suggested creating a cookbook featuring associates’ favourite recipes. “I thought it would be a fun way to connect our associates,” said Lynda.
Soon, recipes started arriving by email. Others were photocopied or carefully written out by hand. Within a month, the team had collected nearly 80 recipes.
“It’s a wonderful snapshot of who we are,” said People Lead Carla MacDonald. “There are recipes from grandparents, family favourites, local specialties and recipes that associates have enjoyed together over the years.”
The cookbook quickly became one of the store’s most popular associate projects. Dad’s Popcorn Treats, an associate favourite, has already been made several times in different variations.
The team printed and assembled the cookbook in-store before unveiling it at the store’s 2025 Associate Art Show. It was such a hit with associates that a second edition is already in the works.
More than recipes
The cookbook is one of several ways Saint John associates are sharing who they are beyond their day-to-day roles, creating moments of connection with each other and with customers who visit the store.
The store’s annual Associate Art Show began in 2023 after a casual conversation about what associates like to do outside of work.
“We were talking about hobbies and realizing how much talent our associates have that no one really gets to see,” Carla said. “People know us as associates, but they don’t always get to see the artists, crafters and creators behind those roles.”
Since then, each September, the front of the store is transformed into a gallery, filled with work created by associates. This year’s show, which took place on Sept. 4, featured drawings, photography, quilts, earrings, tole painting and more.
Each display includes a card introducing the artist behind the piece, their role in the store and how long they’ve been working at Walmart. For customers, it’s a chance to discover something new about the associates they may see at checkout, in the aisles or helping across the store. For associates, it’s a reminder that the store community is built not only through the work they do together, but through the stories, cultures and talents they bring with them.
“Our associates bring so much more than their jobs to work every day,” said Carla. “These projects give us the chance to celebrate those talents and learn more about each other. That’s what makes our store community so special.”
