Local Business

Phen Ruyan, left, and husband Joel Bryan sit together inside Nohra Thai Kitchen in Oak Bay’s Estevan Village. Ruyan met Bryan, who grew up in Cadboro Bay, while both were working on Phuket in Thailand and moved back to Victoria with him in the late ’90s. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

1,001 pad Thai: Passionate chef brings southern Thai cuisine to Greater Victoria

Phen Ruyan, who grew up with conflicting culinary influences, nurtures her own style

Jimmy Pavlidis of Jimmy’s Barber Shop is pictured at his Fort Street business. Pavlidis is Greater Victoria’s longest serving barber and has maintained a ’50s style and inexpensive haircuts at his shop. (Photo contributed)

A trim for the ages: How local barbering has evolved over 50-plus years

5 Greater Victoria barbers share their unique approach to cutting hair

Roberta Glennon stands in the men’s section of her Government Street shop, Roberta’s Hats. Glennon has run the business for 30 years since moving from Vancouver with her husband Brian in 1992. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Hats off to Victoria’s renowned hat store of 30 years

Roberta’s Hats continues to cap local industry with funky shopping experience

The DVBA keeps more than 200 containers of a variety of shades of paint in its stores at the ready to cover graffiti as it appears. (Courtesy Downtown Victoria Business Association)

City develops resources for recovery through Downtown Victoria Business Association

Ambassadors, clean committee bolster confidence in safe downtown

  • Jul 31, 2022
The DVBA keeps more than 200 containers of a variety of shades of paint in its stores at the ready to cover graffiti as it appears. (Courtesy Downtown Victoria Business Association)
Chickpeas (pixabay photo).

Victoria company looks to unlock power of Canadian chickpeas for new plant-based products

Not-for-profit Protein Industries Canada has invested $2.8 million in the project.

Chickpeas (pixabay photo).
The Ice Cream Truck offers a live tracking system so you don’t have to chase down a sweet cool treat this summer. (Courtesy The Ice Cream Truck)

Ice cream trucks at the ready as heat set to soar in Greater Victoria

Track The Ice Cream Truck or get a text to plan your day

The Ice Cream Truck offers a live tracking system so you don’t have to chase down a sweet cool treat this summer. (Courtesy The Ice Cream Truck)
The Vancouver Island Film Commission is set to move into a City of Langford-owned building at 2826 Bryn Maur Rd. in Langford. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Vancouver Island Film Commission moving from Victoria to Langford

City of Langford approves lease in city-owned building on Bryn Maur Road

The Vancouver Island Film Commission is set to move into a City of Langford-owned building at 2826 Bryn Maur Rd. in Langford. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Federal minister Harjit Sajjan speaks with Dionne Laslo-Baker, founder and CEO of DeeBee’s Organics – and tries one of her company’s freezies – at a Langford event Wednesday announcing $3.25 in federal funding for three businesses, including DeeBee’s to help them expand operations. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Three Greater Victoria businesses get boost from feds for expansion

$3.25 million shared by DeeBee’s Organics, Codename Entertainment, Peloton Technologies

Federal minister Harjit Sajjan speaks with Dionne Laslo-Baker, founder and CEO of DeeBee’s Organics – and tries one of her company’s freezies – at a Langford event Wednesday announcing $3.25 in federal funding for three businesses, including DeeBee’s to help them expand operations. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Kyle Michell is among the latest beer farmers, testing grains and variants with success enough to provide quality, consistent malted product to several breweries on the south Island. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

Beer Farmers: Peninsula operation brews up mega malting machine in Central Saanich

Field Five Farm malts enough grain for 4,000 litres of beer in eight months of operation

Kyle Michell is among the latest beer farmers, testing grains and variants with success enough to provide quality, consistent malted product to several breweries on the south Island. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
Victoria’s Fairmont Empress hotel was third best city hotel in Canada by Travel + Leisure. (Courtesy of Fairmont Empress hotel)

Victoria hotels hit Top 10 for international travellers

Empress among a half dozen Fairmont properties on the Travel + Leisure list

Victoria’s Fairmont Empress hotel was third best city hotel in Canada by Travel + Leisure. (Courtesy of Fairmont Empress hotel)
My-Chosen Cafe marked 35 years in business on July 12. (My Chosen Cafe/Facebook)

Metchosin restaurant celebrates 35 years in business

My-Chosen Cafe has grown from 32 seats

My-Chosen Cafe marked 35 years in business on July 12. (My Chosen Cafe/Facebook)
Yumbrosia Fine Foods has operated as a grocer and deli, as seen here in July 2021, and served the local community with a wide variety of imported European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern products. (Black Press Media file photo)

New ownership signals return for Yumbrosia in Oak Bay

Esquimalt local awaits business licence before reopening

Yumbrosia Fine Foods has operated as a grocer and deli, as seen here in July 2021, and served the local community with a wide variety of imported European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern products. (Black Press Media file photo)
The Discovery Foundation’s EM3 program unites women entrepreneurs from across the province to build their networks in small groups led by experienced women tech leaders. (File - Metro Creative)

Program links successful women entrepreneurs with worthy candidates

When you’ve just started your own business, there’s nothing like an experienced…

The Discovery Foundation’s EM3 program unites women entrepreneurs from across the province to build their networks in small groups led by experienced women tech leaders. (File - Metro Creative)
Best of the WestShore Awards 2021 publication cover

Voting now open for Best of the WestShore Awards

Cast your ballot now for your favourites

Best of the WestShore Awards 2021 publication cover
Save-On-Foods opened the doors to its newest location in Colwood Thursday. (Black Press Media)

Save-On-Foods opens new location at Colwood Corners

Latest addition officially opens

Save-On-Foods opened the doors to its newest location in Colwood Thursday. (Black Press Media)
Nick and Anna Starodubtsev with their daughter in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Anna Starodubtsev/contributed to Saanich News)

Ukrainian family fleeing war hopes to revive swimsuit business in Greater Victoria

Now settled, the family launched a fundraiser to help reboot their business, BabyLadySwim

Nick and Anna Starodubtsev with their daughter in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Anna Starodubtsev/contributed to Saanich News)
The recently unveiled Summer on the Lawn installation at Uptown aims to be inviting to young families, shoppers looking to relax and people looking to get together. (Photo by Sarah Reynolds/Uptown)

Saanich shopping centre encourages lounging on new lawn

Uptown unveils its latest family-friendly installation on pedestrian boulevard

The recently unveiled Summer on the Lawn installation at Uptown aims to be inviting to young families, shoppers looking to relax and people looking to get together. (Photo by Sarah Reynolds/Uptown)
The City of Colwood held its first in-person business prosperity roundtable on June 22. It featured more than 20 local businesses and was held in partnership with the WestShore Chamber of Commerce. (City of Colwood/Twitter)

Colwood businesses call for more space, affordable housing to support growth

Roundtable meeting sees discussion on how to attract, retain businesses in Colwood

The City of Colwood held its first in-person business prosperity roundtable on June 22. It featured more than 20 local businesses and was held in partnership with the WestShore Chamber of Commerce. (City of Colwood/Twitter)
Brian Nairn, marketing coordinator at Lighthouse Brewing in Esquimalt, said the Langford Beer Festival offers a good opportunity for people to try out many new beers. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Breweries announced ahead of first-ever Langford Beer Festival

28 craft brewers to be serving up their unique beverages on July 16

Brian Nairn, marketing coordinator at Lighthouse Brewing in Esquimalt, said the Langford Beer Festival offers a good opportunity for people to try out many new beers. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Gustavson School of Business professor Brent Mainprize (left), co-founder of the Indigenous Advancement of Cultural Entrepreneurship program with Frank Parnell (right), then-CEO of the Tribal Resources Investment Corporation, helped celebrate the program’s 50th cohort recently at the University of Victoria. (Brent Mainprize/Twitter)

50th cohort graduates from Indigenous/UVic co-designed entrepreneurship program

714 grads, more than 230 businesses launched in 9 years of I-ACE existence

Gustavson School of Business professor Brent Mainprize (left), co-founder of the Indigenous Advancement of Cultural Entrepreneurship program with Frank Parnell (right), then-CEO of the Tribal Resources Investment Corporation, helped celebrate the program’s 50th cohort recently at the University of Victoria. (Brent Mainprize/Twitter)