Local Business

Customers fill their carts at The Root Cellar store on McKenzie Avenue. Daisy and Adam Orser opened the location 13 years ago and are working on transforming the former Oxford Foods in Cook Street Village into theiir second store. (Emma Rossum Photography)

Second Root Cellar store to open in Victoria as early as late fall

Customers serve as motivators for co-owner Daisy Orser amid pandemic

Customers fill their carts at The Root Cellar store on McKenzie Avenue. Daisy and Adam Orser opened the location 13 years ago and are working on transforming the former Oxford Foods in Cook Street Village into theiir second store. (Emma Rossum Photography)
The patios in the 1300-block of Gladstone Avenue serve as a pilot program as Victoria explores permanently allowing street and sidewalk dining spaces. (Courtesy Build Back Victoria)

Build Back Victoria programs add vibrancy to the city

Supporting local businesses leads to trial runs for City of Victoria

The patios in the 1300-block of Gladstone Avenue serve as a pilot program as Victoria explores permanently allowing street and sidewalk dining spaces. (Courtesy Build Back Victoria)
The B.C. Farmers Market Guide helps locals and travellers find fresh produce markets near them. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. Farmers Market Guide helps Greater Victoria residents find nearby sites

Market operators encourage residents to shop local as social restrictions ease

The B.C. Farmers Market Guide helps locals and travellers find fresh produce markets near them. (Black Press Media file photo)
Head baker Brook Schaddelee, (from left), manager Michele Byrne and chocolatier Jack Schaddelee smile behind the counter at the Dutch Bakery and Diner. The establishment has operated for 65 years and the current operators still use the traditional European recipes of grandfather and founder Kees Schaddelee. (Courtesy of Dutch Bakery and Diner)

Best of the City: Third-generation owners keep Dutch Bakery recipes alive after 65 years in Victoria

Bakery thrives again after readapting business model during pandemic

Head baker Brook Schaddelee, (from left), manager Michele Byrne and chocolatier Jack Schaddelee smile behind the counter at the Dutch Bakery and Diner. The establishment has operated for 65 years and the current operators still use the traditional European recipes of grandfather and founder Kees Schaddelee. (Courtesy of Dutch Bakery and Diner)
Good Things Consignments owner Junice Da Costa Reis and staff member Terry Battersby pose in the archway of the store’s left wing on Saturday, July 10. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Best of the City: Oak Bay consignment store breathes new life into old items

Good Things Consignments has helped people find value in their items for 27 years

Good Things Consignments owner Junice Da Costa Reis and staff member Terry Battersby pose in the archway of the store’s left wing on Saturday, July 10. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
Downtown Victoria Business Association executive director Jeff Bray discusses his association’s third annual report, outlining the resiliency of downtown businesses throughout the pandemic. (Kiernan Green/New Staff)

Downtown Victoria reps surprised by business resiliency during pandemic

Loss of businesses modest, report shows, growth of new retail spaces continues

Downtown Victoria Business Association executive director Jeff Bray discusses his association’s third annual report, outlining the resiliency of downtown businesses throughout the pandemic. (Kiernan Green/New Staff)
B.C. Investment Management Corporation CEO Gordon Fyfe has led the corporation to achieve positive returns for the province’s civil service pension plan. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

Victoria-based company nets record return for B.C. pension investment in pandemic year

B.C. Investment Management Corporation gained 16.5 per cent in 2020 for civil service pension plan

B.C. Investment Management Corporation CEO Gordon Fyfe has led the corporation to achieve positive returns for the province’s civil service pension plan. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)
QThreadz co-founder Mady Harber runs a pop-up shop of their normally online upcycled, gender-inclusive clothing store in Royal Athletic Park. (Courtesy of Mady Harber)

Sliding-scale, upcycled and gender-inclusive: Victoria shop creates accessible retail space

There are no gender or sexuality expectations at QThreadz

QThreadz co-founder Mady Harber runs a pop-up shop of their normally online upcycled, gender-inclusive clothing store in Royal Athletic Park. (Courtesy of Mady Harber)
Riders with Bikers Against Child Abuse chose to visit the Peninsula on Sunday because of the Sidney Street Market and its food trucks. The market is operating out of a temporary location in the parking lot of the Mary Winspear Centre. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Tourists starting to roll back into Sidney

Sidney Street Market organizers, vendors observing more out-of-towners

Riders with Bikers Against Child Abuse chose to visit the Peninsula on Sunday because of the Sidney Street Market and its food trucks. The market is operating out of a temporary location in the parking lot of the Mary Winspear Centre. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Tseshaht Lead Beach Keeper Hank Gus says he’s looking forward to sharing the Broken Group Islands origin story with visitors. Gus has been a Beach Keeper for nine years. (Tseshaht First Nation photo)

Tseshaht First Nation re-opens Broken Group Islands with refreshed Beach Keepers Program

To help sustain the program, tour operators are encouraged to implement a $10 per day per guest fee

Tseshaht Lead Beach Keeper Hank Gus says he’s looking forward to sharing the Broken Group Islands origin story with visitors. Gus has been a Beach Keeper for nine years. (Tseshaht First Nation photo)
Cindy Pendergast, left, of Sidney’s Truth and Alibi cannabis shop heads out to make what was believed to be the first delivery of cannabis in British Columbia, following that service’s legalization July 15. (Photo courtesy Truth and Alibi)

Sidney said to be site of first legal cannabis delivery in British Columbia

Truth and Alibi delivered to a Sidney couple at 9 a.m. sharp July 15 when deliveries became legal

Cindy Pendergast, left, of Sidney’s Truth and Alibi cannabis shop heads out to make what was believed to be the first delivery of cannabis in British Columbia, following that service’s legalization July 15. (Photo courtesy Truth and Alibi)
The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has established a Business Hall of Fame to honour individuals’ contributions to the region’s economy. (Black Press Media file photo)

Business Hall of Fame established to honour contributions to Greater Victoria economy

Selected individuals will be inducted this fall, with a ceremony set for February 2022

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has established a Business Hall of Fame to honour individuals’ contributions to the region’s economy. (Black Press Media file photo)
Andrew and Vanessa Johnson have opened Bicycle Pizza, subscription-based frozen pizza delivery and takeout service. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

VIDEO: Bicycle Pizza offers fresh or frozen options in Brentwood

Central Saanich operation uses collaborative, supportive and sustainable model

Andrew and Vanessa Johnson have opened Bicycle Pizza, subscription-based frozen pizza delivery and takeout service. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)
René Gauthier, founder of ecologyst, encourages other companies to move toward sustainable manufacturing practices. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

Sustainable fashion brand ecologyst unveils new facility in Victoria

Consumers can see how clothing is made, watch seamstresses work in the open

René Gauthier, founder of ecologyst, encourages other companies to move toward sustainable manufacturing practices. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)
A high-profile property currently home to a parking lot in James Bay just off Victoria harbour has been purchased for potential use for a mixed-use development. (Courtesy of Mike Geric Construction)

Victoria company hopes to create paradise out of James Bay parking lot

Mike Geric Construction eyes mixed-use project for one of last undeveloped sites in neighbourhood

A high-profile property currently home to a parking lot in James Bay just off Victoria harbour has been purchased for potential use for a mixed-use development. (Courtesy of Mike Geric Construction)
The MV Coho plies the waters in Port Angeles Harbor during a maintenance sailing. (Black Press Media file photo)

Coho ferry headed out for a spin in Victoria

Black Ball Ferry Line conducting routine drills Tuesday

The MV Coho plies the waters in Port Angeles Harbor during a maintenance sailing. (Black Press Media file photo)
Design District Access on Pembroke and Government streets has been purchased by commercial designer Ann Squires Ferguson. (Google Maps)

Victoria commercial designer acquires fellow local firm, downtown showroom

Western Interior Design to ramp up its residential offerings

Design District Access on Pembroke and Government streets has been purchased by commercial designer Ann Squires Ferguson. (Google Maps)
“Poppy” is Platinum Floral Design’s new mobile flower truck. (Becca Carroll / Rivkah Photography)

“Poppy” the flower truck making the rounds in Greater Victoria

Pandemic prompts Sooke-based floral design company to add mobile flower truck

“Poppy” is Platinum Floral Design’s new mobile flower truck. (Becca Carroll / Rivkah Photography)
A local food tourism company opens its kiosk in the Steamship Terminal Building on July 17. (Google Maps)

Foodie tourism company opening kiosk in Victoria waterfront building

Off The Eaten Track adds self-guided tours to its menu

A local food tourism company opens its kiosk in the Steamship Terminal Building on July 17. (Google Maps)
Gonzales Coffee owner Doug Pelton, left, and manager Sam Benson enjoy a coffee outside their store in Fairfield Plaza. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Gonzales Coffee has filled caffeine gap at Victoria’s Fairfield Plaza

Owner aims to connect community, offer unique goods in place of coffee giant

Gonzales Coffee owner Doug Pelton, left, and manager Sam Benson enjoy a coffee outside their store in Fairfield Plaza. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)