City Best
30TH EDITION | 2024
Group Publisher: Michelle Cabana
Publisher: Randi Page
Randi Page
Publisher: Victoria News
TRULY INSPIRATIONAL
Best of City 2024
Copy Editor: Samantha Duerksen
Contributor: Tim Collins
Multi Media Marketing: Limara Yakemchuk
Glen Butcher
Gui Santos
Jason Ouellet
Joan Stiebel
Jocelyn Pereira
Katharine Brynjolfson
Layout & Design: Tammy Robinson
Creative Director: Lily Chan
As much as the purpose of our community news is to tell stories and inform our readers what’s happening is the overarching mandate to record history. The Victoria News has been doing that for a few decades and the annual Best of City gives us an opportunity to celebrate our community and remind ourselves to support the people who are doing business here as well; now more than ever.
Thousands of votes were cast across more then 135 categories,
recognizing the best Greater Victoria has to offer. A huge congratulations to all our winners and finalists this year! Our community is known for the way that we support each other and that shows in all the stories on the following pages that showcase the anniversaries of just a few well-known businesses and organizations within the Greater Victoria Region.
I hope you enjoy the following stories as much as I do.
Randi Page, Publisher Victoria News
to Happy
FOR 30 YEARS, BEST OF THE CITY HAS HIGHLIGHTED ALL THE WONDER THAT VICTORIA HAS TO OFFER
There is always a certain amount of excitement in our office when we begin producing Best of the City – Victoria’s original “Best of” Guide that celebrates what makes Victoria one of the best cities in the world in which to live, work and play.
This year’s Best of City celebrates 30 years, and we wanted to share some local business anniversaries, such as John’s Place, Victoria’s oldest diner, reflect on 30 years of the Victoria Film Festival and showcase the Ska and Reggae Fest’s 25th.
Of course, let’s not forget the survey that is integral to this annual addition. This is where you have told us what you think is best about Victoria from restaurants to parks to recreation. With over 122,000 votes in 136 categories there are always surprises in the list year after year. The Winners in the annual Best of the City are chosen by Capital Region readers over the course of 8 weeks.
Victoria News publisher Randi Page commented that “Best of City is a guide to unknown treasures and well-known favourites, but most of all it’s a reflection of what makes Victoria the community it is.”
Top: Best of the City 2018 winners hold up their awards at the celebratory event (Nicole Crescenzi/News Staff)
Bottom left: Best of the City 2019 (Sergej Krivenko photo)
Bottom right:Virgin Morning Show hosts Bailey Parker and Johnny Novak win at the 2023 Best of the City awards. (Black Press Media file photo)
As you read through this year’s Best of City, we hope you’ll get a sense of the fun we had in gathering the stories about our shared region. It offers all of us here a chance to rediscover some of the great businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries and the reasons why we choose to make Victoria home.
We hope you enjoy this 30th edition of Best of the City, as much as we enjoyed putting it together!
We would like to thank all our loyal clients for believing, supporting, referring and voting for us in this year’s Best of the City, for a 7th year in a row We would not be where we are today without all of you. Each one of you holds a special place in our hearts and it is thanks to you we get to work every day in a career that we love and cherish. Thank you for loving us as much as we love you. Cheers to many more years of connection and to our healthy collective mind, body and soul.
If you haven’t had an Emerald experience, come by for a luxurious, affordable spa treatment that specializes in the small details. Or treat your partner and yourself to a couples’ treatment where we offer complementary sparkling beverages and chocolates. You will feel like you went to another dimension when you see us.
Book a spa treatment during your birthday month and receive a gift.
BEST FROM OUR READERS OF VICTORIA NEWS
1. Cattle Point to Mt. Baker from Willows Beach. - Gordon Pritchard
2. Bee collecting pollen. - Bennett Guinn
3. Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point. - Gordon Pritchard
4. Moulting elephant seal on Cadboro-Gyro beach. - Ramona Johnston
5. Wasp exploring the legislature rose garden. - Helen Pengelly
6. Northern lights from Anderson Hill. - Sarah Otto
7. Jordan Beach. - Ruth Germain
8. Sunrise from Fisherman’s Wharf. - June Pearson
9. ‘Fire Rainbow’, near Billings Spit. - Nikki Ducharme
We had readers from around the region submit photos from their own backyards, and neighbourhoods. Our readers submitted everything from beaches, parks, pets, gardens, protests and more. Watch inside the Victoria News every Thursday for our reader photo of the week.
1 2 3
Love Tanya and the Emerald Gals
Iconic Pagliacci’s creates for 45 years magic
PAGLIACCI’S HAS CREATED MEMORIES FOR CELEBRITIES, LOCALS AND FAMILY ACROSS GENERATIONS
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
At a long-time Victoria favourite, Pagliacci’s, you never know who is going to show up.
Bob Dylan has graced the premises as did Sir Ian McKellen - who played Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings series. In fact, McKellen helped choose the dessert menu, recalls Pagliacci’s owner, Solomon Siegel.
“My dad and I were in the middle of arguing over whether one of our cakes should remain on the menu. My dad roped McKellen into trying the cake and making the decision for us which blossomed into him basically eating at the restaurant every day. He’d come in after hours and the kitchen, of course, loved him. He even showed up at our staff party and hung out with everyone.”
That week, Siegel was walking down the street when he heard someone call out his name. He was surprised to see that it was McKellen, and even more surprised when he invited him to a screening.
Solomon Siegel, owner of Pagliacci’s (Samantha Duerksen)
“I ended up watching the second Lord of the Rings movie the day before everyone else did at the Vic Theatre sitting next to Ian McKellen,” Siegel said laughing. “He is the nicest guy.”
For 45 years, the family-run Pagliacci’s has made a name for itself in Victoria, thanks to its renowned Italian food, pasta and desserts, hospitality, live music and block parties.
The restaurant was brought to life by Howie Siegel, Solomon Siegel’s father, and Siegel’s friend, Alan Di Fiore, who dreamt of opening an Italian-family restaurant. The two partnered to open the business, creating a menu using recipes from Di Fiore’s mother.
Solomon Siegel, who took over the restaurant in 2014, operates the business in the way his father taught him.
“I’ve seen him seat people on a milk crate because we ran out of chairs. It’s not the quality of chair that matters, it’s the level of hospitality and welcoming and love that you seek with someone, trying to treat people the same as guests in your home is absolutely core.”
Live music, from klezmer to jazz, lights up the atmosphere Sundays through Thursdays and is part of the welcoming charm. Siegel grew up surrounded and moulded by it. He began taking music lessons with Mark Atkinson from the Mark Atkinson Trio (regular Pagliacci’s performers) when he was 13 years old, which developed into a lifelong passion.
Hundreds of musicians have played at Pagliacci’s, like Etta James, Dexter Gordon and Doctor John.
“We helped Diana Krall get her start here, one of her first gigs was at Pagliacci’s … We’re 45 years old now, and as far as we know, the longest ongoing, free music venue in Canada. We’ve searched around and have yet to find another place that’s consistently had live music that long.”
Sir Ian McKellen (left) with Howie Siegel, one of Pagliacci’s original owners (middle) and Solomon Siegel, current owner and Howie Siegel’s son (right). (Samantha Duerksen)
40 YEARS OF SERVING VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND
Our deepest gratitude goes out to the people of Victoria and Vancouver Island for their unwavering support over the past four decades. Your loyalty and dedication to local businesses like ours is unmatched.
As Victoria’s premier appliance store, we are committed to maintaining our top spot by providing exceptional service and a wide selection of top-quality products and brands. As the authorized sales and service center for all the manufacturers we represent, we have the unique opportunity to stand out from the crowd. We take immense pride in our ability to foster long-lasting relationships with our customers, extending well beyond the delivery of their purchases.
At Westcoast Appliance Gallery, we believe our relationship with you truly begins after your purchase. We are dedicated to ensuring you have peace of mind, knowing you can always count on us for the support you need when you need it. Thank you, Victoria, for your incredible support and for helping us achieve this remarkable milestone once again. We look forward to serving you for many more years to come.
To w n h ome s ,
S i ng l e F a m i l y H ome s , C ondo s T her
Musician Scott White, who has played at the restaurant since Siegel was born, is a “dear friend” who gave Siegel rhythm guitar lessons and agreed to lead a band Siegel put together.
“I named the band The Vanity Project because, in a sense, it‘s something for me. We play every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m.,” he said.
Live music also helped them get through the pandemic, Siegel adds, alongside loyal patrons and supportive staff.
“I realized I could actually increase the amount of live music we have outside and create an outdoor space where I could put musicians to work and have people enjoy live music.”
One week, he realized he would make more money off subsidies if he temporarily shut down but he decided against that.
“It wasn’t about just trying to maximize profits. It was about keeping the place and culture going and my staff working and my guests fed.” Siegel said.
After going through difficult times during the pandemic like most other restaurants, it’s perhaps a good year as any to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the restaurant with the return of the Pagliacci’s Block Party – a free outdoor concert from 4-10 p.m. which will take place on Aug. 24.
“Last time we did a big kind of concert was for the 20th anniversary. Terry David Mulligan is going to be emceeing. The Bills are going to be headlining. It’s one you don’t want to miss.”
It’s all part of encapsulating the magic, the music and the hospitality that makes Pagliacci’s a timeless place in Victoria’s restaurant scene.
“Having live music really adds to the experience,” Siegel said. “It’s called the hospitality industry, not food and beverage or anything, because ultimately, what we’re selling is love.”
Old photos line the walls of Pagliacci’s in Victoria. (Samantha Duerksen)
Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada
Habitat chair,1967, Dudas Kuypers Rowan & Jeremy Adamson, Interiors International Limited (IIL). Image © ROM.
Island another From one to
Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival keeps growing
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
The Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival is one of Victoria’s claims to fame.
It’s the longest-running reggae festival in North America, and this June, it celebrated its 25th year with its biggest turnout in the festival’s history. Thirty-nine musical acts, bands and DJs played over five days at four venues.
“The fact that we’re not only in our 25th year, but are in
fact growing, is a testament to the community that has grown around the festival,” said Blake Morneau, Victoria Ska Society publicist.
Whether at the sunny Inner Harbour Ship Point stage or the packed arena-sized Victoria Curling Club, the festival has one overarching theme: to highlight the broad musical influence of Jamaican music.
Suicide Machines at their Victoria Ska Fest debut in 2024. (Shawn McNichol @filterouttheordinary, via Victoria Ska Society)
The
Langford Shopping
“We’re looking for groove - the acts that hit our stage to get people moving and dancing,” Morneau said. “We want artists who are connected to their communities, who hold ideals of social justice, equality and care for the world around them - subjects that are at the heart of early ska and roots reggae music.”
Morneau was buzzing about some of the standout acts that played this year between June 19-23. The Suicide Machines made their Victoria Ska Festival debut and six-time Juno nominee Am-
moye performed in the festival’s free show series. Canadian ska legend Chris Murray, who performed in the first festival, closed down the main stage with a surprise guest appearance from Vic Ruggiero of the Slackers, “something that everyone around the festival is going to remember for a long time,” Morneau said.
“Another moment that stands out to me seeing rapper M-1 of dead prez partying and having a blast to the ska-punk of Less Than Jake at the Victoria Curling Club after that incredible set dead prez
McNichol
played at Ship Point,” Morneau said. “It really reminded me that ... a similar spirit binds all the acts that we welcome to the festival. Cross-pollination is how we keep our communities strong and vital.”
There aren’t many festivals like Victoria Ska Fest in the world and it’s the community around it that makes it so special, Morneau said.
“While ska & reggae’s profile in mainstream music may experience peaks and valleys, the dedicated people in our community have helped make this festival and our city a haven for the music. It regularly blows my mind that this festival dedicated to the musical influence of a tiny island in the Caribbean exists here on the west coast of Canada. From one island to another.”
The crowd at the Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival 25th Anniversary. (Katharine Brynjolfson)
Dear Customers, Readers and Voters
Selling a
for 60 years escape spellbinding
|| By Tim Collins ||
The delightful Ivy’s Bookshop has been providing a unique and varied selection of books since 1964. But 60 years in business begs the question of, what is it about Ivy’s Bookshop that makes it so special?
The enduring nature of Ivy’s Bookshop can be traced to the person who started it all: Ivy Mickelson.
A woman of electric tastes, Mickelson read C.S. Lewis, Henry Miller, E.B. White, Alan Watts, Thomas Merton, Jiddu Krishnamurti, C.G. Jung and Herman Hesse. In short, she was a voracious reader and a lifelong book lover.
The breadth of her reading allowed for some heated discussions between Ivy and her customers – discussions that motivated students, professors and others to flock back to the bookshop for another round of discourse.
That legacy was inherited by the bookshop’s current owner, Megan Scott, when she bought the store back in 2001, and it’s one that she’s carried on through her own love of books and wide-ranging consumption of the written word.
“There’s something magical about books. It’s the possibility that behind every spine there’s a whole new world to discover,” said Scott, who developed her love of books and bookstores as a child and later a young woman who first visited and later worked at the iconic Munro’s Books. “My parents were friends with Jim and Alice (Munro) and that’s where my love of books started. Jim taught me everything I know about book selling.”
1964-2024
Asked about the challenges facing independent bookstores in an age of chain stores and Amazon, Scott paused for only a moment before responding.
“We’ve survived all that, and it all comes down to a wonderful customer base that loves books and bookstores. We have customers that come in every day.”
Staff member, Holly Gourley, confirmed the community feel of the bookstore.
“I started working here because I spent way too much money in this store and then one day Megan came up and asked if I’d considered working at the bookstore… starting on Friday. I’ve never looked back.”
Another factor in the shop’s survival is the friendly, personal service. At least that’s Susan McGuigan’s take on the shop’s success. She’s another of Scott’s staff.
“We have a great, curated, stock and we’re all very friendly and helpful and … well, we’re really nice women,” she said with a smile that at once confirmed her self-evaluation.
Will Ivy’s Bookshop last another 60 years?
“There’s always going to be people who love to hold a book – the feel of it and the smell of it. Where else can you just disappear into another world?” Scott said. “And I have a responsibility to sustain the legacy left by Ivy, and to continue to be here for the wonderful community that has kept us going for so long. I just want to thank them so much.”
Ivy’s Bookshop’s owner Megan Scott is celebrating 60 years of being a part of Oak Bay’s community. (Tim Collins/Contributed)
1994-2024
Victoria Film Festival
perfectly imperfect for 30 years
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
“There was heart and soul,” Kathy Kay, Victoria Film Festival (VFF) director recalls.
The first festival that Kay directed 27 years ago, she picked up John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Hair Spray) from the airport. Cell phones were as big as walkie-talkies and the batteries kept dying. Vic Theatre had to boot the festival because Good Will Hunting was screening so Kay scrambled to move it to the Roxy Theatre.
But despite the chaos, the magic of it all hooked Kay in for a whimsical ride over the next few decades.
As VFF reaches 30 years of enriching Victoria’s film landscape, Kay said she has stayed as festival director all this time because it still “never feels like it’s perfect.”
And while art, and life, may never offer perfection, this year was pretty darn good.
Kay estimates 2020 probably saw the festival’s highest numbers ever, but in 2024, they nearly reached those numbers again, indicating a full recovery from the pandemic. And it opened with a splash: a showing of Seven Veils from Victoria’s own Atom Egoyan, in attendance.
For 27 years, Kathy Kay has rolled with the punches, and reels, as the festival director of Victoria Film Festival. (Samantha Duerksen)
“We had such great guests… the crowds were out … It just felt great that we survived that whole pandemic,” said Kay.
In a world where getting people out to the movies is arguably much harder to do than ever, it is impressive how the festival keeps growing – from 23 feature films in Kay’s first year to 104 this year, with 35 sellouts during the 10-day run.
“We’ve built an audience because we’ve been at this so long,” she said.
But the festival also does a fantastic job of keeping people engaged through charm.
“One year we had a film about cricket and we had two guys from a cricket team come and do a whole presentation. It was very funny,” Kay said chuckling. “I think it makes it more homey.”
Or, one year when the festival put on ConVerge, people could get in a limousine and watch a short film about fame.
“We’re not just straightforward corporate. Even when we do our galas, everything’s pretty much handmade. Volunteers who come in make me flying pigs or sheep or clouds or whatever. It just has a real grassroots feel to it,” she said.
The festival has had epic industry moments over the decades, including the Canadian premiere of indie hit Smoke Signals, a live performance by David Foster, and this year, Emmy award-winner Eric McCormack (Will and Grace) was in attendance.
Year-round, it supports local filmmakers, through hands-on filmmaking experiences for youth like the FilmCAN Competition, letting filmmakers use the Vic Theatre to test their films out during the day, and showcasing films from CineVic and the Victoria Film Producers.
While Kay light-heartedly said that perfection would be if every film were full, if every film started on time, and if there was a filmmaker at every screening, she still seems wholly content enjoying the beautifully imperfect and chaotically creative ride to promote an art form that she loves.
“What I like so much is that it is more for the masses. It can appeal across such a big spectrum, so that people don’t feel isolated. There is something to share for the common experience,” she said.
“Or you can just really, really dig into it … explore the beauty of cinematography … the subtext of scenes … You can make it come alive for a deeper experience.”
Courtesy of Victoria Film Festival.
Red Barn
Market
15 years of local growth in Greater Victoria
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
It’s been 15 years since a group of local entrepreneurs purchased Red Barn Market with their hearts set on promoting local food. They’ve since grown the enterprise into eight locations, the newest being in North Saanich’s Sandown Plaza.
As a locally-owned grocery store whose mandate is to support local vendors, Red Barn Market works with about 100 local makers and farmers, co-owner Russ Benwell estimates.
“If it’s Michell’s [Farm Market] or Island Farmhouse Poultry or Gobind Farms, we try to support as much local agriculture as we can. That also goes for the cottage industries. We support these local businesses and that gives them a start, keeping money in the local economy,” said Benwell.
“Island grown, Island raised, Island made,” is the company’s slogan. And it’s that niche where Benwell said the company sits, competing against major grocery stores that have recently received backlash for their profiteering. Benwell said he likes to think this influences more people to buy and explore local food.
“We do try to be very competitive within the grocery retail space, but the little guys, we’re not making the big dollars the same that the multinationals could be. We don’t have the buying power,” said Benwell. “We try to compete on a different level other than
just price: trying to be better in service and in an in-stock position. We want people to have friendly experiences when they go in our stores.”
The advantage to shopping at a locally owned store is the money goes further in the community, Benwell said.
“We hire lots of local employees. And, we support the local community through donating to sports teams and fundraising.”
Red Barn also keeps things local with its smokehouse, which produces bacon, smoked cheese, lunch meats and more.
It’s familiar territory to Benwell, whose grandfather owned a butcher shop in Victoria when he was little, part of where his passion for the industry came from. Benwell has been involved in the industry for as long as he can remember, starting in 1988 as a stock boy at Thrifty Foods.
“My passion has been with people and with the grocery business. It’s a fun business to be in, to see local kids who are your employees work with you and learn. And in some cases, stay within the business,” Benwell said. “It’s really neat to be part of the fabric of Vancouver Island being born and raised on the peninsula, to be able to give back and to be a part of leaving a little bit of a legacy in the grocery space.” 2009-2024
(Photos courtesy of Red Barn Market)
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BEST ART GALLERY
1. ART GALLERY OF GREATER VICTORIA
2. Aunty Collective
3. Arts & Culture Colwood Society
BEST FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
1. BEACON HILL CHILDREN’S FARM
2. Malahat Skywalk
3. WildPlay Element Parks
BEST FESTIVAL
1. ESQUIMALT RIBFEST
2. Rifflandia Music Festival
3. Phillips Backyard Music Festival
BEST INFLUENCER (Local)
1. @henriettadubet
2. @feedyourlovers
3. @wellness_by_norah
BEST BAND / MUSICIAN (Local)
1. JESSE ROPER
2. The Distractions
3. Spiritbox
BEST MORNING RADIO SHOW
1. DYLAN & JASON IN THE MORNING ZONE, 91.3
2. Adam Stirling on CFAX 1070
3. Ed Bain & The Q! Morning Show
BEST MUSEUM
1. ROYAL BC MUSEUM
2. Chinese Canadian Museum
3. BC Aviation Museum
BEST PODCAST (Local)
1. ISLAND CRIME
2. Adam Stirling on CFAX 1070
3. MicCHEK
EATING & DRINKING
BEST BAKERY (Independent)
1. CRUST BAKERY
2. Dutch Bakery & Diner
3. Working Culture Bread
BEST BREAKFAST / BRUNCH
1. FLOYD’S DINER
2. Jam Cafe
3. John’s Place Restaurant
BEST BURGER
1. BIG WHEEL BURGER
2. Bin 4 Burger Lounge
3. Fatburger
BEST CHICKEN WINGS
1. HECKLERS BAR & GRILL
2. Four Mile Brew Pub
3. Bard & Banker
BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT
1. J & J WONTON NOODLE HOUSE
2. Don Mee
3. Fountain Restaurant
BEST COCKTAILS
1. WIND CRIES MARY
2. Citrus & Cane
3. Clive’s Classic Lounge
BEST COFFEEHOUSE
1. DISCOVERY COFFEE
2. Habit Coffee
3. Moka House Coffee
BEST DELI
1. RED BARN MARKET
2. Fig Mediterranean Deli
3. Italian Food Imports
BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT
1. MY CHOSEN CAFÉ
2. Fatburger
3. The Old Spaghetti Factory
BEST FISH & CHIPS
1. RED FISH BLUE FISH
2. Barb’s Fish & Chips
3. Willows Galley Fish & Chips
BEST FOOD TRUCK
1. THE BANNOCK ROOM
2. Greek N’ Go
3. Songhees Food Truck
BEST GREEK RESTAURANT
1. ITHAKA GREEK RESTAURANT
2. Il Greco
3. Gyrosa Fresh Greek
BEST ICE CREAM
1. PARACHUTE ICE CREAM
2. Beacon Drive In Restaurant
3. 49 Below Ice Cream
BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT
1. SIZZLING TANDOOR
2. Varsha Indian Kitchen
3. Kuku’s
BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT
1. IL TERRAZZO
2. IL Covo Trattoria
3. Zambri’s
BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT
1. JAPANESE VILLAGE RESTAURANT
2. NUBO Japanese Tapas
3. Sen Zushi
BEST KOREAN RESTAURANT
1. CHICKEN 649
2. Chimac Korean Pub & Fried Chicken
3. Bistro Chi-Q
BEST LOCAL BREWERY
1. PHILLIPS BREWING & MALTING COMPANY
2. Hoyne Brewing Company
3. Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
BEST MEAL UNDER $15
1. RED BARN MARKET
2. Beacon Drive In Restaurant
3. Adriana’s the Whole Enchilada
BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT
1. CAFE MEXICO
2. Tacofino
3. Benjo’s Tacos
BEST OUTDOOR PATIO
1. GLO RESTAURANT + LOUNGE
2. CRAFT Beer Market
3. LURE Restaurant & Bar
3. Tug Eatery & Bar
3. Whistle Buoy Brewing Company
BEST PIZZA
1. PIZZERIA PRIMA STRADA
2. Romeo’s Place
3. Oregano’s Pizza
BEST PUB
1. SPINNAKERS GASTRO BREWPUB
2. Bard & Banker
3. The Beagle Pub
BEST SANDWICH / SUB
1. RED BARN MARKET
2. Deep Cove Market
3. DAD’S Soups & Sangys
BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
1. MARILENA CAFE & RAW BAR
2. Nautical Nellies Steak & Seafood House
3. Blue Crab Seafood House
BEST STEAKHOUSE
1. THE KEG STEAKHOUSE + BAR
2. Brasserie L’Ecole
3. Fireside Grill
BEST SUSHI
1. NUBO KITCHEN & BAR
3. Ebizo Japanese Restaurant
3. Bon Sushi
BEST TAPAS
1. TAPA BAR
2. Bodega
3. Perro Negro
BEST THAI RESTAURANT
1. SABHAI THAI
2. Baan Thai Wok and Bar
3. SookJai Thai
BEST VEGETARIAN
RESTAURANT / VEGAN RESTAURANT
1. REBAR
2. Fern Cafe and Bakery
3. Green Cuisine Vegetarian Restaurant
BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT
1. PHO VY RESTAURANT
2. Green Leaf
Vietnamese Bistro
3. Original Pho Eatery
HEALTH & WELLNESS
BEST DAY SPA
1. THE BOATHOUSE SPA AT OAK BAY BEACH HOTEL
2. Emerald Day Spa
3. Haven Spa & Salon
BEST DENTAL OFFICE
1. CADBORO BAY DENTAL
2. Oak Bay Dental Centre
3. Colwood Dental Group
BEST HEALTH
TREATMENT CENTRE
1. GEOMETRY INTEGRATED HEALTH
2. Tall Tree Integrated Health
3. Recoup Health & Performance
BEST PHARMACY
1. I.D.A.CORDOVA BAY PHARMACY
2. London Drugs - Yates Street
3. Pharmasave - Broadmead
BEST PLACE FOR COSMETIC TREATMENT (Non-surgical)
1. BEAM BEAUTY & WELLNESS CENTRE
2. Olakino Laser + Skin
3. Derma FX Medi Spa
BEST PLACE FOR COSMETIC TREATMENT (Surgical)
1. CLINIC 805
2. Dr. Chris Taylor
3. Arbutus Plastic SurgeryDr. Morgan Evans
BEST PLACE FOR EYE CARE / EYE WEAR
1. PURELY OPTOMETRY
2. Maycock Eyecare
3. ArtSEE Eyewear
LEISURE
BEST BED & BREAKFAST
1. JAMES BAY INN
2. Abigail’s Hotel
3. The Craigmyle
BEST HOTEL / ISLAND RESORT
1. TIGH-NA-MARA SEASIDE SPA RESORT
2. Point No Point
3. Oak Bay Beach Hotel
BEST LOCAL LANDMARK
1. THE BUTCHART GARDENS
2. Beacon Hill Park
3. Ogden Point Breakwater
BEST PLACE TO WALK YOUR DOG
1. DALLAS ROAD WATERFRONT TRAIL
2. Thetis Lake
3. Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park
BEST WHALE WATCHING
1. PRINCE OF WHALES
2. Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Tours
3. Orca Spirit Adventures
REAL ESTATE & DEVELOPMENT
BEST CUSTOM HOME BUILDER
1. VILLAMAR CONSTRUCTION LTD.
2. MAC Renovations Ltd.
3. LIDA Construction
BEST DEVELOPER
1. VILLAMAR CONSTRUCTION LTD.
2. MAC Renovations Ltd.
3. Jawl Properties Ltd.
BEST MUNICIPALITY IN GREATER VICTORIA TO LIVE IN
1. SAANICH
2. Victoria
3. Langford
BEST REAL ESTATE FIRM
1. RE/MAX CAMOSUN
2. Engel & Völkers
3. Pemberton Holmes
BEST REALTOR
1. AUDRA POOLE
2. Chace Whitson
3. Chris Esbati
SERVICES
BEST ACCOUNTING FIRM
1. BROWN & HALL CPAS
2. Lee and Sharpe
2. Green Horwood & Co.
BEST AUTO
SERVICE / REPAIR
1. BELMONT COLLISION
2. John’s Auto Body & Paint
3. Fairfield Petro Auto Centre
BEST BARBERSHOP
1. BROTHERS BARBERSHOP
2. Jimmy’s Barber Shop
3. Victory Barber & Brand
BEST CARPET / UPHOLSTERY CLEANING
1. A1 CARPET CLEANING
2. Aquamist Carpet Care
3. Sunny Carpet & Air Duct Cleaning Services
BEST CLEAN ENERGY COMPANY
1. SASQUATCH HEAT PUMPS
2. Shift Energy Group
3. Method Air
BEST DRY CLEANER
1. INDIVIDUAL DRY CLEANERS LTD.
2. One Hour Cleaners
3. James Quality Cleaners
BEST ELECTRICIAN
1. MR. ELECTRIC
2. EM Electrical
3. Mazzei Electric
BEST FUNERAL / CREMATION SERVICES
1. EARTH’S OPTION
2. First Memorial Funeral Services
3. McCall Gardens Funeral and Cremation Service
BEST HAIR SALON
1. HEAD CASE HAIR STUDIO
2. Going Platinum Hair Design & Esthetics
3. Kharma Salons
BEST HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES
1. DAZZLING CLEANERS
2. Merry Maids of Victoria
3. Cinderella Clean
BEST HVAC COMPANY
1. SASQUATCH HEAT PUMPS
2. RedBlue Heating and Refrigeration
3. Coastal Heat Pumps
BEST INSURANCE PROVIDER
1. HUB INTERNATIONAL
2. Megson Fitzpatrick
3. BCAA
BEST JEWELLER
1. FLUX AND STONE
2. Idar Jewellers
3. Barclay’s Fine Jewellers
BEST LAW FIRM
1. SITKA LAW GROUP
2. Beacon Law Centre
3. League and Williams Lawyers
BEST MOVING COMPANY
1. 2 BURLEY MEN MOVING
2. Uptown Moving
3. You Move Me
BEST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STORE
1. LONG & MCQUADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
2. Tom Lee Music
3. Alloy Music
BEST NAIL SALON
1. REGAL NAILS SALON & SPA
2. Sunday Nails and Beauty
3. Emerald Day Spa
BEST OIL CHANGE
1. GREAT CANADIAN OIL CHANGE
2. Mr. Lube
3. Jiffy Lube Victoria
BEST PEST CONTROL
1. OLD ISLAND PEST CONTROL
2. Orkin
3. Garden City Pest Control
BEST PET GROOMER
1. PAWSITIVE
PET GROOMING
2. Mucky Mutt Pet Salon
3. Top Dog Daycare & Spa
BEST PET STORE
1. BOSLEY’S - YATES ST
2. Paws on Cook
3. The Pet Store - Victoria
BEST PLUMBER
1. WADE ROBERTS PLUMBING
2. Rather Be Plumbing
3. On Demand Plumbing & Heating Ltd.
BEST RENOVATION COMPANY
1. MAC RENOVATIONS
2. Villamar Construction Ltd.
3. Think Renovations
BEST RESTORATION / REMEDIATION COMPANY
1. BOLA CONSTRUCTION
2. Removall Remediation Services
3. On Side Restoration Services
BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
1. BERWICK ROYAL OAK
2. Ross Place Seniors Community
3. Trillium Communities
BEST STORAGE COMPANY
1. ADAMS STORAGE
2. WestShore U-Lock Mini Storage
3. The Storage Room
BEST TATTOO STUDIO
1. INK FX
BEST TOWING COMPANY
1. TOTEM TOWING
2. Westshore Towing Ltd.
3. Eagle Eye Towing
BEST VETERINARIAN
1. VIC WEST PET HOSPITAL
2. Oaklands Veterinary Hospital
3. Elk Lake Veterinary Hospital
SHOPPING
BEST ART & CRAFT SUPPLIES STORE
1. MICHAELS
2. Opus Art Supplies
3. Beehive Wool Shop
BEST BICYCLE SHOP
BEST BOOKSTORE (New)
1. BOLEN BOOKS
2. Munro’s Books
3. Russell Books
BEST BOOKSTORE (Used)
1. RUSSELL BOOKS
2. The Haunted Bookshop
3. Sorensen Books
BEST BUTCHER
1. PEPPER’S FOODS
2. Glenwood Meats
3. Berryman Brothers
BEST CONSIGNMENT STORE
1. FAT SISTERS PLUS SIZE VINTAGE AND CONSIGNMENT
2. Good Things Consignments
BEST ELECTRONICS STORE
1. BEST BUY
2. Atlas Audio Video Unlimited
3. Sound Hounds
BEST FARMERS MARKET
1. MOSS STREET MARKET
2. The Root Cellar
3. Esquimalt Farmers Market
BEST FLOORING / CARPET STORE
1. HOURIGAN’S FLOORING
2. Comino Flooring Ltd.
3. Island Floor Centre
BEST FLORIST
BEST FOR PRODUCE STORE
1. THE ROOT CELLAR
2. The Old Farm Market
3. Pepper’s Foods
BEST FOR VITAMIN’S/ SUPPLEMENTS
1. THE VITAMIN SHOP
2. Lifestyle Markets
3. Health Essentials
BEST FURNITURE STORE (Independent)
1. COOK STREET VINTAGE
2. Dodd’s Furniture & Mattress
3. Scan Designs
BEST GARDEN STORE / NURSERY
1. GARDENWORKS
2. Elk Lake Garden Centre Ltd.
3. Hilltop Greenhouses
BEST GROCERY STORE
1. COUNTRY GROCER
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Save-On-Foods
BEST GROCERY STORE (Locally Owned)
1. THE ROOT CELLAR
2. Pepper’s Foods
3. Country Grocer
BEST HOME APPLIANCE STORE
1. WESTCOAST APPLIANCE GALLERY
2. Trail Appliances
3. Canadian Tire
BEST HOME DECOR STORE
1. HOMESENSE
2. Cook Street Vintage
3. Paboom Home Imports
BEST HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE
1. HOME DEPOT
2. Castle Building Centre
3. Lumberworld
BEST INTERNATIONAL MARKET
1. FIG MEDITERRANEAN DELI
2. Fairway Market
3. Fujiya Foods
BEST KIDS CLOTHING STORE
1. SAILOR JACK CONSIGNMENT
2. Once Upon a Child
3. Thistle & Wren Boutique
BEST KITCHEN STORE
1. PENNA & CO
2. Cook Culture
3. Canadian Tire
BEST LIGHTING STORE
1. MCLAREN LIGHTING
2. Pine Lighting
3. Victoria Lampshade Shop
BEST LINEN / BEDDING STORE
1. HEIRLOOM LINENS
2. Irish Linen Stores
3. The Bay
BEST LIQUOR STORE
1. VESSEL LIQUOR
2. Cascadia Liquor
3. Liquor Plus
BEST MALL / SHOPPING CENTRE
1. MAYFAIR SHOPPING CENTRE
2. Hillside Shopping Centre
3. Uptown Shopping Centre
BEST MATTRESS STORE
1. SLEEP COUNTRY CANADA
2. Dodd’s Furniture & Mattress
3. Fawcett Mattress
BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE
1. OUTLOOKS FOR MEN
2. Moores Clothing
2. Four Horsemen Shop
BEST ORGANIC MARKET / STORE
1. THE ROOT CELLAR
2. Pepper’s Foods
3. Lifestyle Markets
BEST OUTDOOR / SPORTING GOODS STORE
1. ROBINSON’S OUTDOOR STORE
2. Mountain Equipment Co-op
3. Kirby’s Source for Sports
BEST PAINT STORE
1. CLOVERDALE PAINT
2. Pacific Paint
3. Lumberworld
BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE
1. JIM PATTISON TOYOTA VICTORIA
2. Jenner Chevrolet Buick GMC
3. Campus Honda
BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE
A PRE-OWNED VEHICLE
1. MALIBU MOTORS
2. Galaxy Motors
3. DK Motors
BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE AN RV
1. GALAXY RV
2. Arbutus RV
3. Triangle RV
BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE MOTORCYCLES OR SCOOTERS
1. BARNES HARLEY DAVIDSON
2. Island Motorcycle
3. Barnes Powersports Victoria
BEST SHOE STORE
1. WALK IN COMFORT
2. Baggins Shoes
3. The Cobbler Shoe Store
BEST THRIFT STORE
1. WIN RESALE SHOP - ALL LOCATIONS
2. Value Village
3. The Salvation Army Thrift Store
BEST TOY STORE
1. OSCAR AND LIBBY’S
2. Timeless Toys
3. Kaboodles
BEST U-BREW / U-WINE
1. ISLAND BREW BYOU
2. The Wine Maker
3. Flying Fish Winery
BEST WINDOW COVERINGS
1. RUFFELL & BROWN WINDOW COVERING CENTRE
2. Budget Blinds - Victoria
3. Island Windows Coverings
BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE
1. FAT SISTERS PLUS SIZE VINTAGE AND CONSIGNMENT
2. Just for You Fashions
3. Open House
SPORTS & RECREATION
BEST GOLF COURSE
1. HIGHLAND PACIFIC GOLF COURSE
2. Cedar Hill Golf Course
3. Cordova Bay Golf Course
BEST GYM
1. SAANICH COMMONWEALTH PLACE
2. Anytime Fitness
3. Fitness World
BEST PLACE FOR PICKLEBALL
1. VICTORIA PICKLEBALL CENTRE
2. Beacon Hill Park
3. Crystal Garden
BEST RECREATION CENTRE
1. SAANICH COMMONWEALTH PLACE
2. Esquimalt Recreation Centre
3. Oak Bay Recreation Centre
BEST SKATING RINK
1. G.R. PEARKES RECREATION CENTRE
2. Oak Bay Recreation Centre
3. Esquimalt Recreation Centre
BEST SWIMMING POOL OR WATERPARK
1. SAANICH COMMONWEALTH PLACE
2. Esquimalt Recreation Centre
3. Oak Bay Recreation Centre
How Victoria’s oldest diner makes their
famoushollandaise
JOHN’S PLACE CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY BY SHOWCASING THEIR FAMOUS EGGS BENEDICT
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
1984-2024
John Cantin thinks John’s Place has made about half a million eggs benedict since the brunch diner opened 40 years ago.
Cantin started Victoria’s first diner as a young chef with a penchant for travelling and adventure. The restaurant was one of the original brunch restaurants in what later came to be deemed North America’s ‘brunch capital’. Victoria first got this title in 2000 or so, when John Capucci visited John’s Place for the show You Gotta Eat Here, thinks Cantin.
“We were at the centre of it at the start,” he recalls.
Today, the Pandora diner offers a cozy and eclectic atmosphere, the walls bursting with photos in wooden frames. But the lineups out the door are not just for the welcoming nostalgia; they’re, of course, also due to the food, which is made from scratch.
With the diner’s 40th anniversary coming up in October, Cantin is running monthly promotions. For August, the theme is the evolution of eggs benedict.
As a diner that makes everything from scratch, one of the best parts of the benedict at John’s Place is the hollandaise sauce. Some places buy it in plastic tubs, some buy powder, but Cantin won’t have any of that.
“They’re not making it like it was sup-
posed to and I’m not gonna rat on anybody, I’m just going to say this is the way we’ve done it and we haven’t changed in 40 years,” said Cantin.
What makes it even better is it’s supplied in loving heaps: “A lot of people put like a tablespoon but we take a full three ounces and pour that on.”
For those who want to know how to make it and what makes it so good, Cantin has offered up the sauce secrets.
Hollandaise Recipe
Cantin carefully separates six egg yolks into a stainless steel bowl. He adds a touch of lemon juice, tabasco and Worcestershire sauce (tamari can also work if you want gluten-free).
Then Cantin places the metal bowl over a pot of boiling water. He whisks it over the heat until the mixture thickens, but it’s important that the eggs don’t cook.
“If the eggs curdle, you lose your sauce,” he said.
You can tell when it’s time to stop whisking and remove the mixture from the heat when a little bit of curdling begins to happen at the bottom of the bowl.
When the mixture is done being whisked over the heat, it’s put into a mixer and two pounds of clarified butter is added slowly.
Clarifying is when you bring the butter
to a boil or heat it in the microwave, then remove the white milk curd foam that rises to the top. “And that’s important to use in hollandaise, because if you don’t, the white stuff is incredibly salty.”
The egg yolks are whipped at a slow speed while slowly pouring in the still-hot, clarified butter.
“At the beginning it has to go real slow,” said Cantin. The end result? A real-deal, delicious hollandaise sauce.
Now what to put it on?
The most popular benedict is the classic with ham, which Cantin said is also his favourite.
“We buy the best smoked ham … real smoked ham. And we’ve done it since the first day and I think the customers would kill me if I stopped doing it like that.”
While John’s Place still makes the classic eggs benedict the same as day one, the biggest change is they went from having one benedict to now having 10.
Some things are done right the first time, creating lineups out the door for decades, as Cantin can attest.
As he takes the first bites of the freshly made hollandaise, drizzled across a classic eggs benedict, his eyes light up.
“It still makes me smile.”
(Samantha Duerksen)
We
took a risk
Studio 4 transforms Victoria gym culture FOR 20 YEARS
It’s known as “The Beehive”.
One of the biggest gyms in town, Studio 4 sits at over 12,000 square feet, and is full of inviting nooks, each room a new surprise.
There’s the capoeira room – a Brazilian martial arts – full of percussive instruments. There’s also weightlifting, a yoga studio, a dance studio, boxing, and more, all in what feels like a boutique gym setting, with beautiful lighting, plants, and an emphasis on the heritage of the building.
“We stripped everything back to the original brick walls and old wood from back in the day. It’s got a really organic feel,” co-owner Kevin Brett said.
Owners Kevin Brett and Darcy Dommett have arguably created a unique gym concept, and the impact of their vision has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars going back into the community. It’s a place of heart as much as it is of grit, self-improvement and sweat.
The concept for the Yates Street gym started when Brett, now 55, needed a new space for his Brazilian capoeira company. The new space he acquired was too big for a martial arts business alone, so he partnered with Dommett, who had a “tremendous amount of experience in the gym industry.” They incorporated Studio 4, in Octo-
2004-2024
ber 2004, and eventually expanded, though not without challenges. They moved into the third floor in 2008, only for the financial crisis to hit. After surviving and thriving through that, they took over the ground floor when low and behold, the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Forced to scale back due to lockdowns, they now sit where they are today, serving around 1,200 members.
“We took a risk, and here we are today,” Brett said.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Studio 4 is not just recognized for its atmosphere and extensive programs. It’s also recognized for its contributions to the community and is the recipient of the Torch Award from the Better Business Bureau.
One of the gym’s crowning achievements is its annual boxing charity event, Fight 4 the Cause. The popular event, which combines boxing and black-tie fashion, last took place in 2019 at the Victoria Conference Centre. Brett said it’s in the works to bring it back for 2025.
Fight 4 the Cause is the perfect way to highlight the gym’s strength in martial arts training while showing the impact of sport.
Kevin Brett and Darcy Dommett, owners of Studio 4 Athletics. (Samantha Duerksen)
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
Leading up to the event, community members who have never boxed and want to “fight for a cause” are trained by Studio 4 for eight intensive weeks. The money raised is then divided between four local charities.
“These are all just regular people with kids, jobs and in school and they put everything on hold for eight weeks,” Brett said. “Some of the reasons that they had for doing it were so inspiring. Somebody just lost a parent and was fighting for that. There was one woman who had been abused and she wanted to take her power back from that experience.”
The matches often play out as fun, friendly competitions between industries, such as police vs. firefighters or Lucky Bar vs. the Duke. The evening is made extra glamorous with a red carpet, dinner service and entertainment at halftime.
Brett said the event has raised over $250,000 during its run and is attended by around 1,500 people.
The gym’s strong community ties wouldn’t be possible without it being locally owned, Brett said. Local ownership comes with other member perks.
“The owners are on site every day. We work out with the members. If somebody has a suggestion, we’re all ears,” Brett said. “We actually, in the city anyways, pioneered the no-contract membership [because of customer feedback].”
Reflecting on their 20th anniversary, Brett said he and Dommett are proud of the gym.
“We’re proud of the community that we’ve built and been able to surround ourselves with. And we’re very grateful to our members who have helped us sustain business all this time,” said Brett. “We look forward to another 20 years.”
The capoeira studio. (Samantha Duerksen)
Summer at Ship Point
Most Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays until September 19
You!AWAITS
Victoria’s vibrant arts and culture scene, free outdoor festivals and live music performances make our downtown the ultimate summer destination for gathering with friends and family.
Enjoy Summer at Ship Point most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until September 19 as the area transforms into a lively downtown community hub, offering free one-hour wellness classes such as yoga and a full-body bootcamp between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Drop by from 4-8 p.m. to enjoy an array of food truck cuisine and live music performed on the new OUR DWTN stage. Experience this enhanced green space with Adirondack seating, planters, shade umbrellas and new overhead lighting, complete with outdoor lawn games such as giant chess, hula hoops and giant Jenga for the whole family to enjoy. Pick up a Summer at Ship Point stamp card from the site host to collect stamps to enter to win an OUR DWTN gift card or prize pack.
On select evenings, special performances and programming will be offered, such as free dance lessons by the City’s Artist in Residence Kemi Craig, line dancing with DJ Dancing Dean and Bad Rabbit Radio broadcasting live with DJ Nova Jade.
Beat the heat by grabbing a cold one with friends at the Victoria Beer Society’s beer garden at Ship Point on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-8 p.m., with the spectacular Inner Harbour nearing sunset as your backdrop. For Summer at Ship Point details, visit victoria.ca/OurDWTN.
Known for being a “Music City”, the City of Victoria is excited to support and host an incredible line-up of free summer concerts, showcasing Latin rhythms, Motown, R&B, jazz and blues to folk, swing and classical – and everything in between.
Soak up Victoria’s picturesque Beacon Hill Park with the ever-popular Music in the Park concert series, Fridays to Mondays from 1:30-3:30 p.m. and the Folk Music series on Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. at the Cameron Bandshell.
Enjoy a courtyard picnic accompanied by free tunes on Thursdays from noon-1 p.m. at the Fort Common Music series or an outdoor
meal at the Eventide Music series on Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. in Centennial Square.
You’ll also find free, outdoor beginner dance lessons offered throughout the summer. For details, check out CityVibe, the City’s go-to guide for free summer events, festivals and arts and cultural activities at victoria.ca/cityvibe.
These programs and more are brought to you in part by the City’s OUR DWTN revitalization program, which invests in beautification, cleanliness, safety and placemaking/programming focused on food and arts and culture – year-round.
Now in its second year, the OUR DWTN team is working on a number of new initiatives, including a review of the City’s Street Entertainment Bylaw to improve the quality of busking performances and establish a range of busking locations, some with scheduled performance times. Take the opportunity to provide feedback on piloted busking locations around downtown in an online survey at engage.victoria.ca by August 31.
In addition, a new program is being developed to activate vacant storefronts downtown with an array of creative programming and incubating business ventures. Look for more details coming this fall.
Returning this summer is the OUR DWTN Feet on the Street program, which provides City Bylaw officers a presence downtown and the opportunity to engage with businesses to resolve nuisance issues.
Victoria’s downtown is one of the cleanest in Canada due to the hard work of City crews, a designated Public Works team that responds to downtown calls for service and the Downtown Victoria Business Association’s (DVBA’s) Clean Team. In May, the City and the DVBA co-hosted the 2024 OUR DWTN Scrub-Up, which brought together local businesses, members of Council and City staff to give their blocks of downtown a fresh face.
Whether it’s live music you’re craving, a free dance lesson in the park or a craft beer by the sea, OUR DWTN has something to offer every resident and visitor.
Downtown awaits you this summer. See you there!
|| Story and photo contributed by City of Victoria Business Hub ||
The Victoria Valentine’s
Day
gift that turned into a 50-year
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
family legacy 1974-2024
Fifty years ago on Valentine’s Day, Victoria resident Gene Potvin gave his wife, Pat, something that went beyond chocolates and roses: he opened up the doors to their new business, Thunderbird Insurance.
“It’s one of those gifts that’s lasted five decades for his wife and his kids,” said Jessica Asano, their first-born granddaughter who works at the Yates Street business.
“He truly wanted a family business, but I don’t know if he realized what he was creating.”
The story began when Gene and Pat Potvin met in the Air Force, fell in love and started a family. Originally from Ontario, the pair moved to Victoria after Gene worked his way up in Allstate Insurance. Then, he opened his own company in an office that Allstate used.
Four generations later, some staff/family members have been there for as long as 28 years. Asano, who has admittedly thought to herself, ‘We should be a reality TV show,’ at one point didn’t think she’d be happily part of the trend.
“I thought, I could never sell insurance. It’s all just paperwork,” she said.
But when the local coffee shop she worked at for 15 years got bought by Starbucks, she decided she’d trade her apron for a desk and ended up surprised at the jobs’ similarities.
“At the end of the day, insurance is very much the same . It’s about relationships with people.”
She’s also seen similar perceptions shattered with clients.
“Once you’ve had a big insurance claim or you know someone who’s lost everything and insurance has to come to the rescue, then your perception changes of the industry.”
Thunderbird Insurance, currently serving over 9,000 individuals, families, and businesses in Greater Victoria and B.C., has remained a family-run enterprise thanks to the deep pride Gene Potvin took in his work and the passion he instilled. The business is something talked about at the dinner table.
Today, seven of the staff are family members, and the ones that are not are still treated like they are. Staff member Chelsea Hall wasn’t a family member, so how to make her more a part of the family? “We hired her sister,” Asano said. “And you know, she comes for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, sometimes.”
Significant consolidation has occurred in the industry over the past decade, making independent brokers rare to find, she pointed out, and it’s something the family wants to hold onto.
“You see that people in your family are getting older and something that they’ve developed, stood by and are so passionate about and care so much about the clients, that you feel like you don’t want to see it get bought by another company,” she said.
Though Gene Potvin passed away in March of 2020, seven years after Pat, their legacy lives on.
“When people speak about my grandmother, she was the nicest, funniest and sweetest person you would ever come across. And my grandfather was just so driven. And together they created a beautiful family,” Asano said.
Jessica Asano, granddaughter to founder Gene Potvin, is third from right, standing. (Julianna Wigmore)
QA
&
Country Grocer
40 YEARS OF BEING MORE THAN A BUILDING
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
Since its beginnings in Nanaimo in 1984, Country Grocer has blossomed into a prominent community staple, boasting 11 locations and a presence that extends far beyond its grocery store aisles. This family-owned chain, now in its third generation, has diversified its outreach through various mediums, including a television show and a magazine, while maintaining a strong commitment to community involvement.
To commemorate Country Grocer’s 40th anniversary, South Island op erations manager Craig Cavin and marketing director Tammy Averill sat down with Victoria News to give deeper insight into the grocery store’s impact and commitment to the local community.
WHAT DOES COUNTRY GROCER DO BEYOND A GROCERY STORE?
Cavin: Lots. We have our own magazine, Friends and Family, that Averill and all the departments have a big hand in. There’s a nutritional corner and we highlight local suppliers and our relationships with them. Then we have our own show, Cooking on the Coast, with our chef, Heidi Fink.
Averill: We’re also involved in community events like the Cycle of Life Tour [a two-day group cycling fundraiser supporting hospice care on Vancouver Island]. There are six team members on the Country Grocer Team. Chef Heidi will prepare all the food for the riders and the volunteers (that’s meals for a minimum of 150 cyclists). Country Grocer donates the food, her time and her lodging.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE COOKING ON THE COAST?
Averill: It’s a half-hour show on Saturdays at 6 p.m. The first portion is Heidi producing a recipe, and then we do a cut where we visit Island suppliers. Heidi finishes off the recipe and it ends with a beverage pairing with Liquor Plus. The supplier portion brings attention to how many awesome Island suppliers we have and takes a peek at their business, which a lot of people would never get to do.
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH CHEF HEIDI?
Cavin: We interviewed some chefs and she was the one that wowed us right away. She had a history in it, not being on TV but she teaches as a food instructor at Camosun for the food truck. She was just the one. She makes wholesome food quickly and makes things simple for the viewer.
HOW DOES COUNTRY GROCER GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY?
Cavin: I know myself, my brother and everybody in the company takes pride in giving back. It can be as small as a kid’s bottle drive from the school. Or we deal with national campaigns with United Way. We’ve got the local Help Fill a Dream. We’re supporting the Courtnall Society and did a lunch program for the school in Esquimalt.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WORKING IN THIS INDUSTRY?
Cavin: Being involved with so many people – almost 1,200 who work within the organization now. I definitely don’t know all of them but I’ve worked here long enough to have grown up with a lot of them. Seeing their families grow, them having kids and meeting each other here, it’s really rewarding.
1984-2024
Craig Cavin, South Island operations manager of Country Grocer shows off a few of the chain’s 11 locations.(Samantha Duerksen)
Chef Heidi Fink. (Courtesy of Country Grocer)
Influencers
VS.Reality
Clinic 805 celebrates 15 years of plastic surgery, aesthetics
Social media has changed many industries in the past decade, but one that it has undoubtedly influenced is the world of cosmetic surgery and aesthetics.
“It’s really affected the way that people view themselves, particularly younger women and what they believe is real or the standard of beauty versus what really is achievable,” said Shelley Clarke, a certified aesthetic nurse at Clinic 805.
With the clinic, which specializes in cosmetic surgery and medical aesthetics, turning 15 this year, Clarke is reflecting on how the industry has changed and where Clinic 805 strives to make an impact. And as an aesthetic nurse for 23 years, she has a good sense of the whole picture.
Whereas Clarke used to see mostly patients in their 40s-60s coming in for “positively aging” treatments, now she sees younger and younger patients coming in, influenced by social media. Influencers like the
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
Kardashians can give people unrealistic expectations about what aging looks like and AI is skewing our common perceptions of beauty, she said.
“I really feel that in our culture, women are really valued based on youth and beauty, and [it’s] really [about] trying to talk to women about how important it is to appreciate where they’re at,” said Clarke. She said one of the most important parts of her role is how to respond to clients coming in with insecurities. “It’s really just educating people about what’s real and what isn’t. While unhealthy obsession with beauty is not what the clinic purports, Clarke said, in their work, they strive to make subtle changes that increase people’s self-confidence. This can include medical aesthetic treatments such as removing sun damage with laser technology, or botox and fillers, to surgical procedures such as brow lifts, tummy tucks, and rhinoplasty (nose surgery).
(Courtesy of Clinic 805)
“I’ve had multiple patients who have gone through really difficult times, like divorces or separations, and felt at an all-time-low. They’d always put themselves on the back burner and they were coming to just really get some support. And by doing some very minor procedures, it gave them confidence to be able to face some of their challenges in their lives and feel better about themselves.”
“It’s just really wonderful to be able to walk through a journey with a patient that’s been able to go through trials and tribulations and you’ve been there to kind of help them along the way.”
The biggest misconception people have about the industry? That cosmetic procedures will look unnatural, Clarke said. The result should be subtle, such as making someone look less angry, or more rested and refreshed. “Everybody has seen somebody who looks over-treated, whether that be a weird-looking face lift or somebody that’s got giant lips... Our goal is to enhance natural beauty or features.”
Despite their increasing popularity, aesthetic treatments, like bo-
“He’s worked with patients who’ve had horrible, disfiguring cougar bites or dog bites and he’s been able to reconstruct their faces.”
The clinic is located in the Parkside Hotel, where patients can stay while recovering from surgeries.
It’s this standard of care that Shelley loves most about her job when looking at the clinic’s 15-year history. That, and the collaborative team she works with.
“All the employees that work here at the clinic have years of experience working in the field, so I feel like we truly are experts.”
(Courtesy of Clinic 805)
Reputations mean a lot in the restaurant business, and here, at J&J Wonton Noodle House on Fort Street we take ours very seriously Our friendly and prompt meal services are a big part of that equation, but the great selection of tasty and flavourful authentic Chinese food is what keeps people coming back.
With dozens of items on their four separate menus, including numerous seafood options - not to mention special combos for one available for solo diners or busy workers on a time crunch - there’s always something for everyone’s tastes.
Restaurant manager Jasmine Sun points out that J&J’s has not only maintained its quality food and personable service over its 29 years downtown, it has adjusted their offerings with the changing demand of customers.
“We’ve had a gluten-free menu for over 9 years now, ” she says noting that they were one of the first Chinese restaurants in Victoria to add these specially prepared and cooked food choices.
“I would say today that probably 40 to 50 per cent of our menu is gluten-
free items,” Jasmine says. “People tell me they haven’t been able to eat Chinese food for 20 years and they are so happy they found us. ”
While that change had brought back some diners and introduced a number of new customers to J&J’s, other favourite items bring people down.
The barbequed duck is one of those items. Available in various forms: in noodle soup, in halved form as a side (lunch) or main (dinner) order or combined with rice, it often sells out early due to its popularity, Jasmine says.
The smiling face of owner Michael Xue, the restaurant’s original head chef who bought the business, is ever present in the kitchen with his hard working staff He invites anyone to come try the food and say hi. You can also order online for takeout and delivery through UBER and DoorDash. There’s always something special being cooked up
Reservations Recommended
www j jnoodlehouse ca
BARB’S FISH & CHIPS OWNER IAN POYNTZ REFLECTS ON HIS JOURNEY FROM MARINER TO BUSINESS OWNER
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
As a past mariner, Ian Poyntz is used to improvising and dealing with challenges in the moment, particularly the weather. Running Barb’s Fish and Chips shop in Fisherman’s Wharf is similar in some ways.
“Both [jobs] are dependent on people. Both are dependent on equipment. In the case of Barb’s, our busyness is decided by the weather. If it rains, things slow down. If it’s windy, things slow down,” Poyntz said.
But other than that, there is little in common between the two careers, a challenge he needed to overcome when he became a first-time business owner in 2006.
As Barb’s reached the 40-year milestone on June 12, it would appear that all things considered, it’s been relatively smooth sailing for Poyntz, who approaches problems practically and calmly. “Initially I knew very little about the restaurant industry, but that was just learning … it’s really just problem-solving.”
The joint is known worldwide, thanks to its unique location at 1 Dallas Road amongst the floating dock houses.
That plus tried-and-true recipes have been a winning combo earning the restaurant international acclaim, close to top spots on Trip Advisor under the Quick Bites category and the Victoria News Best of the City Awards.
40 years fishchips 1984-2024 of floating &
(Above photos courtesy of Ian Poyntz)
Even the pandemic, which affected many businesses negatively, were favourable to the shop, as it became a neighbourhood stop for nearby residents who wanted to get out of their floating houses. Sales for the restaurant went down in 2020 and 2021, but Poyntz said they recovered strongly in ‘22 and ‘23.
An estimated 45 per cent of business comes from tourists in non-pandemic years, so Poyntz said the local community stepped up to get them through those times.
“You can’t succeed in business for 40 years without the support of the neighbourhoods around you. Especially during COVID we only had local support, but we had more than usual,” he said.
Since taking over the business, Poyntz said he’s hit several of his goals but also prides himself in paying attention to the job satisfaction of his staff.
“You shouldn’t just have a job, you should be enjoying what you’re doing. An employer should do whatever’s possible to make that happen. So that was one of the goals.
“And then of course, six years ago, we built a new building that changed the face of Barb’s from what it was to what it is today. We didn’t change any of the cooking processes or menu items, but we had a much nicer building to work from. And there are now staff areas, changing rooms and a balcony for staff.”
At the end of the day, Poyntz’ approach to longevity in a competitive market is to follow the steady course.
As the saying goes, you can never cross the ocean unless you dare to lose sight of the shore, and as Barb’s reaches another milestone, it seems this once mariner’s leap to take on a new challenge paid off.
(Samantha Duerksen)
CELEBRATING 40 years
|| By Samantha Duerksen ||
Victoria’s Vitamin Shop rides wave of innovative success 1984-2024
The vitamin business wasn’t always popular. At one point, Bruce D. Reid, owner of Vitamin Shop in Victoria, remembers it was scoffed at.
Before Reid opened up shop in 1984, his father, a U.S. athlete was interested in the industry even though it was “a bit antisocial at the time” and a threat to big pharma, Reid said.
Cue to 2024: Vitamin Shop at 1212 Broad St. is now moving its e-commerce site to Shopify to accommodate the huge order influx and help protect against the huge increase in global cyber fraud that began during the pandemic.
While other businesses floundered during the pandemic, the shop saw a surge in online sales, marked with anxious people wanting antioxidants and other immune system boosters.
“We turned the internet on just 30 minutes every other day, and we would have all the orders that we could take,” Reid said.
The shop was one of the earlier pioneers in the industry to use e-commerce. They started in 2000, five years after Amazon launched and just two years after PayPal. Even 10 years later in 2010, online shopping made up only just more than 6 per cent of all retail sales in the US.
“It was so early in internet sales in Canada that people just didn’t compute to look at advertising online. So we kind of had to sell the internet. We would advertise it in magazines, in print, just to
(Samantha Duerksen)
give people the confidence to go online to shop and that worked,” added Reid.
To draw people in and make the process comfortable, Vitamin Shop let people phone in toll-free while using the website.
“It was novel. You know, people thought we were nuts, even people selling supplements online. But we kind of felt, just taking a look at [the U.S.], online shopping was just going crazy down there,” said Reid. “About eight years after that, people caught on. And now it’s just the way it’s done. We invented in Canada the way that you sell supplements online.”
In 2024, the business remains three-fold with over 30 employees. The largest portion of the business is in e-commerce, with about 200 orders online a day, and sells about 2/3 of that in stores, roughly equivalent to what they make via mail order. Between mail order and internet sales, over 60 per cent of the business is out of town, Reid said.
With the online industry now diluted with so many players, Vitamin Shop differentiates by having a model where people can still speak to someone on the phone.
It’s part of the charm of a business that has been run for 40 years by the same family and with staff that Reid describes as “unbelievable team players that stayed with me for forever.”
Gordy Dodd, Founder