2 Doors Down is growing and will be opening a second location in Dartmouth Crossing. It is expected to pen later this year and will be in the space that was formerly Sushi Nami, before Sushi Nami coincidentally moved 2 doors over

Dartmouth Crossing will be home to a Levi’s Outlet Store before Christmas in the Village Shops.

A restaurant called Redchillies Flavours of India is opening on the corner of Hammonds Plains and Bedford Hwy in the plaza with Scotiabank

North Brewing Tap Room and Side Hustle Snack Bar are now up and running at North Brewery’s new home at 899 Portland St.

Loong 7 Mart has opened in Spring Garden Place with an entrance on Brenton Street,. It has lots of random Asian products and snacks, they take over the space that was Mini So before they move a couple blocks away near Queen Street

The Park Lane location of Mahone Bay Trading Company has closed, their other locations in Bayers Lake and on Young St are business as usual.

I mentioned it a while back but I keep getting questions, on it, the space beside the new Giant Tiger in Bayers Lake will be the first Atlantic location of Canada Computers

Patch Halifax on Robie Street is a delightful little shop centred around providing everything to help customers make their own creations from fabrics.

Whether a seasoned sewing veteran or someone brand new to the craft the shop has the fabric, the thread, the notions combined with lots of classes. Customers can even rent a table with a sewing machine by the hour and work at their own pace.

I asked owner Christina Pasquet, now that her shop is turning five this month, if she could have told herself one thing before she opened her store what would it be?

“Look at the month, not the day, then look at the quarter, not the month,” she said.

“I remember that it was a daily roller coaster ride in the beginning … what was selling and how much? Who wanted what classes when? But then when I got to the point where I could look at the bigger picture, I realized that for every difficult day there was always a triumphant one waiting. I wish I’d had the foresight in the beginning to be able to look more at the long game instead of just the day to day.

“Cause I’m here to tell you five years later … that’s exhausting,” she joked.

Personally, I’m not into sewing or quilting but on the occasions I have been in Patch Halifax or talked to Pasquet it’s obvious that the shop is more than a place where you buy things, it’s a community hub and important to those that make use of its goods and services.

“I think the most positive thing I’ve learned is that it’s really important to invite people in, accept support and to listen to feedback. In the past five years I’ve learned that your people will support you,” Pasquet said. “And people you didn’t know were your people will support you because they believe in what you’re doing.”

Pasquet said she’s learned that it takes a village to accomplish anything and her village is led by Elliot Mussett who has been with Patch Halifax since day one.

“She’s incredibly talented and someone who teaches me so many lessons, always. Every day,” she said.

“I found this really difficult in the beginning because I felt like it was imposition, or somehow I had to do it all on my own. But people really want to be involved and inviting different perspectives is positive in every way.” said Pasquet.

“As a small (business) owner it’s so easy to have a singular vision, but if you really listen to the people around you it’s an opportunity for growth, and that may sometime involve criticism, but it’s important to listen to that too.”