The folks from Stillwell are starting up Beverley Taco Service with a popup at Cafe Good Luck on the 12th and Mayflower Curling Club on May 4th. Pop ups until they settle on a permanent home> This is in addition to their new spot opening on Agricola

Kick off for the first game is May 4, HFX Wanderers FC is opening a store in Halifax Shopping Centre in 2 weeks



Ontario pet supply store Ren’s Pets is opening a store in Dartmouth Crossing in the Village Shops

The new cafe Open Book Coffee has opened on Strawberry Hill “… beyond a local coffee shop. We’ll have a venue space where we can bring together the writing community for events such as book launches, signings, readings and spoken word.”Grand opening celebration is April 17

Fortune Doughnuts on Gottingen is now open across from the library

Sweet Beans children’s consignment boutique in Larry Uteck Area has closed it’s doors

Previously I had mentioned a rumour that Bulwark Cider was opening in Nova Centre (they are not) but come Summer 2020 they will have a Tap Room in this house on Dresden Row. The future of current tenants Jiang Nan and Nuance Salon is unknown at this time was e.



(from my column in The Chronicle Herald)

Five years ago this week, Debra Melanson and Annabelle Singleton opened The Port Grocer in Port Medway transforming the former KwikWay into something different.

The shop is a cafe, gift shop, grocer, the local post office, and a place for people to gather. In an interview with Singleton she said their plan for The Port Grocer was to create a welcoming community hub.

“It’s all about local food, education, art, community, music,” she said and, after five years, “it’s probably everything I could hope it be and even a little more at times.”

Every morning Singleton says there are a dozen locals that come in to have their coffee and connect, they talk about their lives and their community.

The shop does a little bit of everything on Wednesdays, they have a Lunch Box program where they deliver to the surrounding communities. On Tuesdays they have yoga, and on Friday nights it becomes a pub with live entertainment. Sundays it becomes the local brunch spot. And in the warm months dinners every Thursday and Saturday night.

They have a strong focus on locally made goods and even have a community garden out back where they get some of their ingredients. Singleton also notes how the community has been there for them, and residents volunteer their time to help ensure The Port Grocer remains viable.

Singleton also sang the praises of Farmworks, the investment co-operative that helps small locally focused business like theirs and dozens of others across the province build community and bring Nova Scotia product to consumers.

You can find them year round at 1615 Port Medway Rd.

Highfield Park and Lake City PharmaChoice have started offering free menstrual products to customers in need.