Biz X magazine January 2022 by Biz X magazine

YOUR ONLY INTERNATIONAL BORDER CITY PUBLICATION Do Windsor City Council Members Make The Grade In The Eyes Of Rose City Politics Panelists? Find Out!

The Fun, Engaging And Unexpected Menu At Funky Chow Kitchen

THE PARENTING BIZ YEET! Singing & Skating Lessons, Dancing & Martial Arts Classes, Soccer Training & Making Movies PLUS Liftow Limited; Tabone Insurance Brokers; January 2022

$3.50

All On Board Charcuterie; Century 21 Showtime Realty Ltd. Brokerage and more! Let’s start the new year on a sweet note and focus on the local baking biz! From pastries, cakes, pies and cookies to doughnuts, muffins, cheesecake and more, area bakeries — including Lakeside Bakery Deli Café’s Bread and Pastry Manager Jordan H. — are eager to welcome past, present and future customers to their shops in 2022. — PAGE 18

SWEET TALK

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FOR BUSINESSES & PEOPLE IN WINDSOR, ESSEX COUNTY & METRO DETROIT SINCE 1998

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TABLE OF CONTENTS JANUARY 2022 volume 25 • issue 1

CELEBRATING ISSUE #240! THANK YOU WINDSOR ESSEX FOR YOUR SUPPORT! 4 Funny Stuff 5 From The Publisher: Team Biz X! 25 Years! 6 Rose City Politics: 2021 City Council Report Card The municipal election is set for October 24, 2022. The Rose City Politics panel gives their opinion on the grades your elected representatives should receive. 8 Front Lines 13 Heard On The Street 14 Newsflash Aqua Verde Artisan Foods at Windsor Crossing Premium Outlet Mall is now up and running! The shop is open year round and serves customers looking for imported speciality products from Italy (such as Varvello Balsamic vinegar products shown in photo courtesy of Sean Davidson) along with popular items from local businesses. 16 Food For Thought: Seafood Heaven When you crave the best seafood, consider a trip to Funky Chow Kitchen in Walkerville for fresh on demand oysters from PEI (in photo courtesy of Rosemary Woods). With a reservation, you can

watch the shucking of the oysters and sushi being prepared. You can have them shucked to order too! But, seafood is not the only item on the menu, there’s also noodles, bao buns, Wagyu beef and much more! 25 XX Files: All On Board Charcuterie 26 Just Sayin’: Should It Be Legal To Disseminate Nonsense? 28 Have A Cup Of Joe With Joe: CTV News Windsor Anchorman, The Legend Of Jim Crichton 30 Hot Shots: The Easter Seals E-Spectacle 31 Portfolio Corner: Tried And True For 2022 32 The Parenting Biz: Don’t Know What To Do With Oneself? Does your child wonder what to do after school is out for the day? We give parents a few ideas for all kinds of extracurricular fun for your little ones this winter. (© Can Stock Photo/ikophotos) 38 Ask The Experts: Tabone Insurance Brokers Inc. 40 New In Biz: The Cardboard Engineer 41 The Way It Was: Per Ardua Ad Astra … Through Struggle To The Stars 42 Biz Of The Month: Century 21 Showtime Realty's Team Monty

ON THE COVER — SWEET TALK — 18 Now that many pandemic restrictions have been eased, Essex County residents are returning to some of their old habits. And instead of baking at home, they are picking up their tasty baked treats at local bakeries. Whether it’s a favourite bakery operating for many years, or a shop new to the baking scene, there’s no shortage of places to satisfy that sweet tooth. COVER LOCATION: Lakeside Bakery Deli Café, 286 Erie Street South, Leamington has a wide variety of sweet treats to ring in 2022, each day of the year! Bread and Pastry Manager Jordan H. is surrounded by just a few of the delights the bakery can provide including: a strawberry Romanoff torte, assorted party cakes, pumpkin pie, lemon meringue pie, almond raspberry pie, cupcakes, brownies, assorted macaroons, croissants, cookies, cherry bombs, éclairs, custard squares, cannoli, and mini cheesecakes. PHOTOGRAPHER: Rod Denis (RodneyLDenisPhotographer.com) B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

FUNNY STUFF! BROUGHT TO YOU BY

New Year Resolutions For A Furtastic 2022

Send your funny animal photo with your pet’s name to: deborah@bizxmagazine.com and it may be included here in an upcoming issue. Make sure it gives our readers a laugh! Belle Brown (left) and Roscoe plan to eat fewer calories and lose weight.

Carma hopes to work less and play more.

“Striving to provide our readers with a quality magazine that contains accurate information about the businesses and people that shape our border cities; and that challenges us to appreciate, explore and contribute to our communities.” SINCE 1998, Biz X IS DELIVERED FREE OF CHARGE TO EVERY REGISTERED BUSINESS IN WINDSOR & ESSEX COUNTY (10,000) AS DETERMINED BY CANADA POST. (NUMBER 03524213)

AS WELL, 3,000 COPIES ARE USED FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, CLIENTS, NEWSSTANDS AND DISPLAY RACKS IN WINDSOR ESSEX, CHATHAM, TILBURY & SARNIA. ADDITIONAL COPIES (3,000) OF CERTAIN ISSUES ARE DISTRIBUTED AT NO CHARGE TO 450 LOCATIONS IN METRO DETROIT & REGION OR DISTRIBUTED AT WINDSOR ESSEX TRADE SHOWS/EVENTS (NUMBER MAY INCREASE AT TIMES). FOR A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION ON OUR CIRCULATION VISIT: WWW.BIZXMAGAZINE.COM.

PRESIDENT

Deborah Jones VICE-PRESIDENT

Colin Jones

Ozzie will give up his vices (that bottle was full, LOL!)

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION & SALES

Della Jones-Goulet, Assistant to the Publisher Kathleen Jones, Office Administrator BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

These puppies want to spend more quality time with each other and make new friends.

Jack Rosenberg

WRITERS / PHOTOJOURNALISTS

Steven Bezaire Julianna Bonnett David Clark Andrea Grimes Dave Hall Dave Halliday Zander Kelly Steven Mayo Joe McParland Jim Murphy Rose City Politics Panelists Matthew St. Amand Rebecca Wright PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rodney L. Denis Photography Josie Elysia Kim Jussila PRODUCTION DESIGN

Rae Marie

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from the publisher

25: Older & Wiser By Deborah Jones

2022 is a big year for us as we are celebrating our 240th edition! We have officially entered our 25th year of publishing with the release of our January magazine. Turning 25 in life generally means that even though you are older in years, you are wiser from past experiences, but still always learning. We have been through many challenges since we started in 1998 . . . 9-11 was especially tough as it hit our region hard with fewer Americans crossing the border to visit. This affected the cash flow of local business and therefore our advertising. Unfortunately, the ongoing pandemic since March 2020 has had even more detrimental consequences on the economy. Obviously, it’s had a huge negative effect on small business and their bottom line. Many have had a hard time paying the bills (and still, sadly, are struggling), so

advertising budgets were slashed once again. Luckily with a lot of work, creative ideas, support from local businesses/ organizations and a dedicated team, Biz X has weathered the storm. Throughout the years, we’ve had freelancers come and go, but we always survive. My family — dad, Colin Jones; mum, Kathy Jones; sister, Della Jones-Goulet and my partner, Jack Rosenberg are the main reasons for our success. Why even my 10 year old nephew Dylan and brother-in-law Chad Goulet help out whenever they can! They stand by me through thick and thin and always make sure we get the job done. As well, photojournalists Dave Hall, Joe McParland, Andrea Grimes, David Clark, Rebecca Wright and Dave Halliday have been on Team Biz X for many years. All loyal and talented people!

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Designer Rae Marie will have been with us for 10 years this September 2022. She always makes the pages of every edition look amazing and works well with me on all the off the wall ideas I have. Of course, I can’t forget those with me since day one — Steve Mayo and Rod Denis. I cannot imagine an edition without their articles or photos! We also have some new writers on board in the last few years, such as Jim Murphy and Julianna Bonnett. They have already proven themselves to be great team players. I also want to acknowledge the mail carriers of Canada Post. It is their employees who ensure all the hard work we do for each magazine is delivered to area businesses and organizations. In closing, I must acknowledge our advertisers, suppliers and readers. Our advertisers believe in our product and trust Biz X to get them the X-posure they need! Our suppliers are the best in the biz and our readers make it all worthwhile. I thank you all for helping us grow to become a trusted source of news and advertising in ou region. We look forward to what the future holds!

Rose City Politics

The 2021 City Council Report Card

In this space the Rose City Politics panel will analyze, breakdown, and critique a local political issue that affects each and every Windsor resident.

A new year is here and the next municipal election in Windsor is scheduled for October 24, 2022. In this piece, the Rose City Politics panel (Don Merrifield Jr., Doug Sartori, Jon Liedtke and Pat Papadeas) grade (in their opinion) our elected representatives on their performance over the past year leading into the next Windsor election.

If you have a comment on this topic, please post it under the Rose City Politics column in the CITY section of BizXmagazine.com

Ward 1: Fred Francis

Don Merrifield Jr. (Don): Uses “looking out for taxpayers” when convenient, unless it’s a capital project in his Ward or promoted by the Mayor. Claims Roseland is profitable. Fun fact, it isn’t. Grade: CDoug Sartori (Doug): Councillor Francis has improved in his second term, particularly his public communication, but he still does not show the vision, work ethic or breadth of interest that I expect from a Councillor. Grade: D Jon Liedtke (Jon): Councillor Francis is a faux fiscal conservative who deploys the same rhetoric annually at budget deliberations to “hold the line” on taxes, but is willing to support expensive capital projects benefiting his constituents. A true politician. Grade: CPat Papadeas (Pat): Councillor Francis has one reply to every issue. He provides no value added and if he wasn’t the former Mayor’s brother, no one would bother to pretend. Grade: D

Ward 2: Fabio Costante

Don: Great promoter for his Ward. Getting investments in a Ward that has been severely ignored for decades. Grade A+ Doug: Councillor Costante has a lot of tools at his disposal. He is articulate, educated and clearly very intelligent. He cares deeply about his Ward and works hard to navigate the sky-high expectations his residents have. He’s done well in his rookie term. Grade: B+ Jon: Councillor Costante lives and breathes Ward 2, and is an effective advocate, champion, and Councillor for both his constituents and their issues. Ward Two has seen meaningful investments during his first term and I expect he’ll remain in politics for quite some time. Grade: APat: When he’s motivated, Councillor Costante uses his questioning skills effectively and has a good presence at Council. He needs to get over the angst of making and owning a decision. Grade: B-

Ward 3: Rino Bortolin

Don: My Councillor in Ward 3 really cares about the state of downtown and responds to citizens concerns (even my constant complaining) quite well. Get some alley lighting! Grade: B Doug: I know Councillor Bortolin well, but you don’t need to be close to him to see the passion, commitment and capacity for work he brings to the job. We need more people like

Councillor Bortolin on City Council. Grade: A Jon: Councillor Bortolin is a “calls it as he sees it” Councillor, which is refreshing, although it can be dangerous. He’s an effective Councillor who has demonstrated an ability to push for a different vision of both Windsor and politics. Grade: APat: Councillor Bortolin is peerless in his on-the-ground engagement and knowledge of issues but, more impressively, is outstanding in aligning decisions with vision. Criticisms of him, in totality, are quibbles. Grade: A

Ward 4: Chris Holt

Don: He does a good job for his Ward. Cares about the serious issues in the city. Big promoter of transit and urban intensification. Bit of a narrow focus. Grade: B Doug: Councillor Holt works hard on bigpicture issues and is willing to take a lot of heat for the causes he believes in. He’s as visible as he needs to be, but some of his public engagement has fallen off in recent years. Grade: A Jon: Councillor Holt represents his Ward effectively and cares about fixing longterm problems the city has faced, namely surrounding transportation and densification. He’s a champion of urbanism and proper planning practices, which comes across through his words and actions. Grade: APat: Councillor Holt is authentic and nothing but consistent in what he stands for. Good things have happened because of his presence on council. Grade: A-

Ward 5: Ed Sleiman

Don: Hard worker for his constituents. I feel on bigger citywide issues he just votes the way the Mayor wants. Grade CDoug: Councillor Sleiman is a kind man who wants to do well. Residents know his commitment to constituency work and there is no doubt about his work ethic, but his judgment and independence are lacking. Grade: CJon: There’s no doubt Councillor Sleiman cares about his Ward and constituents, however his performance at council and committee meetings is sub-par. He is very visible in his community and his constituents support him. He has a troubling pattern, however, of a lack of independence. Grade: C Pat: Councillor Sleiman has served many years, faithfully, so it’s not easy to have to

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say that he should have moved on in 2018 and made space for someone new. Grade: D+

Ward 6: Jo-Anne Gignac

Don: Long term Councillor well liked in her Ward. Recently pushing back on big ticket projects the Mayor promotes. Grade: B+ Doug: Councillor Gignac is one of the smartest and most experienced people around the council table, but she has taken a bit of an easy path in this term, chasing low-effort issues. Grade: B+ Jon: Councillor Gignac knows how to play the game and does it well. Even when pearl-clutching about cannabis, she knows what her constituents want, willing to be mocked by others. It’s been interesting seeing her break from her traditional block with the Mayor and friendly Councillors, at times, this term. Grade: B Pat: A good member of the old boys’ club, Gignac brings institutional memory to the table, but the predictable “I remember when” refrain has impeded progress. Her choice on whether to run again will determine her legacy. Time for someone forward thinking for that Ward. Grade: B-

Ward 7: Jeewen Gill

Don: New Councillor getting up to speed and so far not doing anything to make me look at him sideways. Think he will be good for the Ward. Grade: C+ Doug: Councillor Gill has yet to make an issue his own or articulate a citywide vision. This isn’t unusual for a rookie Councillor in his first year. Has put significant effort into issues in his Ward, which is rational considering the short runway he has to his first re-election bid. Grade: C+ Jon: As a new Councillor he has yet to truly make a name for himself or set out his own priorities. He has been invited to numerous public events with the Mayor, surely helping boost his profile. He doesn’t need his own agenda if he’s willing to keep his head down and go with the flow. Grade: C Pat: Still a little too early to tell and nothing to move beyond average one way or another, but indications are that he is a little too reliable a vote for whatever the Mayor wants. Grade: C

Ward 8: Gary Kaschak

Don: I like Councillor Kaschak. He has an independent voting record. Seems to look at each issue as an individual as opposed to some of the regular voting blocks on Council. Grade: B+

Doug: Councillor Kaschak is independentminded, and thoughtful. I don’t always agree with his position, but I always feel he has arrived there after careful consideration. Needs to work on his public engagement and profile. Grade: B Jon: Councillor Kaschak is refreshingly independent and is not afraid to clearly articulate his position and decision making process. His vote is often hard to predict, but comes from a place of reason. I can’t remember any specific moments of him outside of council chambers, which is neither good nor bad. Grade: B Pat: Councillor Kaschak is independentminded, thoughtful and he is a solid addition to this council. Although he may on occasion veer into the weeds, he is willing to explore creative solutions. Grade: B+

Ward 9: Kieran McKenzie

Don: *My conflict, he is a friend and real estate client. He cares passionately about the community and his Ward. We are 180 degrees opposite on politics. Grade: Conflicted B* Doug: Councillor McKenzie’s experience has served him well in his first term. He’s on top of constituency issues, takes committee work seriously, and is a formidable presence in debate. Sometimes plays it a bit safe, which is perhaps not surprising as he’s not a natural fit for the demography of his Ward. Grade: B+ Jon: Councillor McKenzie’s constituents

are well served by a representative who understands the issues, has immense political experience, and is willing to articulately advocate for what he believes is best. He cares about his Ward and constituents. Grade: APat: Councillor McKenzie is effective, insightful and cares about the community. Aside from some grandstanding early on, his voice has been a great addition to council. Grade: A-

Ward 10: Jim Morrison

Don: Doesn’t play politics, just does what he thinks is the right thing to do for the city and his Ward. Flies a bit under the radar. Not a bad thing. Grade: B Doug: Councillor Morrison is smart and welladvised, and spends a lot of effort engaging people in his Ward. Doesn’t run and hide when a debate gets tough. He doesn’t have a vision for the city I can discern and he hasn’t distinguished himself as I hoped he would. Grade: BJon: Councillor Morrison is a tactful politician who analyzes issues very meticulously; not surprising considering his past as a bank manager for 30 years. He is willing to engage at Council meaningfully to defend his position. Kind of an unassuming character, which is not a bad thing at all. Grade: BPat: Councillor Morrison is at his best when he cares enough to give his good attention to

an issue. He would be more effective if he did that more often. Grade: C+

Mayor: Drew Dilkens

Don: Some city issues he fights hard for, but with the ongoing pandemic and tax revenue issues, he never saw a bright shiny expensive capital project he didn’t like. Grade: C Doug: Mayor Dilkens has massively improved his communications. Adroit media management has put him in a strong position. He lacks a strong vision for the city, and he is disinterested in finding common ground with all of the council. Grade: C+ Jon: Mayor Dilkens has changed his publicfacing politics, especially with a revamped Mayor’s Office with a heavy focus on both digital communication and earned media. The Windsor Works Report has caused him to walk a fine line between his brand of “holding the line” on taxes and making meaningful investments to enhance our community; a strategy which will eventually collapse as it’s unsustainable. Grade: C Pat: Mayor Dilkens enjoys the podium and is good at it with a talented Chief of Staff setting him up to play to his strengths. His hubris is never far from the surface and the city could do with fewer of his “big ideas”. The cross-bordervaccine-in-the-tunnel ploy was embarrassing to watch. Grade: B-

Rose City Politics broadcasts each Wednesday night at: RoseCityPolitics.ca and is available on all your favourite podcasting apps.

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FRONTLINES

The Town Of Essex Welcomes Liftow Limited L

ooking to add to its local footprint, Liftow Limited is preparing to move to Essex from its current location in Windsor, where it has operated for more than 40 years. “It’s not that we haven’t been well served at our current location, but we’re landlocked and we simply need more space,” explains Doug Van Dube, Liftow Limited’s local Branch Manager. “We’re operating out of two buildings, which is inconvenient, and we’ve been looking to move for a couple of years.” The project development and construction, led by the Troup Group of Companies and Wincon Construction, is currently under way at 320 Talbot Road South in Essex. Projects Supervisor Paul Schincariol of Wincon anticipates an early summer 2022 opening. When complete the facility will encompass about 14,000 square feet, with room to grow on site. “The greenhouse industry has become a major part of our client base and this moves us closer to those customers while at the same time allowing us to continue having easy access to Highway 401 and the eventual new Highway 3 corridor,” indicates Van Dube. Liftow has been Canada’s leading partner for end-to-end Toyota forklift and material handling solutions since 1960. They are the largest Toyota forklift dealer group in North America and continue to be the #1 choice for material handling needs. “We feel that with the future Gordie Howe International Bridge, the current developments along the Highway 3 corridor, including the exciting residential development in the Town of Essex, will

In attendance at a November ground-breaking ceremony for the new Liftow Limited operation in Essex last year, from left are: Wincon Construction’s Paul Schincariol; Councillor Sherry Bondy; Councillor Morley Bowman; Councillor Steve Bjorkman; Councillor Kim Verbeek; Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche; Mayor Larry Snively; Liftow’s Doug Van Dube, Jamie Stephen and Red Andal; Councillor Joe Garon, and Councillor Chris Vander Doelen. Photo courtesy of The Town of Essex.

make this a great spot for our business to prosper,” adds Van Dube. “This will be a very busy area and we’re excited to be a part of it.” Van Dube says the development will not only add numerous temporary jobs during the construction phase, but will also support the company’s goals for continued growth. “We are thrilled to welcome Liftow Limited to the Town of Essex,”

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says Essex Mayor Larry Snively. “The development of this state-of-the-art facility represents a significant investment in the local economy.” Liftow has more than 800 employees across Canada plus those in the U.S. divisions serving Vermont and Wisconsin. Its local operation has 15 employees, plus a few more who work from remote locations. Learn more about this company on their website: Liftow.com.

FRONTLINES

New Members Needed For Italian-Canadian Association Raising the profile of a business organization dedicated to providing leadership and support for the region’s Canadian Italian community is part of a longrange plan, according to the Windsor Chapter President of the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association (CIBPA). “Our median age is tipping a little high at the moment,” says Niva Segatto of the organization that was established in 1961. “We’re trying to let people know we still exist and that we want to grow with a group of new members.” COVID-19 restrictions hit the organization, as it did many others, with meetings, galas and events cancelled over the course of the past 22 months or so. The local organization used to hold dinner meetings on a monthly basis and hand out annual awards for business of the year, family business of the year, and person of the year. It now plans to reward a young entrepreneur of the year when these events resume in 2022 when

the group celebrates its 60th anniversary. “It’s a great networking organization for people in the local Canadian Italian community,” Segatto comments. “We have members from a wide cross-section of the community from professionals to trades people.” The organization currently has about 110 local members, according to Segatto and is seeking to add to that total as soon as possible to help rejuvenate the existing membership. (People must be of Italian descent to become a member). CIBPA has 10 other chapters across Canada — Calgary, Hamilton-Halton, Montreal, Niagara, Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Toronto, and Winnipeg. The organization’s mandates include providing leadership and support to all member chapters on debates of national economic importance; fostering an atmosphere of unity across all chapters; working closely with other organizations

The Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association held its Annual General Meeting at Windsor’s Fogolar Furlan Club, October 29 and 30, 2021, with delegates coming in from other chapters in Ontario and Quebec. Posing at the club, following a series of meetings, from left are: Danny Castellan; CIPBA National President Gianni Leonetti; Dr. Paul DeMarco; CIBPA Windsor Chapter President Niva Segatto, and long time Windsor member Emanuele Calamita. Photo by Dave Hall.

within the Italian Canadian community; and promoting the values of the organization through the development and maintenance of strong ties with other business and professional groups across Canada and internationally. For information on the association and why you should become a member, refer to: Windsor.CIBPA.com.

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FRONTLINES

Ettractive Wins $20,000 Scale(Back)UP Prize S

ix scaling businesses, within a diverse cross-section of regional sectors, recently had the chance to make their pitch in front of a group of seasoned investors, industry experts, and members of the Regional Alliance Windsor-Essex (RAWE) for a top prize of $20,000, the largest ever in the program’s five year history. The scaleups are part of the fifth cohort to graduate from the award-winning ScaleUP Tech Accelerator program, launched by WEtech Alliance and generously powered in 2021 by Libro Credit Union, and Invest WindsorEssex, with support from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southwestern Ontario. “Helping new businesses gain a foothold in the market and providing a framework for existing businesses to pivot and adapt is music to this economic developers’ ears,” says Stephen MacKenzie, President and CEO at Invest WindsorEssex. “A large portion of economic growth comes from creating an environment that accelerates a business’ ability to change and evolve. As our region emerges as a global hub for automobility

Congratulations to Ettractive, the 2021 winner of the ScaleUP Tech Accelerator program! Pictured from left are staff members: Gaurav Mudekar, Kyle Glover, Pat Troy, Patrick Thompson, Matt Macri, Yudong (Gary) Tian, and Elysia Kustra. Photo courtesy of Ettractive.

activity, it’s important that programs like this exist to help fuel that evolution.” In the last two years, the focus for this

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program has been from a Scale(Back)UP perspective. With the global economy still emerging from the burden of the pandemic,

applicants to the program were motivated to reinvent themselves to tackle new economic realities. They were encouraged to approach the program as an opportunity and licence to think differently, attempting new approaches to growth. “A program like ScaleUP creates a safe space to talk about failure, make mistakes, and learn together,” indicates Lori Atkinson, Regional Manager (WindsorEssex) at Libro Credit Union. “We know that being immersed in that type of environment can lead to some pretty amazing results, with over 151 employed with ScaleUP Alumni companies across Southwestern Ontario. Libro is proud to support the compounding impact this program has had on our region in the five years since its launch.” The four-month accelerator program provides one-on-one mentoring, cohort sessions, and access to provincial, national and global networks of programs and mentors valued at over $15,000. In addition to the formal program, WEtech Alliance partnered with RAWE member organizations, the Government of Ontario, SOAR Innovation, the Windsor Essex Capital Angel Network (WECAN) and its investors to host the pitch competition. Following a virtual Dragons’ Den style pitch that measured the cohort company’s growth over the course of the program, the winner of the 2021 top prize was Ettractive (Ettractive.com). This automobility start-up is an expert in the electrification of vehicles and has opened a new location in the region. It will be one of the leading partners on developing software systems for the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association’s (APMA) fully Canadian-made electric vehicle, Project Arrow. “Ettractive is so proud to have been selected as the ScaleUp Tech Accelerator winner for 2021,” says Patrick Thompson, Business Development Lead for Ettractive. “We were surrounded by amazing companies in our cohort and are thrilled to be grouped together. A major thank you to the team at WEtech! They are a phenomenal resource for any business — not only startups. They have been a huge help in our early success.” The fifth graduating class of Scale(Back) UP also included the following companies: TDL Systems under the brand name OLT Footcare; Ortaliza Urban Vertical Farms; DuroByte; Castlebreck, and StrongerU Senior Fitness. Applications for the sixth cohort opens summer 2022. To learn more about the ScaleUP Tech Accelerator program visit: WEtech-Alliance.com/scaleup. B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

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HEARD ON THE STREET The owner of Nooch: A Vegan Eatery, is looking for a new location after giving up his restaurant’s space at 350 Cabana Road East in Windsor on September 1, 2021. Owner Keith Uruski says he had outgrown his existing space when it came time to sign a three-year lease renewal. “We had a chance to go month-to-month, but I wanted more certainty and when our landlord found another tenant, it gave me the impetus to start looking for something larger.” It has taken a little longer than he expected, but Uruski was close to signing a new lease by press time. He wasn’t able to disclose his new location until the fine details were finalized and expected to be open early in 2022. The restaurant specializes in vegan offerings, which include shareable plates, poutine, fries and tacos, as well as salads, gyros, Philly cheese steaks, chili dogs, veggie burgers and cheesy pasta. “We outgrew our old space in the first couple of months and we’ve been somewhat limited in what we can add to the menu because our kitchen was so small,” says Uruski. “So, it’s going to be nice to be able to expand and welcome back regulars, as well as attracting new customers.” For more details and the location of the restaurant when it re-opens, refer to: NoochWindsor.ca. Already listed as one of the 41 coolest neighbourhoods in North America by MSN.com, Walkerville is about to get even cooler with the development of Distillery Square by the Rosati Group, in partnership with Mike Brkovich of The Walkerville Brewery. The development is expected to include stunning lofts in Walkerville distilleries’ former rack houses, with office, restaurant and retail spaces, along with a boutique hotel. The Square will

also capitalize on the nearby riverfront trails, diverse restaurants and historic sites, along with eclectic stores throughout the neighbourhood. Find out more information on: DistillerySquare.ca. A 26.4-acre parcel of land along South Cameron Boulevard on Windsor’s far west side, is for sale (as of mid-December 2021). It’s perfectly suited for various uses, including commercial and residential, says George Dragicevic of RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. Brokerage, who is handling the sale. The property, which has a 1,492-foot frontage on South Cameron, is listed for $1,499,999. Dragicevic states that, by comparison, a similar-sized piece of property in LaSalle was listed for $5.8 million and recently sold for $10.2 million. “It’s because there’s not a lot of land available that is ready for development,” he explains, adding, “Services come at it from all sides. There are a number of roads that dead-end at the property.” For that reason, Dragicevic points out that single-family homes would be a good use for the property on the west side before moving to higher-density residential and then perhaps commercial developments along South Cameron. The property was assessed at $3 million as recently as one year ago. Owned by a local numbered company, the property has always been a bush lot and never had any development on it. Dragicevic indicates that any development is a number of years away since an environmental assessment would first have to be conducted, which could take a year, followed by site plan applications and the rest of the processes that accompany a new project. It is currently zoned industrial (holding), which means no site plan or building permit applications will be entertained until such

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time as all conditions set by the municipality are met. For further details on this and other properties, visit: Remax-Preferred-on.com. A former trampoline and amusement park is being transformed into an entertainment centre at 2411 Dougall Avenue in Windsor. While no opening date has been announced as of press time, Big Time Entertainment is in the process of replacing Springz Trampoline and Amusement Park. Billed on its website as the largest gaming centre in southwestern Ontario, the centre will include go-karts, glo-golf, axe throwing, fowling (football meets baseball), laser tag and more, as well as a full service café. For more information, view: Facebook.com/BTEWindsor or the website: Big-Time.ca. A new clothing store featuring stylish men’s fashions from Turkey, has opened at 493 Ouellette Avenue in the heart of downtown Windsor. Fared Yako, who came to Canada from Iraq 18 years ago, opened Fa & Fred’s Fashion Men’s Wear in late October in a retail space previously occupied by Lazares & Co., a long time Windsor furrier (operating now on the second floor of the building with access off Maiden Lane). “I like the space and I like downtown,” explains Yako, who is also a singer with a number of YouTube videos to his credit. “No matter where I go across Canada and the U.S., downtown is where I love to be,” he adds. “It’s where everything happens.” The store features suits, jackets, dress slacks, ties, belts and shoes, all with a distinctive European flair. Check out the website: FaFredsFashion.business.site to learn more! GUAC Mexi Grill, a new franchise restaurant, opened in early December at 400 Sandwich Street in Amherstburg. It’s part of a chain that operates almost three dozen restaurants across Canada, including 25 in Ontario. The menu features burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, taco bowls, salads and enchiladas with a variety of meats, fillings and toppings. There are also chip and salsa, fiesta potatoes and desserts including churros and brownies. See a menu online at: GuacMexiGrill.ca.

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NEWSFLASH THE RUNDOWN Libro Credit Union announced it recently adopted Government Sign-in by Verified.Me as a new, real-time way to verify people’s ID online when logging into Government of Canada websites. This is a convenient way to access government services, provided by Interac. Instead of creating and managing a new user ID for accessing government services, Libro Owners can sign in with Libro online banking credentials — which they already know and trust. Once Owners sign in with their Sign-In Partner, they are returned to the government service. No passwords or personal information (i.e. name, address, date of birth, etc.) are exchanged during this process. Government Sign-In by Verified.Me is a commercial service operating independently of the Sign-In Partners and the Government of Canada. Previously, Libro announced a partnership with interVal, a software platform offering business Owners better insights into the value of their businesses, and more. It’s part of an ongoing march forward to enhanced online services, which also includes a partnership with MX Technologies to build Yooli, the exciting Libro app that helps Owners more easily understand and manage how they’re doing financially. See: Libro.ca. A new year brings changes, including The Grove Brewing Company expanding and moving its operations to a new location. The multi-award-winning craft brewery is relocating its entire operations to 86 Wigle Avenue in Kingsville, come spring 2022. The Grove Brewing Company’s new facility will boast 9,000 sq. ft. compared to their current 1,800 sq. ft. space at 12 Main Street East. The move allows the brewery to immediately begin doubling its production capacity to meet increasing demand. “Our brand is growing to the point where 12 Main Street is no longer practical to operate in,” explains Co-owner Jeremy Truax. “The need to increase storage, update brewing equipment and redesign the production layout has become imperative for us to function.” Expanding will benefit the brewery’s logistics and open more

Local street artist DERKZ designed the facade of The Grove Brewing Company’s new location. Photo courtesy of The Grove Brewing Company.

opportunities to both highlight and collaborate with the local community. Hiring local street artist DERKZ to design the facade of their new facility is the first step in driving this initiative. The newly revealed mural memorializes legendary Kingsville stories that are told through The Grove’s beer brands. “DERKZ is an influential, modern-day storyteller who brought our stories of Kingsville’s history to life,” says Co-owner Jeff Smith. “Our local community, past and present, is a massive part of who we are, and we will continue to demonstrate this idea moving forward in our new space.” View their social media pages and their website: MyGroveBrewHouse.com for updated information on the transition. After a two-year absence, Art in the Park returns June 4 and 5, 2022 and public interest is expected to be as high as ever. The pandemic has given the organizers of Art in the Park the opportunity to update and refine their procedures, and significant efforts have been made to ensure the safety of all participants. This year, organizers are committed to adopting technology to host an eco-friendly event that generates less paper and waste, with online ticket sales, cashless transactions, and app-based maps and directories. “These new tools allow us to streamline the way people enter the park and locate favourite vendors,” indicates Co-chair Allan Kidd. “But more importantly, they make our event safer and cleaner. In this way, we secure the future of Art in the Park and Rotary as responsible partners within the community.” Art in the Park is an entirely volunteer-run event put on by The Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) with 100% of the proceeds being returned to the community. Kidd adds: “The event itself is our gift to the people of Windsor/Walkerville, but the money raised allows us to do even more. Because of Art in the Park, the members of our Rotary club have been able to give over $1 million towards the restoration and upkeep of the Willistead Manor and have generated more than $2 million for projects to combat poverty, disease, and illiteracy, locally and around the world.” As many as 20,000 attendees enjoy the sights, sounds and flavours offered over the weekend by hundreds of artisans that bring together every form of creative expression, from watercolours to waffle cones, from lithographs to leather crafts, music and dance. Interested exhibitors can submit applications online: Rotary1918.com/page/art-in-the-park by January 31. The jury will make efforts to notify accepted artists by March 30, 2022. B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

HALL OF FAME Choice Hotels Canada has announced the national winners of its prestigious 2021 APEX Awards (Awards for Property Excellence). To start, Justin Barker, General Manager of the Comfort Inn, 2955 Dougall Avenue in South Windsor, was presented with the firstever Marketing Star Award. This inaugural national award recognizes an individual that stands out from the crowd when it comes to local marketing. The individual demonstrates an eagerness to engage with Choice Hotels Comfort Inn General Manager, Justin Barker (holding his Marketing Star Award) is pictured with Bonnie Zhao, Operations Manager. Photo courtesy of Justin Barker.

Canada’s marketing team and to leverage the digital resources available to increase the effectiveness of its local efforts. Altogether 12 national APEX Awards, which recognize stellar performance, ongoing commitment to guest service and community leadership, were distributed to top performing properties and individuals across the country (another local winner follows after this write-up).“We added this award because we recognize that local marketing efforts are integral to success,” says Brian Leon, President of Choice Hotels Canada. “We congratulate Justin and his team at the Comfort Inn in south Windsor, for their hard work and marketing prowess.” As an active member of the regional co-op and marketing committees, Barker proactively shares ideas to improve the digital exposure of his and other Choice properties, including utilizing social media. He is actively engaged in shared marketing programs, webinars and regional calls, and has become an invaluable asset, while helping promote tourism and business in the Windsor area. “We are delighted to win this award from Choice Hotels Canada,” states Barker. “Our entire team has contributed to this award, which makes it especially meaningful.” Another APEX Award from Choice Hotels Canada went to Dharmesh Patel, General Manager of the Quality Inn, 279 Erie Street South in Leamington. He is the recipient of the national award for Choice Privileges

General Manager of the Quality Inn in Leamington, Dharmesh Patel is the recipient of the Choice Privileges Ambassador of the Year. Photo courtesy of Dharmesh Patel.

Ambassador of the Year. “We are proud to honour Dharmesh for his dedication, enthusiasm and leadership, as he truly represents the best of the best,” says Brian Leon, President of Choice Hotels Canada. “He has extremely high response and knowledge rates when it comes to our frontline campaigns. His team’s efforts in maintaining high Likelihood to Recommend scores and executing Choice Privileges Elite Recognition on property are outstanding.” To qualify for the award, the recipient must help foster a strong Choice Privileges culture at the hotel, consistently motivate the on-property team and fellow Ambassador community, and participate in related webinars and campaigns. “It is such an honour to receive this distinguished award,” states Patel. “I am a true believer in the power of Choice Privileges and the benefits that the loyalty program provides to our guests, so it makes being an Ambassador especially

personally rewarding.” Along with his family, Patel has been providing outstanding customer service in Leamington for over 30 years and he is also currently the Chair of the Windsor Region Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association and on their Provincial Board of Directors. To make a reservation at this hotel or the Comfort Inn mentioned in the previous paragraph visit: ChoiceHotels.com.

NEW IN BIZ In mid-November 2021, Sean Davidson officially opened Aqua Verde Artisan Foods at Windsor Crossing Premium Outlet Mall, 1555 Talbot Road, Unit 503 in LaSalle. The business is open year round and serves customers looking for imported speciality products from Italy, along with local favourites from Galati Cheese and Mancini’s Italia Bakery. There are also fresh pastas, pastries, international cheeses and organic meats available. Fresh sandwiches are prepared daily too! “Aqua Verde was born out of a desire to provide our customers the freshest produce available, so fresh, you can ‘Taste The Life’,” states Davidson, emphasizing their company slogan. The last two years have seen the return of family dinners and for many the days are busy and there is not always time to stop by the market to prepare a healthy meal. Eating fresh is now easier with Aqua Verde’s in store menu

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items and local delivery service. Home delivery for residents in LaSalle is offered and there is a curbside pickup for all customers on certain days of the week. Find further information on: AquaVerdeArtisanFoods.com.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO . . . November 2021 marked the 10th anniversary for Bubby’s Plumbing, Heating & Drain Service. It all began back in 2011 when Robert “Bubby” Cronin Jr., started his own plumbing company, known as Bubby’s Plumbing. The early days saw Cronin operating his business from the family home. Within a few years Bubby’s relocated and expanded to over 10 employees. Outgrowing this site by 2019, Bubby’s Plumbing, Heating & Drain Service was on the move again to 1074 Crawford Avenue, Windsor. This new location has allowed the growth and expansion to 10 trucks and 16 employees. Bubby’s continually provides customers with a full range of services, including drain cleaning, camera inspections and repairs. Accredited by the Better Business Bureau, Bubby’s is also licensed by the City of Windsor. From residential to commercial sites, they guarantee excellent service and workmanship at a fair price. For more information visit: BubbysPlumbing.ca.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

THIS ISSUE FEATURES…

Funky Chow Kitchen 2090 Wyandotte Street East, Windsor By David Clark

n exotic dining experience with plenty of exciting and different culinary options awaits customers at Funky Chow Kitchen (isn’t it just a fun name too?) According to Rosemary Woods, Owner/Operator: “With new dishes at any time you pay us a visit, we also put out our own spin on Asian fusion and we are right into Japanese fare including Sushi, Ramen and Karaage (fried chicken), even cocktails with sake in them.” Once you dig into the menu, you can also see Chinese, Vietnamese and Filipino options. Wagyu (beef) from Australia and oysters from PEI too. Along with Woods, part of the ownership team includes John Alvarez, who is also an Owner/Operator with the F & B Hospitality Group, which operates Funky Chow Kitchen and the following restaurants: The Grand Cantina, Slices Pizza and Taloola Café. For the purpose of this article, we shine the spotlight on Funky Chow Kitchen with its wild and visibly loud and colourful interior appropriately reflecting the food they serve. “The vibe in our restaurant is hip and

Photos courtesy of Rosemary Woods fun and our atmosphere and menu are perfectly in sync,” Woods points out “Our price point is very fair considering the high quality ingredients we use. We strive to make things sharp, memorable and Instagram worthy.” And Funky Chow Kitchen is definitely a lively and fun place to be! “We really do what we love here and are excited to share it with the community,”

she expresses. “There is a lot of sharing of ideas and experiments done with the staff that produces exciting meals that have ended up on the menu since we opened in April 2021.” Some of the experiments they put together become a “wildcard” option. This is just one way for the chefs to play around and explore their new possible menu ideas. Wildcard choices (generally one to four dishes) appear on a chalkboard inside the restaurant. Some may last for several weeks, others for just a few days. Be sure to try them while you can! On the menu, the top three Most Popular and Funky Food selections begin with Karaage as the leader of the pack. This is an incredibly tasty sample of Japanese Style Fried Chicken that arrives at your table fried twice and super crispy. It comes with a housemade style mayo. Another champion is the Bao with three steamed buns in two options — the Carnivore Crispy Pork Belly topped with pickled shiitake, scallions and sesame, and the Vegan choice of Fried Tofu, ssamjang, scallions and sesame.

Destination: chow town! The Karaage is an incredibly tasty Japanese Fried Chicken dish with a Japanese style mayo, offering diners a food trip to the Orient.

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In the category of Tempura Fried Items and Sushi, you can enjoy a new menu item, the Godzilla Roll. We’re betting it will be a #1 pick very soon! It includes lobster salad, tempura fried asparagus and avacodo topped with Wagyu beef, goma sauce and truffle oil. Finally, in the From the Sushi Bar section you can find an old favourite — PEI oysters. With dine-in reservations, you can watch the chefs at the bar prepare sushi

The jumbo Godzilla Roll (with ingredients including the lobster salad and Wagyu beef) is ready to take its seat up front with the old favourites as the go-to-dish when you crave a seafood roll.

Starting out of the gates, very strongly, is the new Crispy Ribs served in two ways, with Korean spicy sauce or Vietnamese with a caramel fish sauce. In the Nigiri/Sashimi section, Tuna is a popular choice and as for the top Maki Roll, the Cucumber Avocado Roll is always a hit . . . especially with the kids! The Specialty Roll favourite is the Judo Chop. Its spicy tuna and cucumber topped with salmon, shrimp, avocado and crispy tempura flakes.

Bao — a Funky Food favourite on the menu — comes with a three pack of steamed buns. You can choose either the savage Carnivore (Crispy Pork Belly) or the tamer Vegan (Fried Tofu) options or both!

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A new menu choice, the Korean Ribs, is gaining popularity and served with a spicy gochujang sauce.

and shuck to order every single one of those yummy oysters. So how many hungry patrons can Funky Chow Kitchen hold? There is seating for around 60 and large parties of up to 12 to 16 can be accepted. “In regards to delivery and online ordering, the focus is always on indoor dining, but during the pandemic we created a special menu that would work well in a takeout box,” states Woods. “At this time we also offer online ordering for pickup and delivery through our website: FunkyChowKitchen.com.” To view their hours of operation and the menu, visit the website mentioned above and: Facebook.com/FunkyChowKitchen.

Pictured are a few of the tasty baked goods available at The Panetteria, from left: raspberry financiers; raspberry Danish pastries, a white chocolate and raspberry tart, a beef pie and croissants.

Area Entrepreneurs Continue To Roll Along And Bake Up A Storm

COVER STORY By Dave Hall

ith COVID-19 related restrictions being eased across the region, many local residents are returning to their old habits and shedding some of the new ones acquired during the months of the pandemic. With access to bakeries severely limited at various stages of the ongoing pandemic, many people turned to baking at home while picking up new skills or simply returning to what they loved to do as children. Now that bakeries have largely re-opened, a number of new ones have popped up in the region. And while there are no guarantees when it comes to operating a successful bakery, there’s no question that fresh local ingredients, a focus of quality and baking fresh products every day, can go a long way towards helping a bakery survive and thrive.

Lakeside Bakery Deli Café 286 Erie Street South, Leamington

To start off our story we check in with one of the area’s most successful baking businesses. Danielle Tartaro has operated the 22-year-old Lakeside Bakery Deli Café for the past 15 years and now has more than 40 employees, including half a dozen master bakers who work overnight every night to produce fresh baked goods for their customers. “Our secret over the years has been to offer fresh-baked products, baked on site every day,” Tartaro comments. “You can pick up frozen and thawed products at any grocery store, but you can’t get fresh like we offer everywhere.” And while many people who were trapped indoors throughout COVID-19 restrictions turned to baking at home on their own, a lot

are now returning to their favourite bakeries, according to Tartaro. “Baking is a long process and it’s one thing entirely to turn out dozens of loaves, buns, cakes and specialty breads and it’s another to make a few sourdough loaves at home,” says Tartaro. “Baking is a specialty and it takes years of experience to know when dough has risen enough to bake and when it needs a little more time.” She adds, “There are cooks who can’t bake and bakers who can’t cook.” Customers can rest assured though that Lakeside Bakery’s Bread and Pastry Manager Jordan H. (last name withheld) has been employed at the business for over 20 years. He has the experience customers depend on for quality baked goods, each and every time. In addition to selling products from its location in Leamington, Lakeside Bakery also provides its baked goods locally to Fred’s Farm Fresh International Market & Deli, Demarco’s Fine Foods, Farron’s Gourmet Butcher Shop, La Vern’s Market, Remark Fresh Markets Windsor and Sanford and Son Supermarket (Harrow) as well as many restaurants in the area such as Nico’s, Billy’s Taphouse and Mettawas Station. They also ship internationally to many stores in Michigan, including Kroger. With the holiday baking season behind us, there is no break for Tartaro and her team as they prepare for another busy time for

Poonchkie Week taking place February 23 to March 1, 2022. Hundreds of original poonchkies in flavours of apple, strawberry, raspberry, lemon, whipped cream, custard with chocolate and plum, will be sold. Lots of fruit and no transfats! Pre-made assorted six packs and dozens are available, as are custom boxes of three dozen. For now you’ll plenty of choices of tortes, pastries, breads and buns ready for pickup, or you can order online at: LakesideBakery.com. The bakery also offers party platters, paninis, gift basket sales, wedding cakes, breakfast/lunch options and catering. As for the future, with continual requests to open more locations in Windsor and beyond, Tartaro is considering her next moves due to all the “customer love” she receives. (And of course Biz X will keep you in the loop in future editions).

Local Bakers Rise To The Occasion

As the baking industry transitions back to offering full services after almost two years of restrictions, we take a look at some of the newest bakeries (including ownership changes and new products) in Windsor and Essex County . . . just in time for all the sweet Valentine’s Day celebrations!

Torus Doughnuts 3090 Dougall Avenue, Unit #405, Windsor

Danielle Tartaro has operated the 22-yearold Lakeside Bakery Deli Café in Leamington for the past 15 years. Photo courtesy of Sherrilynn Colley-Vegh.

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Jenna Gelinas started baking as a child, working alongside her dad, and she’s now turned those childhood memories into a full time vocation with Torus Doughnuts. Gelinas is currently transitioning from working out of her home to opening a location in Dougall Avenue plaza in a space next to Kumon Math and Reading Centre

Jenna Gelinas, Owner of Torus Doughnuts is movin' on up! She is set to open an official location in a plaza on Dougall Avenue in the coming months. And even though she may be tempting you to try her tasty morsels now, you’ll have to wait until the bakery opens in February or March. Sorry! Photo by Rod Denis.

and KOMA Restaurant (Kitchen Of Michael Anthony). “It’s a leap of faith to move into my own space, but I feel really good about the opportunity,” expresses Gelinas who expects to open the doors in either February or March 2022. “After working from my home for the past year, I’m ready to expand and hopefully attract a completely different customer base.” While working for Tim Hortons for a few years, Gelinas also attended Brock University in St. Catharines and earned a math degree. It’s her background in math that led to the name of her company since Torus is the mathematical term for the shape of a doughnut. Naturally, she plans to continue to specialize in baking doughnuts at the new location and expects to start with about a dozen different varieties before possibly expanding to a larger number once she gets established. “I’m planning on a couple of employees to begin with and we’ll see how that goes before I add anyone else,” she explains. For now she’s been putting in long hours, but believes it’s worth it to become her own boss and own her own business. Baking is currently on hold and will resume when the bakery opens. You can keep up with the progress on the new location and hours, on the company’s Facebook and Instagram pages under “Torus Doughnuts”.

The Panetteria 248 Ramsay Street, Amherstburg

Focusing on European-style pastries and breads, The Panetteria has been open in downtown Amherstburg since September 25, 2021. Owned and operated by Anna Marano and Simon Briggs, a pair of Red Seal chefs

with extensive experience in pastry-making and baking, they provide customers with a selection of decadent desserts including Danish pastries, croissants, scones and pain au chocolat, as well as sourdough breads, pies and fresh sandwiches on daily-baked rolls and buns. “We consider ourselves an artisan bakery and everything we sell is baked fresh on the premises,” Marano informs Biz X. “As for our products, we take a more global view and try to offer baked goods that are different from a standard North American bakery.” Both of the owners attended the Stratford Chefs School where Briggs was also an instructor for a number of years. Marano’s 10 years of culinary experience comes mainly from working in Stratford, while Briggs has worked in Stratford, London, Kitchener and Guelph, as well as Scotland where he was born. Marano and Briggs, who also taught at The Chef Next Door adjacent to The Twisted Apron in Walkerville, plan to put those teaching skills to work when they launch The Bake Club.

Red Seal chefs Anna Marano and Simon Briggs pose inside The Panetteria, downtown Amherstburg. The bakery opened last fall and focuses on European-style pastries and breads. Photos courtesy of The Panetteria.

“We’re still working on the details such as finding a location, because our bakery isn’t really large enough for a teaching space,” states Marano. “We’re willing to teach anyone if they have an interest and we’re already offering baking advice to customers who want to try something new for themselves at home.” For more information on The Bake Club and their products, visit: ThePanetteria.com.

Sweet Revenge Bake Shop 400 Erie Street, Suite 9, Windsor

After five years of working at Sweet B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

Diana Elias, the new Owner of Sweet Revenge Bake Shop, displays a six-inch vanilla birthday cake. Photo courtesy of Sweet Revenge.

Revenge Bake Shop, Diana Elias decided to take the next logical step and take the reins when original owner Saskia Scott decided to step away from the bakery she had operated for almost 10 years. “I had always been interested in cooking and baking and it seemed like the perfect opportunity,” says Elias who took over in October 2021. “It’s been overwhelming at times, but I love being my own boss and being able to make decisions and implementing them very quickly. It also allows me to test new products on my own.” Elias, who graduated from the culinary arts program at St. Clair College, hasn’t made a lot of changes since taking over, but has added more vegan options for a client base that is growing very quickly. “It’s definitely something new and you have to react to the needs of your customers if you want to survive,” Elias notes. Her business focuses mainly on sweet treats including cakes, custom cakes, brownies and macaroons, as well as key lime pie and many varieties of brownies. With six employees by her side, Elias is already beginning to focus on Valentine’s Day. “People are beginning to put their orders in because they don’t want to wait until the last minute,” says Elias. “It makes it easier on our staff as well because we can plan and make sure we can meet all the special requests.” Elias uses her business website: SweetRevengeBakeShop.com and her social media pages on Facebook and Instagram to promote the bakery. Pickup orders can also be made online.

Grey Matlock Bakery 1331 Tecumseh Road East, Windsor

This commercial bakery was established in Brampton in 2018 and since then has added new locations in Calgary and Ottawa, as well as Windsor, which opened in September 2021. “We specialize in African-Caribbean Agege bread and we provide our products to grocery stores,” indicates Owner Wale Rabiu. “It’s been going very well since we opened three years ago and there’s been a lot of interest in these breads over the past few years.”

The operator of the Windsor franchise, Adeniyi Adejoro, says it’s a completely new business venture, but one that he’s enjoying. “It’s new and exciting and I’m looking forward to seeing the business prosper,” Adejoro comments. Among Grey Matlock’s customers are Multifood Supermarket on Crawford Avenue near Wyandotte Street West; MK African & Caribbean Store, 980 Wyandotte Street East; JP Grocers, 1071 Wyandotte Street West; AM Variety African Store, 1830 Wyandotte Street West; Osomoya African & Caribbean Food Market, 1208 Ouellette Avenue; Afrocan Foods Market, 1033 Wyandotte Street West and Ugarit Market, 1165 Wyandotte Street West. For further details see their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram under “Grey Matlock Bakery.”

Miller's Bakery 21 Chestnut Street, Kingsville

In September of last year, Grey Matlock Bakery opened a Windsor operation specializing in selling Agege bread, which originated in Nigeria. The bread is available locally at a number of African-Caribbean specialty stores. Photo by Dave Hall.

Agege bread, which originated in Nigeria, is a soft, dense sweet white bread made from rich, low-yeast flour. Rabiu says the company decided to open a bakery in Windsor after he realized grocery store managers were showing up at his Brampton bakery looking for products. “It just made sense to open up there (Windsor) because we were getting a great deal of interest,” states Rabiu. “Our customer base is basically people from African and Caribbean countries and there are a great many with those backgrounds across Ontario.”

When Hannah Miller opened her bakery on May 1, 2021 she had a bit of local history in mind. “We are often compared to the old Kingsville Bakery and customers often comment the bakery is very nostalgic for them, from the products we offer to the smell of fresh-baked bread when they walk in,” Miller points out. “We work hard to bake the best products we can and support other local businesses as much as possible through our business.” Miller’s Bakery offers freshly baked bread as well as croissants, Danishes, butter tarts, cookies, squares, pies and sausage rolls. The bakery also sells its own jams and granola, crackers, cookie and pizza dough and even baked dog treats. “I opened my bakery well into the pandemic, so I already had a pretty good idea of how COVID-19 restrictions would affect it,” says Miller, who graduated from the baking and pastry arts program at Niagara

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Hannah Miller, Owner of Miller’s Bakery is proud to serve the Kingsville community with quality breads and pastries. She offers a variety of baked goods including croissants, Danishes, cookies, tarts and more! Photo by Rod Denis.

College in 2018. “We aren’t large enough to offer dine-in options, so we haven’t been all that affected by the pandemic.” She started baking on weekends with her mother and grandmother when she was a child and has always loved it. “I worked at a bakery through a co-op program while I was in high school and decided right then it was what I wanted to do for a career,” she recalls. “I worked at a couple of bakeries for about five or six years and then decided to open my own.” Miller has five part-time employees — three up front serving customers and two more in the kitchen baking their fresh in-house products. “It’s always been a dream and it’s been going very well because there’s not been anything like it in Kingsville for quite a while,” she adds. To view a gallery of their product photos, go to: MillersBakery.ca.

Bad Witch Bakery 900 Erie Street East, Windsor

Gabrielle Bleyendaal opened Bad Witch Bakery in June 2020 after COVID-19 restrictions and other factors had a negative impact on Wizards of Walkerville, a boardgame bistro and bar, which she had operated since October 2017. “The pitfall of owning a board-game bistro and bar is that you don’t have the usual business model in restaurants of a 45-minute turnover in tables,” says Bleyendaal. “Instead, tables stayed anywhere between two and six hours and sometimes more. That makes it very hard to make any money back, let alone stay afloat.” She then started brainstorming about what to do instead and she remembered a cheesecake recipe she had always loved making. “Suddenly, over the course of six months, I went from making six cheesecakes a week to 30,” she indicates. In February 2020, she took a chainsaw to her restaurant’s front counter to make room for a cheesecake display fridge and sold 4,000 slices and hundreds of seven-inch cheesecakes for Valentine’s Day. And then in March 2020 the pandemic shut down the board game aspect of the business.

Bad Witch Bakery Owner Gabrielle Bleyendaal, right, works on a baked creation with employee Quinn Taylor in her brightly-decorated location on Erie Street East in Windsor. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Bleyendaal.

Bleyendaal changed the name of her business to distinguish it from Wizards and, five months later, moved it to its current location at 900 Erie Street East in a space previously occupied by Tiki Sushi. It has an open-concept bakery area so people can watch cheesecakes being created. “It worked,” comments Bleyendaal, who has a bachelor of fine arts degree and a minor in graphic design from York University. “We survived the last year solely on pickup and takeout, and while I’ve increased my overhead significantly, I surpassed my previous year’s sales within months.” The bakery also offers monster cookies, loaded-layer brownies and an ice cream

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menu (the star is the ice cream cookie sandwich that resembles an ice cream loaded taco). With a background as a photographer, Bleyendaal designed her bakery with that in mind, giving customers an opportunity to snap photos both inside and outside the brightly decorated building. Bright teal stools with neon pink cushions backed by white subway tiles are features of the interior. It is definitely a cool spot for an Instagram picture! To learn about their “wicked” menu items, view: WizardsOfWalkerville.com or: Instagram.com/badwitchbakery. Cover story continues on page 24 . . .

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Cover story continues from page 21 . . . pies and custom-designed cakes. And her custom-designed cakes are becoming more and more popular for birthdays, anniversaries and other events. “People seem to really like designing a cake that helps reflect the interests of the people it is meant for,” mentions Jones. “Kids really like cartoon cakes and I have fun creating something unique for my customers.” Recently she has started infusing some of her cake recipes with the favourite wines and liqueurs of some of her customers. “It’s a fun way to enjoy a drink and dessert at the same time,” she expresses. For further information about her products, log on to: TotallyBakedGoods.ca.

Totally Baked Home Based

After finding her passion for baking in September 2017, Rakeisha Jones has turned Totally Baked into a full-time business, which she operates from her home, specializing in custom-themed cakes and desserts. “As a local female Black entrepreneur, it’s my belief that I am paving the way for other young Black women to want to pursue a business idea,” Jones states. “When people found out who was behind the bakery, I received a great deal of support from people, which was really sweet and encouraging.” Jones has always been interested in baking, but her passion grew after attending some classes at a food school in the United States when she was away visiting family. “I found I liked it even more than I thought I did and I decided to start my own business,” she explains. While she also works at another job, she finds the bakery is taking up more and more of her time. “I do most of the baking myself, but I have some people who help me out when we’re setting up dessert tables for weddings and other events,” Jones adds.

What’s The Best Thing To Put In A Cake? Your Teeth! Pretty in pink! Rakiesha Jones, Owner of Totally Baked, holds up one of her signature birthday cakes. Her outstanding skill as a baker has led her to earn top pick in the 2021 Community Votes Windsor competition in the bakery and dessert categories and win the bronze ranking for cakes. She also is a 2021 Biz X Award nominee. Photo courtesy of Mirna Moravec of Mmora Photography.

“It’s busy, but I am really enjoying it.” She offers cupcakes, brownie and cake pops, chocolate-covered strawberries and pretzels, cheesecakes, macaroons, cookies,

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From brownies, macaroons, cheesecakes and cake pops, to croissants, specialty bread and delectable pies, cakes, doughnuts and cookies, there’s something for every sweet tooth at bakeries across Windsor and Essex County. Stop by a local bakery today and find your new favourite dessert. It’s always a great feeling to enjoy something that melts in your mouth and helps you forget all your troubles!

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For Tanya Viens & Taylor Meyers . . . It’s Easy Being Cheesy

hat is an appetizer that offers variety, has exquisite visual appeal and is a must for snapping a photo of, to post on social media? The very trendy charcuterie board, of course. Owners Tanya Viens and her daughter Taylor Meyers have brought all the allure of this chic and popular foodie phenomenon to Windsor Essex with their business, All On Board Charcuterie. The mother-daughter duo began preparing artisanal charcuterie products from home during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. Then a year later they worked out of the COOK-UP Inc. kitchen on Howard Avenue (CookUpInc.com), a for-profit social enterprise that provides an inspected kitchen space. “It started out as something fun we were doing for friends and family, but it took off from there and here we are now with our first storefront,” explains Meyers. In early January 2022 their very own brick and mortar location opens for walk-ins at 7845 Tecumseh Road East in Windsor. The store is designed to be a full charcuterie experience with a retail section of local products that can be added on to their boards. Their specialties include their artfully arranged charcuterie to-go boxes, grazing tables and charcuterie appetizers. They also offer unique products such as charcuterie appetizer cones, individual plates or boxes and “jar” cuterie, which are mason jar appetizers perfect for one guest. (For a full menu and price list go to: AllOnBoardCharcuterie.ca). Meyers indicates: “Our most popular board is a classic meat and cheese,” adding, “There is such a wide range of occasions our customers order for, including birthdays, weddings, bereavement, baby showers, bridal showers, get-togethers and many more.” Along with charcuterie boards being aesthetically pleasing, you get to sample a variety of flavours — something Meyers feels has fuelled this trend. “Also, I believe social media plays a huge role,” she comments. “Our customers love sharing photos of our charcuterie boards on their social media pages.” As for the key to their success, according to Meyers, it is because everything they use is locally sourced and made fresh daily. In addition they believe presentation is everything and take special care to make sure each unique box or board is laid out perfectly. “When you order one of our charcuterie boxes, it is delivered in

Story & Photo By Rebecca Wright

Taylor Meyers of All On Board Charcuterie holds up one of their charcuterie boards that includes cured meats, cheeses, fresh bread and crackers, plus seasonal and dried fruits.

a box with a clear lid, so customers can get a sneak peek of what’s inside,” she mentions. Customer service is of utmost importance to her and her mother, and together they are committed to creating a unique charcuterie experience for each and every customer. “For example, we can do a movie night box (popcorn, caramel corn, pretzels, chocolates) for a family get-together, we can do a candy box for a birthday celebration, we can do a meat and cheese board for a bachelorette party and much more,” Meyers describes. Meyers calls her mother the brain behind their operation as most of the time she is the one coming up with all of the different ideas and new items they showcase. Along with running the business with her daughter, Viens works full-time at a local school board. As Meyers points out about their business relationship: “I am the other half of the business and you’ll find me handling our social media accounts, running the store, putting the boards together — unless my mom is by my side on the weekend — and doing our deliveries.” As they both state, owning a small business is very challenging at times, but can be very rewarding. And for Meyers, it is very empowering to be a female entrepreneur. “One of my favourite things about owning a business is the support and encouragement from other locally, woman-run small businesses in the community,” she comments. “I would always suggest that if anyone has a small business dream to go for it!”

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JUST SAYIN'

Free Speech And Social Media: Is There A Need For Government Regulation? Op-Ed By Steven Bezaire

crolling through social media posts can be as entertaining as people-watching in a crowded mall. If the content isn’t always riveting, the passionate conviction and absolute certitude of some of the views found there can be nothing short of startling. In the online world, you can confidently assert that the earth is flat, the moon-landing was staged, deodorant causes cancer, there was no holocaust, and Hillary Clinton is the ringleader of a pedophile cult headquartered in a pizzeria in Washington — and, you will have followers endorsing your content. Harmless craziness? Live and let live — it’s just part of the madcap world of modern technology, right? But what if it’s not? One of the predominant rationales for free speech has always been that censorship is not only antithetical to free speech and causes people to distrust government, but it also can backfire and cement absurd or wicked content into stubbornly durable narratives by virtue only of ever having been “forbidden”. Better, the theory goes, that all ideas — however bizarre, erroneous or even contemptible — be allowed into the bright light of public exposure so as to allow the citizenry to hold up to ridicule and scorn those that are despicable or otherwise unworthy. Of course, the exception to that theory has always been speech that creates a “clear and present danger” of real harm, epitomized by Oliver Wendell Holmes’ example of shouting “Fire” in a crowded theatre. On this basis, western governments have made laws banning certain expressions like hate, defamation, blackmail, depictions of child pornography and exhortations to violence, to name a few. Don’t we need to re-examine some of these laws in the age of social media where the advent of “chatbots” and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are used in sophisticated and automated disinformation campaigns? Isn’t it troublesome to allow false information to be weaponized to influence public policy on climate change, toxic pollution, human rights abuses, reproductive issues, political discourse and even irrationally dispute certified national election results? What about affecting public health policy in a national emergency by

pushing false claims of an orchestrated “plandemic” or creating (or compounding) vaccine hesitation? How far away in time or space in the modern world, should be Holmes’ “clear and present danger”, to require regulatory oversight? For instance, although formal, courtworthy proof of causation would be impossible, does anyone seriously doubt that statements made by the former President of the United States and a few southern Governors last year, accepted (and championed) by many Americans, actually cost some of their own lives during this pandemic? Regrettably, research tells us that false news spreads more widely than the truth, because although chatbots and AI systems create false news (and 59% of fake news is not entirely fabricated, but contains pieces of misinformation or factually accurate information taken out of context), humans, not robots spread it. An MIT study in 2018 found “that falsehood diffuses significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth, in all categories of information, and in many cases by an order of magnitude.” How serious is this problem? An Ipsos poll conducted by CBC in 2019 surveyed over 25,000 people and found that 93% of Canadians had fallen for fake news in the previous year. Another recent global survey of 100 countries (Anti-Defamation League report) found “that 32% of people who have heard of the Holocaust think that it is a myth or greatly exaggerated, including 63% in the Middle East and North Africa and 64% of Muslims in the region.” Yet another more recent study (Statistics Canada, 2021) found that 50% of respondents shared news about COVID-19 on social media without knowing its accuracy. Surprisingly, despite the mechanization B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

If you have a comment on this column and want Steven to see it, visit the Biz Blog section on: BizXmagazine.com where you can have YOUR SAY on the topic too!

of false news and its automated dissemination, social scientists tell us that “innocent dissemination,” by individuals who don’t know any better, is the single biggest contributor to the problem. People share fake news often, apparently, because of its novelty. Real news is evidently more common, but less interesting. The algorithms used on social media sites, designed to maximize engagement, recirculates these pseudo-news stories to people who have clicked through to similar material, creating a community of likeminded people which serves to reinforce their beliefs and simultaneously causes them to overestimate the actual relative size of their community. Former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before a congressional committee in October of last year, with documentary evidence, that the company’s algorithms intentionally and strategically “rewarded content that provokes strong emotion in people — especially anger, because it prompts more engagement than any other emotion.” The company, she continues, “. . . conducted research that found its products can cause mental health issues, allow violent content to flourish, and promote polarizing reactions — and then largely ignored that research.” So, how important is the “right” to create, publish, or share erroneous “information”? Should it matter if it is misinformation or disinformation (the latter of which is material known to be false)? Or are we only prevented from regulating against it because of the tired and overplayed slippery slope argument? Are there potentially effective measures short of outright censorship? Or are we stuck with the developing societal mentality that there is no distinction between correlation and causation, that all ideas should be decided democratically and all opinions carry equal weight? Steven Bezaire is a local lawyer, humourist, former infant, an accomplished napper, and loves all puppy dogs and babies in the world.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and may or may not represent the views or opinions of those associated with Biz X magazine.

B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

HAVE A CUP OF JOE WITH JOE

Farewell Jim

Jim Crichton at the news desk one last time during his final broadcast for CTV News Windsor on November 30, 2021. Photo courtesy of CTV News Windsor.

By Joe McParland

he year 2000 (Y2K) not only ushered in a new millennium, it also introduced us to a new TV anchorman, Jim Crichton. (Note: The CTV Windsor newscast was originally produced for the first three years out of London, before moving in 2003 to Windsor as CHWI-TV, at the corner of University and Ouellette Avenues. Later, it was also known as The A Channel.) This was the first time the Port Colborne native had ever been in Windsor — except as an infant with his parents travelling en route to Chicago. As Crichton drove to the downtown core over the Ouellette Avenue overpass, he gasped. “I had no idea that Windsor was such a large city with impressive skyscrapers,” Crichton recalls. “I began to worry that I might have bitten off more than I could chew.” It seems he had fallen prey to the same false perception most first time visitors experience from the “overpass” — that the distant structures are not in Windsor, but in Detroit, across a one-and-a-half-mile wide river. Crichton began his career as a 20-year-old apprentice. In those days there were only a handful of colleges teaching the skills of on-air broadcasting. He attended Brock University in St. Catharines as an English major. At the time he thought he might have a future in teaching. For three years Crichton was part of the campus radio station. It was there the light switch turned on; on-air broadcasting was to be his future. His first gig was CHOW Radio in Welland, a city near Port Colborne. News’ junkies will recognize the name of Eric Sorenson. He and Crichton had both lived in Port Colborne and were high school classmates. Sorenson has been Global National’s Senior National Affairs Correspondent since early 2014. Before this, Sorenson spent eight years as Global National’s Washington Bureau Chief covering the most significant stories in the U.S. and around the world. So, back in 1974 Sorenson was working at CHOW radio, but planning to leave to attend Ryerson University in Toronto. Sorenson knew Crichton participated in campus radio at Brock University and recommended him to CHOW’s News Director to be his

replacement. And thus, in 1974 Crichton’s broadcasting career began with stops in Welland, Niagara Falls, Peterborough, Kitchener, London, Halifax and Windsor. During these years Crichton honed his broadcasting skills on radio. While in Halifax he had a short gig with a country music station where he met Shania Twain and Trisha Yearwood. Crichton points out that: “While I was in Halifax, I also volunteered to host a weekend Public Affairs Show in Dartmouth Nova Scotia with Shaw TV (cable). It was there that I learned reading script from the teleprompter, and other related on-air skills for television.” It wasn’t until 2000 that Crichton was recommended for a position in television by a friend, news director George Clark at London’s CFPL Television. Crichton is an expert in networking with others, and this ability is what helped land him in television. Asked about his first impression of Windsor, Crichton comments: “The people are of course the ‘secret sauce’ here; the people have really sustained us through good times and bad.” He continues: “I’m a real car person, so living in the Motor Cities of Windsor with Detroit across the river is a match made in heaven for me. My father was a metallurgist back home and part of their product was ‘pig iron’ that was used in Windsor’s engine blocks back when they were cast iron.” Crichton raves about the view we Windsorites have of the riverfront and he has developed a love affair with Via Italia (Erie Street) cuisine, and the various other cuisine offerings in this multicultural rich city and county. I asked Crichton who were the major professional broadcast journalists who most influenced him in his career. Without hesitation he tells me, “The late Peter Jennings who found remarkable success in both Canada (his home) and U.S. network evening news; Lloyd Robertson, CTV News Anchor and still the Dean of Canadian Broadcasting; and the late Paul Harvey and his trademark line, B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

‘Hello, Americans! This is Paul Harvey, (pause) Stand by for news’!” Crichton shared with me one of his “oops” moments from his early days in Windsor. While he was anchoring municipal election coverage for the station at the Caboto Club, he and his panel were discussing City of Windsor Mayor Mike Hurst and Town of Amherstburg Mayor Wayne Hurst, when Crichton innocently asked, “Are the two of them related?” (Silence …. LOL!) Then there’s the story from Biz X magazine Publisher Deborah Jones, who with her partner, Jack Rosenberg, are good friends of Crichton. They once joined him and his wife at a hot and dusty rodeo event at the Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village. Deborah and Jack wore cowboy boots, hats and western attire, while Crichton — always nattily dressed — wore his signature full length trench coat and fedora. Friday, November 30, 2021 was Crichton’s final television broadcast on CTV News Windsor (Windsor.CTVnews.ca). True to form, he paid tribute to his colleagues — past and present — who made his job so much easier to do. “They are all the best of the best in professional broadcasting and I will forever respect them, and the friendships forged,” he stated. Windsorites can rest assured they have not seen the end of Crichton. He will still be driving his beloved cars, helping with community needs, and be an essential part of the fabric of his adopted city. He, along with his wonderful wife Pat, who he met on assignment at a Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (TheMCC.com) event, now have time to check off their bucket list items like a lengthy Route 66 trip south of the border and a possible trans-oceanic trip to their new interest, Japan. For both of you, retirement does not mean you have reached the “finish” line. Instead you have arrived at a brand new and exciting “starting” line. Godspeed to you both, and thanks for your years of committed and professional service.

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The Easter Seals E-Spectacle

HOT SHOTS HOT SHOTS HOT SHOTS HOT November 5 to 7, 2021 at the Holiday Inn & Suites (Ambassador Bridge), 1855 Huron Church Road, Windsor. Photos by Rod Denis. All people in photos listed from the left.

At this three day event — hosted by the Easter Seals Ontario Windsor Essex Chapter — show goers had the opportunity to enjoy a mix of arts and crafts, attractions, entertainment, programs and activities inclusive of real-life Canadian heroes, TV celebrities, sports heroes and other guests, across a myriad of fandoms. Funds raised through the e-Spectacle benefited kids with physical disabilities.

1. Canadian actress Laura Vandervoort (middle) is best known for her role in the CW series Smallville where she played Supergirl. Among her many other credits were a recent Hallmark Channel movie and also a part in the American science fiction show, V. She was a big draw for super hero fans like Della Jones-Goulet, Assistant to the Publisher for Biz X magazine and her son Dylan. 2. For over 20 years Nat St. Pierre from Cartoon Kingdom, 4114 Walker Road, Windsor has showcased an amazing selection of toys, collectibles and pop culture items for sale. And his large exhibit space at the event featured lots of great shopping! Cartoon Kingdom was also a major sponsor of the Easter Seals Spectacle, along with LiUNA! 625.

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3. Look up! It’s Paper Heroes Comic Book Lounge & Collectibles! It’s Candy Heroes! It’s business owner Scott St. Amour! Inside his super heroes shop at 2857 Howard Avenue in Windsor, St. Amour recently expanded his business to cater to those craving a bit of retro candy to nibble on while reading the latest comic books. 4. Kevin Simone may be The Angry Collector, but he always makes sure his customers leave smiling and happy! Simone has been amassing and dealing some of the finest collections for more than 35 years. Rare comic books, magazines, original art, and a huge selection of figures and statues can be found at his booth at area events, or by emailing: kaswolverine69@gmail.com. 5. Another E-spectacle event sponsor was Wolfhead Distillery, 7781 Howard Avenue, BBI IZZ XX MMAAGGAAZZININEE •• JJAANNUUAARRYY 22002222

Amherstburg. Danielle Moldovan, Marketing & Events and Jay Beckett, Mixologist, offered some of their handcrafted small batch vodka and whisky products to those who wished to sip on some adult bevies inside the LiUNA! 625 tent. 6. Owners Jeremy Ricard and Ian Davies from The CG Realm, 1214 Ottawa Street in Windsor, were on site selling everything from board games to card games and even table top miniatures, to the delight of all the gamers and geeks in attendance. 7. Actresses Tara Spencer-Nairn (character Karen Pelly) and Gabrielle Miller (character Lacey Burrows) from the Canadian TV series Corner Gas enjoyed sharing a few laughs with nine year old Dylan Jones in the outdoor pavilion.

T SHOTS

In 2022 Easter Seals Ontario celebrates 100 years of being a champion for children and youth with physical disabilities from all backgrounds within the communities of Windsor Essex and across the province. Its roots emerged from Rotary, locally, which spearheaded the founding organization, The Ontario Society for Crippled Children (November 28, 1922). Programs include funding for essential mobility and accessibility equipment, fully accessible summer camp opportunities at its two properties, Camp Merrywood and Camp Woodeden, online virtual camp programming, public awareness, and information resources. Easter Seals provides its programs and services thanks to the generous support of its donors and sponsors. For more information or to donate, visit: EasterSeals.org.

portfolio corner

Discipline Matters By Steven Mayo

True portfolio management is part experience, part diversification, part an appreciation of a company’s strength, and part psychology. For a majority of my clients their portfolios are worth more than their homes. This means that a greater attention is on the quality and suitability of their portfolio structures. Each family likely has retirement accounts, investment accounts, TFSAs, and some have corporate and trust accounts. Each account has its own goals, time horizons, income needs, and risk management guidelines. This is the big picture. As a Senior Investment Advisor it is my responsibility to properly guide my clients in each account. I’m unable to control interest rates, inflation, economic data, political and global news, but I can filter all of these inputs and their importance. I’m able to control diversification and risk management factors. It’s only human to consider risk management after a market (or stock) drop.

Often, after a strong market performance, like 2020/2021, complacency creeps into our collective psychology and there becomes a general belief that the “good times” will keep going. Presently, I am comfortable thinking that entering 2022 the markets are in good shape, but as we get deeper into the year, trimming of positions may be required. For example, if over the last year a portfolio’s equity allocation started at 60% and is now 80%, it’s likely that some good ol’ fashioned profit taking should be considered. Re-balancing is a normal part of risk management. So what is it that we do control? Diversification by way of asset, sector, and geographical allocation. The ability to focus on world renowned companies, the ability to review balance sheets, the ability to be review share prices and act accordingly. Whether we are buying, or selling/ trimming a position that is greater than 5% of the portfolio, we evaluate price history.

B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

I do my best to incorporate this thinking over the long-run, but am always mindful of short-term surprises. The quality of a portfolio structure matters. We want to own companies that are industry leaders which grow and adapt. Earnings drive share price appreciation. I remain mostly focused on the “tried and true” companies, not the “bold and new.” Many of the hot stocks in 2021 finished the year down 50% or more from their peaks. The question for 2022 is — does your portfolio have the quality to withstand a normal market correction? Entering the new year, this is my focus for client portfolios. Wrapping up this article, I’ll continue on my theme of Discipline Matters with a list of 10 things that require zero talent, but can still lead to success . . . 1. Being on time 2. Making a bigger effort 3. Improving your health and energy 4. Having a positive attitude 5. Living with passion 6. Using powerful body language 7. A willingness to learn 8. Going the extra mile 9. Being prepared for anything 10. Having a strong work ethic. Steven Mayo is a Senior Investment Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (Member — Canadian Investor Protection Fund). This article is not intended as nor does it constitute investment advice. Readers should consult a qualified professional before taking any action based on information in this article.

THE PARENTING BIZ

Is Your Child Singing The Winter Blues? Then Change Their Tune With Fun After School Activities FEATURE STORY By Jim Murphy

t’s a new year! It’s time for a fresh start and some new activities for your little ones. Whereas going to school and working on school projects is important (being a regular, day to day part of life), it’s also important for kids to spend time after school and on the weekends doing something fun, meaningful and productive. Whether they’re musically inclined, athletic or artistic, we fill you in on lots of extracurricular winter activities and the area businesses willing to help keep your child educated and entertained!

Sing, Sing A Song

Located at 3244 Walker Road, Unit 1 in Windsor, Verellen Music Academy offers unique musical training such as professional song writing lessons, recording sessions and lessons on how to pitch original music to radio station executives! “We have expert early childhood music teachers and have group classes for young children, based on developmental stages of growth,” says Jacqueline (Jacqui) Verellen, Co-Owner of Verellen Music Academy along with Joey Tyler. “Along with that, we teach vocals, piano, guitar, drums, bass, flute, ukulele, musical theatre classes, rock band classes and more.” The Rock Band youth program is one of the more exciting classes as kids seven to 15 years of age (Tuesday nights at 7 p.m.) can learn guitar, drums, bass or piano and how to play rock music with others! (Note Rock Band adult classes for those 15 and up are also on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m.) Verellen and Tyler have more than

If your child dreams of being a rock star as a lead singer (six year old Violet Verellen, left) or a member of the band playing instruments such as guitar (eight year old Kailee Labute), drums and bass, then Verellen Music Academy’s Rock Band program is the perfect choice! Photo courtesy of Joey Tyler.

two decades of teaching and performing experience between them. Tyler works with Universal Records and both hold honours degrees in music. “Having music on Canadian radio, both Joey and I started teaching students outside of our performing and touring,” Verellen explains. “We discovered we absolutely loved working with children. After studying childhood psychology and music, I realized children seem to learn best through fun; that is proven neuro-scientifically.” (For more information see: The Power Of Play, in the American Academy of Pediatrics journal, Vol.142, Issue 3, September 2018).

Verellen Music Academy Co-owner Jacqui Verellen teaches a Music Munchkins class for children aged three to seven. In this photo, the students are learning musical rhythm by clapping along and learning about quarter notes and half-notes. Photo courtesy of Joey Tyler.

That’s why Verellen Music Academy and their staff of 12 follow the motto — “learning music should be fun!” “We specialize in helping students learn the music of both Bach and Billie Eilish in one fun and dynamic lesson!” Verellen informs Biz X. “We can guide students from early childhood music, through to a full musical career.” Since opening in March 2021, Verellen Music Academy has also offered a wide variety of fun programming. They have weekend camps with music, arts and crafts and various themes. They also have private lessons for beginners and advanced musicians. All ages are welcome, even babies! During the pandemic, Verellen Music Academy is taking every precaution to ensure families feel safe in their studios. They have all families pre-screened, sanitized, wearing masks and social distanced. And they have a large spacious theatre that allows students to be a part of a community and meet new friends in a safe way. For more information, visit the website: VerellenMusicAcademy.com.

Let’s Dance

Edmunds Towers School of Dance offers dance lessons in ballroom, ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe and hip hop for

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THE PARENTING BIZ

From left: Brynn Barry, Avery Ellwood and Aria Jula, students of Edmunds Towers School of Dance, prepare for a dress rehearsal. Photo courtesy of Toan Lam from Lam Photography.

ages two and a half years old and up. As well, each month, they incorporate some of their core values, such as kindness, into their lessons. “I have danced my whole life and have been teaching dance for 44 years,” says Donna Towers Bolohan, Co-Owner of Edmunds Towers School of Dance, along with her sister Dianne Edmunds. “It’s easy to be passionate about something you love to do. Since we opened 41 years ago, we have been passing on our love of dance to hundreds of children each week.” Obviously, COVID-19 has forced them to change some of their protocols. “All classrooms have large TVs for those that are home or can’t make it in — so we connect each class to those at home,” indicates Towers Bolohan. “All classrooms and waiting rooms are spaced out six feet apart. All areas have hand sanitizer stations, we fog our studio and COVID-19 screening is done daily for everyone entering the business.” All classes are open for registration, come January. Their Twinkle Tots and Twinkle Tykes programs are always a big hit for children two and a half years old

all over the Windsor and Essex County region. The Little Kicks program is for 18 months to two and a half years old. The Junior program is for kids two and a half to three and a half years old. The Mighty program is for children three and a half to five years old. The Mega program is for five years to seven years old. Along with soccer skills, Little Kickers teaches kids teamwork, to have fun, and helps introduce them to a sport in a pressure-free environment where they stimulate their imagination and develop skills early.

to five years old. Kids love their themed months, props, backdrops and everything the amazing staff of 30 plans out for them. The school can be found at 2555 Jefferson Blvd. in Windsor. For further details on classes and programs, check: EdmundsTowers.com.

Get Your Kicks

Since 2016, Little Kickers WindsorEssex County has specialized in introducing the game of soccer to children at an early age. According to Roberto Mazza, Owner of the local franchise of Little Kickers, they are the preschool of soccer in the area. “Little Kickers offers an age specific curriculum to our young players,” states Mazza, who brings 18 years of coaching experience. “It is very important to get an early start in the game. Soccer has given me many opportunities in life and has moulded me into who I am today. I am very passionate about giving back to the community and helping young kids fall in love with soccer like I did.” Mazza and his 12 employees offer classes

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Roberto Mazza, Owner of the Little Kickers WindsorEssex County franchise offers toddler soccer training and development for children 18 months to seven years. Photo courtesy of Roberto Mazza.

Like most businesses, COVID-19 has affected their programs. “We must now keep a certain social distance between everyone, which means we had to switch up the game slightly,” Mazza comments. “The precautions we have taken include making sure we can sanitize, wear masks and clean equipment before and after each class to ensure our safety and the safety of our students.” To learn more about their four types of classes, log on to: LittleKickers.ca.

THE PARENTING BIZ Train Hard & Build Life Skills

Opened in 1973, Mr. Kersey’s Karate School Ltd. is about more than kicking and punching. Lamon Kersey — Co-Owner of Mr. Kersey’s Karate School Ltd. along with his wife Anne Marie Kersey – specialize in teaching kids not just karate, but also life skills and character development. “I started as a shy kid that wanted to learn martial arts,” says Kersey. “It greatly helped me with my self-esteem and confidence.”

Watch out Karate Kid! Lamon Kersey, Owner of Mr. Kersey’s Karate School, instructs the next generation of karate masters. Photo courtesy of Lamon Kersey.

Today, Kersey is passionate about helping kids. He believes that by teaching them how to focus through activities, such as martial arts, it will lead to an increase in their self-confidence and confidence in their own abilities. This increase will then boost their selfesteem and encourage those that are shy to come out of their shell. Kersey tells Biz X that when kids have more confidence, they are not afraid to raise their hands in class or speak up loud enough so everyone can hear them. Located at 3079 Forest Glade Drive in Windsor, Mr. Kersey’s Karate School Ltd. offers classes for Little Dragons (aged three to five years old), Juniors (aged six to 12), and Teens (aged 13 to 16). For more information check out the website: MrKerseyKarate.com.

Reach Your Full Potential With Martial Arts

For more than 40 years, Copeland’s Martial Arts and Fitness Centre has offered karate training for ages six and up.

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THE PARENTING BIZ “I specialize in helping my students realize their full potential,” states Conroy Copeland, Owner of Copeland’s Martial Arts and Fitness Centre located at 2577 Dougall Avenue, Unit 5 in Windsor. “I love seeing the changes, mental and physical, that my students go through over the years of consistent training.” COVID-19 has forced Copeland and his team of instructors to adapt to the continuing changes. “The pandemic was a game changer for us,” Copeland mentions. “We went online, did outside training — weather permitting; now we are back in class with all COVID-19 precautions in place to ensure a safe environment for kids to learn.” If your little ones are interested in martial arts, read further details on: CopelandsMartialArts.com (please note an appointment and interview are required).

Lights, Camera, Action

Conrad Copeland, Owner of Copeland’s Martial Arts and Fitness Centre, is pictured inside his facility located at 2577 Dougall Avenue, Unit 5 in Windsor. Photo courtesy of Conrad Copeland.

Film Camp for Kids & Youth is a notfor-profit organization established for the purpose of growing local talent in film making and digital media. In doing so, they hope children and teens will consider this as a career option, as well as attend one of their local post-secondary film programs — which ultimately helps grow the local industry.

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The camp began in summer 2013 with 20 kids. Now, more than 375 children and teens have attended more than 2,500 classes. “My daughter has thoroughly enjoyed the classes at the Film Camp for Kids & Youth,” comments Gemma Smyth. “Her writing and creative skills have improved, and she is now writing her own original work. The camps provide space and expertise to take kids’ creativity to the next level.” The diverse staff at the camp work seasonally as needed and more than 60 young adult instructors have been employed over the years. Since the pandemic, the camp has been closed. However, they did offer a small inperson summer camp in 2021 and will be reopening in a new space in summer 2022. “Our in-person summer camps were full this past summer, and we are hoping for the same for our March Break program,” says Amanda Gellman, founder of Film Camp for Kids & Youth. “We are very excited that our in-person camp has been growing rapidly prior to the pandemic. In spring 2020 we switched to online programming thanks to the generosity of the Canadian Red Cross. Moving forward, we will be offering a hybrid model since many families from Essex

THE PARENTING BIZ

Go Figure . . . Skate

CanSkate is Skate Canada’s only learnto-skate program. It provides individuals with the best foundation for figure skating, hockey, ringette and speed skating. “Coaching CanSkate has been a goal of mine since I was a young skater,” expresses Nicole Antaya, a CanSkate Coach with more than 20 years of skating experience. “I want to create an environment where all skaters feel valued, included and respected, regardless of age, ability or blade.” Pre-CanSkate is designed for participants who have never been on the ice before, generally ages three to five. CanSkate is for beginners of all ages. Some clubs offer an AdultSkate program

that delivers the CanSkate programs for teens and adults. CanSkate programs in Windsor Essex were not running during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, as most recreational facilities were deemed non-essential. “Now that these facilities are up and running, programs can resume,” Antaya says. “This pause in operations created a huge demand for CanSkate programs, meaning there are individuals who should have graduated that are still in the program; plus coaching courses were also paused during this time, so there are less newer coaches available to help meet this demand.” COVID-19 continues to have a huge impact on operations, including vaccine requirements for participants and parents, masks and physical distancing, less participants in a session and modifying lesson delivery to maintain safety standards. Registration for the winter season (January to March 2022) is well underway. Find the website for your local skating club (Skate Windsor, South Windsor Figure Skating Club, Riverside Skating Club, Skate LaSalle, Skate Amherstburg and Skate Lakeshore)

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to register. If registration is full, you can be put on a waiting list or you can try again in February/March for spring sessions (starting in April, where applicable). If you have any questions regarding registration, get in touch with your local skating club. For more information about private lessons with Antaya, visit her website: NicoleAntaya.com.

County have found the virtual program easier to manage.” For now, Gellman is offering online classes in January, for children aged nine to 15. Classes include photo retouching, introduction to photography, photo composition, introduction to screenwriting, directing, production design/set design, storyboarding fundamentals, character design and editing on Final Cut Pro. If you are interested in online classes in January or the March Break program for your child(ren), refer to: FilmCampForKids.com.

They’ll Never Know Unless They Try

All these activities profiled (and more) help children learn about themselves and their world by getting them outside their comfort zones in a safe and fun way. Part of growing up is discovering what activities they like or don’t like, what they are good at and what needs improvement. However, it is most important they get out there, meet new friends and give it the old college try!

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY

ask the experts

When It Comes To Insurance . . . Customer Service Should Be The Policy By Dave Halliday

ook at you! You survived college, found gainful employment, partnered with your ideal spouse, and basically are settling nicely into this thing we call adulthood. It seems now your focus in life is achieving that next life goal. You recently bought a beautiful new vehicle to replace the 1978 Plymouth Horizon you drove throughout your academic career. Now, as your savings grow, the next big target is a home to replace your small apartment. While you strive forward together, your partner — whom we mentioned is ideal — complements your drive with the ability to take care of the details associated with all that is occurring. In this instance, ensuring that all your joint accomplishments are protected via appropriate and adequate insurance. To assist in the matters of personal and property insurance, we at Biz X were able to sit and discuss some of the finer points with Jesmond Tabone, President of Tabone Insurance Brokers Inc. Working from a Windsor office located at 3012 Tecumseh Road East, Unit B, the company has been serving the needs of local residents for the past two and a half years (online information at their website: TaboneInsurance.com). Jesmond was kind enough to share his 22 years of professional experience with us.

Jesmond Tabone, President of Tabone Insurance Brokers Inc. is pictured inside his Tecumseh Road East location. His diverse team has many business skill sets and they are able to service your insurance needs in five languages, including English, French, Maltese, Italian, and Arabic. Photo by Rod Denis.

What types of insurance do you offer? “We offer all types of insurance from personal insurance to business insurance, life, disability, critical illness insurance, and financial services,” replies Tabone. “We can accommodate all of our clients’ insurance needs.” What do you feel are the key components to success in your field? “Patience,” indicates Tabone, noting, “Just being there for the client and educating

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them as to why they need a certain coverage. As experienced Windsor insurance brokers, we can help you find the perfect insurance plan tailored to your specific needs.” So how can you help a client in obtaining the level of insurance that is ideal for their situation? “We have access to a number of different insurance companies where we can place our clients’ insurance needs and we will present them with a wide range of insurance plans so that they can compare prices and choose the most cost-efficient plan,” he explains. “We consider what the client needs are by first going through a litany of questions to help determine their requirements. We work as your personal assistant to make the process easy and hassle-free.” Obviously, you deal with clients when they are often in situations that are stressful and trying. How can you assist a client who has experienced a loss of some sort? “We strive to be there for our clients,” says Tabone, assuring, “We will be there to listen and even allow the client to vent as needed while we help guide them through the claims process and get them in touch with the right people, based on the type of loss they’ve experienced.” Has this ever-advancing technical age we are in affected the ways in which you can interact with your clientele? “We have many ways to interact with our clients,” he states.  “Our best feature that we were able to launch recently is our brokerage app that can be downloaded from

the Apple App Store or the android Google Play store. In this app, clients are able to see their policies, contact their broker, submit a claim, and pull up their liability cards, if they don’t have them with them when needed.”  There must be a certain level of personal satisfaction with providing these services to your clients. “Absolutely!” says Tabone. “(It’s) knowing the fact that our clients walk out our door (literally or figuratively) with the right coverage in place.” He concludes with: “I think that’s why I’ve loved working in insurance for over 20 years — it’s rewarding to help others — and the way I see it, I get to do just that every day.” Well, as one would expect, your ideal partner worked closely with your insurance broker and put together the ideal insurance package for the little corner of the world the two of you are carving out together. Life is on track, and you find yourself prepared for whatever it may wish to throw your way. Though, for some strange reason, you still miss the excited uncertainty of whether the old Plymouth was going to get you where you were going!

Crime Prevention Tips For Your Home

From Tabone Insurance Brokers Inc.

Burglary is always a crime of opportunity. To best protect your home, look at it from a burglar’s perspective. What are the vulnerable parts? Here are some tips to help you prevent a burglar from entering your home . . . Close blinds and curtains at night so a burglar can’t scope your belongings. Lock all doors and windows before leaving. Home burglar alarm systems are a great deterrent, as are dogs. Even a strategically placed “Beware of Dog” sticker can make a burglar think twice. Make your home look occupied at all times. Use timers to maintain normal lighting patterns. Leave a radio on when you are away from your home for short periods of time. Protect your valuables. Consider marking your valuables indelibly (engraved) with your driver’s licence or social insurance number. Take an inventory of your home with a videotape and/or photographs. Keep jewellery and negotiables in a safety deposit box or an unlikely place (i.e. not your bedroom!). Keep your shrubbery cut back so that it doesn’t block windows and doors. Illuminate as much of your property as possible. Exterior doors should be solid, not hollow. Metal doors provide the best protection against forced entry. Place hinged security bars over basement windows and pin sliding patio doors together when closed. B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

One Man’s Trash Is Another NEW IN BIZ Man’s 3D Cardboard Puzzle By Jim Murphy If you love what you do, it never feels like work. That’s the case for Bryce St. Pierre, Owner of The Cardboard Engineer, who took a 3D modelling hobby and turned it into a small business! “I was inspired by my girlfriend’s success in building a business on Instagram,” says St. Pierre. “I was also amazed by the small business landscape in Windsor/Essex County and I really wanted to become a part of it.” Established in July 2021, The Cardboard Engineer is a small craft business specializing in art, sculptures, puzzles and gifts made from 100% recycled cardboard. The products are ideal for anyone aged 4 and up. Types of cardboard puzzles include: the cactus, the doughnut, the coffee cup, the heart, the wine glass, the pumpkin, the pine tree, the igloo, and the snowman. They also create pre-assembled sculptures made of recycled cardboard including the succulent (for plants), treasure chest and small cactus. “I’ve found that the process of designing the pieces and bringing them into reality

is a great creative outlet for me,” says St. Pierre. “I’ve always been artistic, but the motivation to paint or draw comes in random spurts. Determining how the puzzles will be assembled is an interesting challenge with the potential to bring a lot of joy; it also feels good to take recycled materials and repurpose them into something fun and unique.” St. Pierre, who is the sole proprietor and only employee at The Cardboard Engineer, specializes in creating fun out of materials that would otherwise be thrown away and recycled. He designs, cuts, styles and packages the products himself. St. Pierre’s products are meant to remind you of the child you once were, and to take some time to challenge yourself to do a fun 3D puzzle! Since the business was started during the pandemic, (which actually might have helped make his business seem more valuable to customers eager to keep busy at home), taking precautions has been the status quo.

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Three of The Cardboard Engineer’s 3D puzzles are displayed on a window sill, from left: the pine tree, the igloo and the snowman. Photo courtesy of Bryce St. Pierre.

“Being a small business that is mainly online or featured in outdoor markets, we’ve been fortunate that the impact is minimal at this stage,” comments St. Pierre. “Our precautions during the pandemic have mainly consisted of social distancing, masking and taking contactless payments as much as possible.” If you are interested in learning more about how cool cardboard really is, go to: CardboardEngineer.com. Curbside pickup, delivery and shipping options are offered.

THE WAY IT WAS

A Legacy Of Remembrance Knows No Boundaries By Andrea Grimes

Sunshine Biscuits tin full of letters, faded photographs, medals on frayed ribbons, and a rosary; a diary written in a pocketbook calendar, dog tags, or a yellowed pay book — these are just some cherished keepsakes that represent the memories of our Veterans who rallied to the colours . . . “all present and correct.” Many of our patriotic lads were as keen as mustard about “joining the ranks” in WWII. In doing so, many faced responsibilities far beyond their years where their lives went from innocence to experience, becoming all too familiar with the stains and strains of battle! Charles Campbell was one such lad who enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1943, at 18 years of age. Campbell knew he made the right decision when he “signed up” all those years ago. As a Mid-Upper Gunner, Campbell flew 19 sorties (a mission by a military plane or a raid made while being surrounded by an enemy) in a Lancaster bomber over Germany and France. Upon his discharge in 1945, (rank of Warrant Officer Second Class), Campbell left his home in Niagara Falls, Ontario and settled in Kingsville, Ontario where he pursued a lifelong career as a teacher at Kingsville District High School, retiring as Vice Principal. It was during this point in his life that Campbell (with a firm conviction) pulled out all the stops to establish a military history museum. It all started in 1980 when Campbell — and a number of Kingsville visionaries — re-furbished a transport trailer, which became a mobile museum. As a guide and historian, Campbell would accompany the mobile museum as it wheeled its

WWII RCAF Pilot, Charles Campbell in 1943. Photo courtesy of Kingsville Historical Park.

way through many towns in Ontario, promoting local military history at various Royal Canadian Legions and militia events. “As it happened, a building in Kingsville, (once used by the Conklin Lumber Company) became available and although Campbell wasted no time in making plans to establish the museum, it soon became apparent that the building just didn’t make the grade and it was back to the drawing board,” indicates Linda Lynch, Vice Chair of the Kingsville Historical Park (Refer to: KHPI.mnsi.net) which now operates the veterans memorial museum. Although marginally disappointed by this setback, Campbell, along with other museum’s charter directors: David Clare, Fred Jarrold, Donald and Douglas Laird, Dorothy Martin, Frank Reneau, Brian Sanford, John Slater and Jean Walton, persevered, and the museum was successful in securing its letters patent on May 10, 1993. For the next three years, Campbell and his team dedicated all their resources to get the museum built. Sadly, he passed away in 1996; however his dream to establish a military museum took flight in 1997 when several

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volunteers, (who were absolutely driven to complete renovations on an existing barn), did so in Campbell’s memory. This measure exemplified the RCAF’s philosophy, per ardua ad astra . . . “through struggle to the stars.” On August 12, 2000 the Kingsville Historical Park opened the doors to the military museum on the property of Kingsville’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch 188, 145 Division Road South. (On Facebook search “R.c. Legion Kingsville Branch” for further details). Without a doubt, Campbell’s presence was felt by all in attendance. In 2020 the museum celebrated its 20th anniversary and since then its collection of reference materials and military artifacts has grown substantially, due to the generosity of so many individuals who share Campbell’s commitment to preserve our history — our heritage with education as the foundation. With the museum’s demonstrated obligation to maintaining historically relevant collections, which are reflective of our Canadian heritage, front line opportunities are available for many families of all diversities to develop a deeper understanding of a legacy of remembrance. Lynch states: “Our goal is to drive our signature museum forward, not just within our community, but foremost throughout Canada, acknowledging our Veterans for their duty, service and sacrifice knows no boundaries.” Through the presence of a shared commitment to remembrance, awareness as to why so many of our Veterans gave up a piece of individuality to become a part of something larger than themselves, drives the museum in its unequivocal commitment to honour and respect the memory of our Veterans who had the privilege to serve — who joined the ranks to preserve those fundamental Canadian values of democracy and liberties that are often denied to so many the world over! As a civilian Veterans Advocate, Andrea Grimes was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Governor General’s Medal for her volunteer service to Veterans and a number non-profit organizations supporting Windsor’s military families’ network.

OF THE MONTH

“It’s Showtime!” Team Monty Of Century 21 Is Aways Ready For Action By Dave Hall

fter more than 32 years selling homes for clients across Essex County, Joe Montaleone has seen just about everything change in the real estate industry. Focusing now more on technology, including virtual reality viewings and Zoom presentations, he is a part of “Team Monty” — an offshoot of his local real estate company — that has become an industry leader in marketing and technology. After spending 13 years at RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd., Joe decided three years ago to purchase a national franchise and launched Century 21 Showtime Realty Ltd. Brokerage. “Whenever we take on a new listing or a new client, I always tell people ‘it’s showtime’ and that’s why we chose that name,” Joe mentions. In addition to Joe as the Broker-ofRecord, Team Monty also includes two other brokers —his wife, Josie Montaleone and son, Nick Montaleone. There is also an Administrative Assistant and Marketing Director Stefani Stanisic and Nick’s wife Angelia Montaleone as the team’s Client Care Coordinator. “We’re very proud of the fact that we’ve

been able to introduce our clients to highend technology to make their purchasing and selling decisions easier,” Joe indicates. “We have an in-house videographer and we make expert use of social media as a regular part of our presentations to clients.” He points out that today’s clients have access to more information at their fingertips than those in the past, when it comes to seeking the right home or the right buyer for their real estate needs. As a result Joe notes: “We have to be more on top of our game than ever before because we are dealing with more sophisticated clients. They come to us with far more knowledge of the market and what they are looking for than in the past and we have to be ready to match that level of interest and knowledge.” With videos and the use of virtual reality headsets, Team Monty’s brokers can take clients inside a home 24/7 and provide them with more access than ever before (other than having a personal on-site visit). In recent years, Windsor and Essex County have been building a reputation as an attractive alternative to big-city living by using the 100-Mile Peninsula concept from Lake St. Clair around to Lake Erie, to

Posing outside a Montaleone family member’s home, Team Monty members from left are: Angelia Montaleone, Client Care Coordinator; Stefani Stanisic, Administrative Assistant and Marketing Director; Josie Montaleone, Broker; Nick Montaleone, Broker and Joe Montaleone, Broker-of-Record for Century 21 Showtime Realty Ltd. Brokerage. Photo by Rod Denis.

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attract active retirees from across Canada. By using video technology, clients are able to view potential homes across the region before they even visit the area. “Our clients are just so much busier than they’ve ever been and we have to be able to give them as much information about their potential new home as possible,” comments Nick, who recently returned to the business after spending nine years as a paramedic. “By using this technology, we are able to make presentations to clients who could be located anywhere across Canada or even across the globe.” Nick explains that the use of virtual reality technology allows clients to turn their heads left and right, as well as up and down and receive a completely different view of the property each time they do so. With open houses put on hold during the pandemic, potential buyers turned instead to video technology and scheduled viewings, which tend to attract serious buyers rather than people simply out for a drive and just popping in out of curiosity. At the present time many homes in Windsor are selling for well over the asking price due to the hot real estate market. “There’s no indication at the moment that it will slow down, although Windsor still remains a very affordable place to live compared to the rest of the country,” says Joe who has never seen this type of market before. “As for the prices, it’s simply supply and demand and if developers were more easily able to cut through bureaucratic red tape, which is holding back a lot of new developments, then it would introduce more product into the marketplace and increase the supply.” While unable to put an exact number on how many clients and homes he’s dealt with over his 30 plus years in the business, Joe believes it’s well into the thousands. His firm handled the sale of just about every home in the recently-completed Coco Homes East Pointe Lakes Estates development on the city’s far east side. “It’s the kind of business that brings in many repeat customers because of wordof-mouth, so it’s incredibly important to ensure than both the buyer and seller walk away satisfied with the sale they have completed,” stresses Joe, adding: “I’ve always said ‘why should a client invest in you if you don’t invest in yourself’?” Since March 2019, the office (where Team Monty and over 25 licensed agents work from) for Century 21 Showtime Realty has been located at 2055 Sandwich West Parkway, Suite 200 in LaSalle. For more information on their real estate services, visit: TeamMonty.ca or ShowtimeRealty.c21.ca.

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Biz X magazine January 2022

Articles inside

Biz Of The Month: Century 21 Showtime Realty's Team Monty

New In Biz: The Cardboard Engineer

The Way It Was: Per Ardua Ad Astra Through Struggle To The Stars

The Parenting Biz: Don’t Know What To Do With Oneself?

Portfolio Corner: Tried And True For 2022

Ask The Experts: Tabone Insurance Brokers Inc

Hot Shots: The Easter Seals E-Spectacle

Have A Cup Of Joe With Joe: CTV News Windsor Anchorman The Legend Of Jim Crichton

Heard On The Street

Funny Stuff

Just Sayin’: Should It Be Legal To Disseminate Nonsense?

Rose City Politics: 2021 City Council Report Card

From The Publisher: Team Biz X! 25 Years

Newsflash

Front Lines