BUSINESS
SUNSHINE COAST
Fall 2017 • Vol. 04 No. 02
MAGAZINE
JASPER MARINE excellence in alloy
PAGES 22 & 23
DON CHAPMAN
FIGHTING FOR CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS PAGE 11
OCEANSIDE INN
BUILDS ON A LONG HISTORY PAGES 20 & 21
History OF CIDER PAGE 15
Sipping The Sunshine Coast PAGES 16 & 17
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Recent Client Testimonials Sotheby’s International Realty Canada is the local real estate services provider that offers unrivaled access to qualified people and distinctive properties around the world.
We recently engaged Julie Hegyi of Sotheby’s International Realty to sell our waterfront home. Julie worked diligently on our behalf and we couldn’t be happier with both the process and the results. Beyond displaying a great work ethic, Julie acted professionally and met our every expectation. It is our pleasure to recommend Julie to anyone considering the purchase or sale of property on the Sunshine Coast.
Keith Burgess & Alaine Alington In 2017 we saw that Sotheby’s was establishing a presence on the Sunshine Coast. We had never met Julie but knew that she had a long and successful career so we arranged to meet with her. We were extremely impressed with Julie both as a person and a highly professional realtor. Due to her professional expertise, creative marketing, strong interpersonal skills, extensive client base and incredible work ethic, she sold our home in less than 4 months. Needless to say, we would highly recommend Julie to anyone considering buying or selling a property.
Leslie & Mark McCue, Halfmoon Bay, BC
JULIE HEGYI Personal Real Estate Corporation
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Julie has been helping people realize their dreams through smart real estate transactions since 2004! With a Sterling reputation established throughout The Sunshine Coast & Vancouver area for 13 years. Julie has consistently ranked among the top 10% of Realtors in British Columbia. Bringing Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, to the Sunshine Coast is a thrilling venture and one that as a local “Coaster” who has lived & worked on The Sunshine Coast for 18 years is very excited about. With Sotheby’s International Realty Canada I will be able to extend my tradition of excellence and service with the power of a prestigious, international marketing platform and brand.
E.&O.E.: This information from sources which we deem reliable, but must be verified by prospective purchasers and may be subject to change or withdrawal. Sotheby’s International Realty Canada is Independently Owned and Operated.
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CONTRIBUTORS... Production, Graphic Design Christina Johnstone is a Graphic Designer with 11+ yrs experience in the news industry. She produces the White Rock Real Estate Advisor, the Local Weekly, & the Sunshine Coast Business Magazine. She divides her time between Sechelt & White Rock.
Publisher, Editor Susan Attiana is Publisher of the Local Weekly and the Sunshine Coast Business Magazine. She has 30+ years experience in the newspaper, media and magazine industry in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. She lives in Sechelt.
Contributing Writer, Editor Rik Jespersen is a journalist, editor and television producer who has worked with various print, online and broadcast media across Canada over the past 30 years. He lives in Roberts Creek.
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Contributing Writer Donna McMahon has wideranging writing experience which includes freelance journalism, business plans, plain language legal publications, newsletters, novels and short fiction. She lives in Elphinstone.
Contributing Writer Anna Nobile is a local writer, editor and art lover. In addition to writing the arts and culture column for the Local Weekly, she is the Prose Editor for Plenitude Magazine and curates the annual LGBTQ art show during Pride on the Coast.
Contributing Writer B. Scott Ferguson is a freelance writer, published author and documentary filmmaker. He has settled into Roberts Creek after living and working overseas for a number of years.
Contributing Writer Natalie Findlay is a freelance writer, photographer and pastry chef. She graduated from the Cordon Bleu and has enjoyed not only experience in the restaurant industry, and owning her own business, but has enjoyed putting pen to paper in her culinary world.
elcome to Fall 2017! Sunshine Coast Business Magazine has been publishing for 4 years now. Time sure flies! We are never at a loss for finding and connecting with new unique local businesses, or long established businesses who are reinventing themselves, or finding engaging characters, talented families and eclectic personalities, all whose time and energy make a difference to our lives and culture on the Sunshine Coast. And we have a great line up of local talent to share with you this edition. While it used to be understood that we do not have enough employment on the Sunshine Coast, actually the opposite is quite true, where we have the jobs, but not the staff to fill the vacancies. Further because of our demographics we don’t have a “huge bank of people here looking for work”. See more about this on page 6 and 7. The cost of housing and rental accommodation on the Sunshine Coast has also made it almost impossible for incomes to match ordinary living expenses for some employees especially those in the service industry. That being said, new businesses on the Sunshine Coast continue to open. Long established businesses do survive. Companies reinvent themselves and look for ways to diversify their products and services. Our communities are growing and we recognize the entrepreneurs who find the niches to fill. We see the collaboration of businesses working together promoting each other’s products. We thrive and adjust and continue to grow. This edition we introduce you to a graduate of Elphinstone Secondary School, Jasper Vermeulen, a 26-year-old who has a passion for boat building and has taken steps globally to learn about his trade of building envi-
FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK...
ronmentally friendly aluminum boats. See page 22 and 23. And we introduce you to local entrepreneurs in the catering and beverage industry. The brewing industry, specialty beers, spirits and ciders have taken off and the Sunshine Coast can now boast about our own local crafters. See pages 12 to 16. Everyone has heard of the collapse of Sears, and one local businessman decided to reinvent his own business long before the news hit the streets. Richard Nelles of Sunshine Coast Appliances and Mattresses cut ties with Sears but kept his Sears Sechelt building location and started his own company. See page 24 and 25. We heard about Don Chapman who has been fighting for citizenship rights for decades. Donna McMahon, our Local newspaper reporter and contributing writer shares Chapman’s story with us. SCBM continues to find and connect with these passionate locals who stand up for our rights as citizens in this age of global problems. Anna Nobile, our Local newspaper arts and culture writer, shares the stories of some Local Celebrities in the music industry. See pages 27, 28 and 29. Again, these engaging stories help us connect with Sunshine Coast residents we probably wouldn’t even know about. And that is what we do at SCBM. We keep it local and all of our stories and commentaries are just that, local. Special thanks to our advertising supporters, to newcomer writers Brad Ferguson and Natalie Findlay, to Rik Jespersen for his stories and editing talents, and to production and distribution for their valued contribution to the success of our magazine. - Susan Attiana
THE SUNSHINE COAST BUSINESS MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED TWICE A YEAR BY THE LOCAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER. 4
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
WHAT’S INSIDE? >> TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ECONOMIC GROWTH Coast businesses often going short-staffed
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SOCIAL ENTERPRISE: Where community and business connect
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11 DON CHAPMAN Fighting For Citizenship Rights 12 CATERERS ON THE COAST Three of the Coast’s Catering Companies 14 PLETHORA FINE FOODS Gastronomic Treasures and Gourmet Treats 15 HISTORY OF CIDER
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16 SIPPING THE SUNSHINE COAST 20 THE DRIFTWOOD: Oceanside inn builds on a long history 22 JASPER MARINE Excellence in alloy 24 SUNSHINE COAST APPLIANCE AND MATTRESS EXPERTS 26 FAY WRAY APPAREL APOTHECARY A hip new shopping experience 27 THREE LOCAL CELEBRITIES On the Sunshine Coast
#213 - 5710 Teredo Street, Sechelt, BC, V0N 3A0 Phone: 604-885-3134 Fax: 604-885-3194 Email: publisher@thelocalweekly.ca www.thelocalweekly.ca This material written or artistic may not be re-printed or electronically reproduced in any way without the written consent of the Publisher. The opinions and statements in articles, columns and advertising are not necessarily those of the Publisher or staff of the Local Weekly. It is agreed by any display advertiser requesting space that the ownerʼs responsibility, if any, for errors or omissions of any kind, is limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for that portion of the space as occupied by the incorrect item and there shall be no liability in any event greater than the amount paid for the advertisement.
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
The Sunshine Coast Business Magazine is published twice a year by The Local Weekly Newspaper.
Cover Photo courtesy of: Jasper Marine Featuring: Jasper Vermeulen
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anadian Tire still plans to re-open its auto service desk sometime this fall after shutting it down early in the summer. The problem is not a lack of business at its Wilson Creek location— it’s a lack of mechanics to staff its carrepair bays. “We have some possible hires in the pipeline, possibly from other provinces who might be making their way out,” said store manager Branden Olsen. Finding staff is a problem for businesses on the Coast, but some trades and some seasons are proving to be worse than others, according to Lucy Clark, of the non-profit employment services organization, Open Door Group. “As of about March, everybody ramps up looking for staff,” said Clark. “So we have an influx of job postings
Economic growth means Coast businesses often going short-staffed Canadian Tire’s three car-repair bays were closed all summer due to a shortage of mechanics.
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Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
from employers looking for people at the beginning of the year. Anyone that is seeking work has plenty of opportunity and jobs generally get filled pretty quickly, which leaves an abundance of employers still looking for people.” Clark noted that for years, the Coast was seen as a place without many jobs. Not so. “It’s actually the complete opposite,” she said. “There’s lots of work here,” she said. But Clark adds that the changing demographic of the Coast is part of the reason that employers go wanting. “With our 30,000 people on the Coast, we have a good 10,000 over the age of 60, and another 10,000 below the age of 15. We don’t have a huge bank of people here looking for work,” she said. There are current shortages of employees to do construction work, as the Coast is competing with the rest of B.C. for tradespeople amidst a province-wide building boom. Clark said there’s all kinds of work for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters, decorators, roofers and general labourers. And that’s just the construction business. At least one local businessman believes we’d have more qualified people here if only the Sunshine Coast had a higher profile. “We have yet to really communicate what the Sunshine Coast represents in terms of a place to live, or even to vacation” said Ian Macdonald, a partner and Creative Director at Vaka Marketing in Sechelt. “We haven’t effectively communicated the opportunity here.” Macdonald said the tourism industry and local governments have not done enough to spread the word. He said he was able to recruit staff members from marketing agencies in Vancouver, but only because they all had prior connections to the Coast through a parent or spouse. “So, they knew what this place had to offer, and it became a very easy choice for them.” Macdonald said that if more people in their 30s heard about the local lifestyle and the cost of buying a home relative to the Lower Mainland, “we would have a whole lot more talent here, and our economic development fortunes would improve pretty dramatically.” But if that talent is not yet ready to buy a home, our meagre rental market is a real turn-off. The lack of vacancies has driven rents close to Vancouver levels. “There’s really nowhere for them to go,” Macdonald said, “and there’s no easy solution to that.” The Open Door’s Lucy Clark agrees housing can be a real problem for many. “I know personally of people who have had to go back to Vancouver because of the rental situation here.,” she said. “But I’m also hearing that there are people are finding accommodation.”
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Clark said the lack of public transportation north of Sechelt has added to employers’ staffing woes in the Pender Harbour area. But as frustrating as the situation might be, it does point to a bright business picture overall. “I look at the situation on the Coast as a whole and see that businesses are succeeding, more new businesses are opening,” Clark said in an interview in September. “I just received a list from the Gibsons Chamber of Commerce which shows that 32 new businesses have opened up since January 1st this year. And that’s just Gibsons. The Sunshine Coast is evolving, we’re growing.” - Rik Jespersen
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Phone: 604.886.8666
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Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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The many great reasons to join the Chamber of Commerce.
LOUISE VELLA
REALTOR®
“Your dream, your home, my mission”
Box 979 5591 Wharf Rd. Sechelt, BC
Cell: 604.865.0799 | louisevella33@gmail.com
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he membership of the Sechelt & District Chamber of Commerce consists of local professionals who have joined together to promote the civic, commercial and industrial progress of this community. We have been, and will continue to be, a major influence in promoting and enhancing the social and economical climate in which we all live and work. Since 2016 the Chamber has been dedicated to working more closely with the Community Futures, SCRD, District of Sechelt and WorkBC in solving challenges our community faces such as housing shortages, labour shortages and the cost of doing business. We also work closely with the SDBA in helping to create a viable downtown and work with businesses to ensure their success. The Chamber also advocates on behalf of small businesses including addressing the new Provincial tax programs as well as other issues that may affect small businesses here on the Coast. The Sechelt & District Chamber is working with the new SCREDO (Sunshine Coast Regional Economic Development Organization) to help reduce economic disparity, increase the number of growing businesses, and increasing the number of career opportunities on the Sunshine Coast. The Chamber will be contacting businesses in the coming months with a survey to collect valuable information designed to help create a strategic program to meet the needs of business and community on the coast.
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The Chamber will be hosting a MeetUp on November 22 at The Hangar Climbing Lounge in Sechelt at 5:30pm as well as the new Plethora Fine Foods in Sechelt on December 15 at 5:30pm. These are great opportunities to meet our Board and learn about our many great offers and opportunities to market your business. The Sechelt, Gibsons and Pender Harbour Chamber are very excited to be hosting the second annual Business Excellence Awards happening February 23, 2018 at the Sunshine Coast Golf & Country Club. Nomination forms for the awards will be available this October. Visit www.scbusiness-excellence.com to nominate an organization or business that has had a positive impact on our community. Be sure to also visit our NEW Chamber website www.secheltchamber.bc.ca to learn more about what we can do for your business or organization. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Erin McGregor President, Sechelt & District Chamber of Commerce
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE:
where community and business connect Maryanne Brabander, Owner, Care for a Lift.
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here is a classic set of circumstances that help anyone create a business: 1) you see a need in your community, a gap in goods or services; 2) you have an idea how to fill that gap; and 3) you could use some extra income. That’s just the situation Sechelt’s Maryanne Brabander happily found herself in a few years ago. “When I moved to the Coast [from the Lower Mainland] in 2014, I realized there were no wheelchair taxis here, and there was a huge demographic of seniors,” said Brabander, a recreation therapist. “And I already had this wheelchair van that I had used to help get my mother around.” The next move seemed obvious, but just how to go about it properly required some good advice. Brabander turned to Community Futures Sunshine Coast for help. Less than a year later, Brabander’s business, Care for a Lift, was up and running, providing transportation—and more—to the Coast’s seniors, and to people of all ages and abilities who need “a lift.” “I’m not just a taxi driver,” she stresses. “I’m a care companion with an accessible vehicle. I don’t just pick my clients up and drop them off. I’m with them through much of what they do, when we get wherever they’re going.” Brabander’s business idea fell right into Community Futures’ sweet spot. “I think we’re at the stage where our team at Community Futures is quite comfortable speaking with people about their social passion, business idea, and the problems they want to solve, and then seeing if we can work with them to build out a viable business,” said Janice Iverson,
the organization’s Executive Director. “Maryanne Brabander’s passion was reducing barriers to seniors’ isolation and mobility,” Iverson added. “She desired to study and see if there was a model to achieve social good and solve a problem in our community and for her to make a living, and out of that came Care for a Lift.” Community Futures does provide business advice and helps facilitate loans to businesses of all kinds. Anyone on the Coast can make an appointment with the organization, located on Wharf Avenue in Sechelt, to receive a free one-hour business advisory session. “We constantly have people coming in with a business idea and want to know how to get started, or whose business is facing a cash-flow crunch, or who want to expand or to sell their business. That’s what our day looks like: problem-solving and opportunity-creating for small business on the Coast. It’s super fun.” And while its core business is providing loans and investments to a variety of businesses in the community, the social benefits of any business idea weigh heavily in Community Futures’ decision-making. “More and more often, people come to us putting their social purpose first, then their business idea,” Iverson said. “Twenty years ago, I saw people coming in with their business idea and saying, ‘When I make money, I will give back to charity.’ But these days, it’s reversing.” Community Futures provides a range of services to would-be entrepreneurs. One of its more high-profile programs is LEAP, the Local Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program. In partnership with Simon Fraser University, Community Futures picks half a
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
Janice Iverson, Executive Director, Community Futures.
dozen or more people with business startup ideas every fall, and puts them through a kind of entrepreneur boot camp. The latest cohort started at the end of September. “We will work with them for nine weeks to build out a business model,” said Iverson. “They’re learning theory and moving their ideas along at the same time. It’s very intense. We spend a couple of hours with them each week and then all the work happens in between, to do research, to adjust, feed off each other, challenge each other, all to make their business idea better.” The program culminates with a public celebration where the grads pitch their ideas to a panel of business experts in a sort of mock “Dragons’ Den.” (This year’s LEAP party will be at Gibsons Public Market on Nov. 30) Maryanne Brabander developed Care for Lift as one of the participants in the 2015 LEAP business-nurturing program. She said it really helped. “You’re in with a group of six or seven other entrepreneurs. There’s a lot of support and brainstorming going on between us all, plus there’s all the advice from the Community Futures experts. It was a really great experience.” - Rik Jespersen
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2017/2018 Board of Directors. From left to right: David Shao, Fran Miller, Antje Unger, Sarah Duro, William Baker, Milynda Taylor, Ken Ashdown, Dave Chisholm, Joe Oteruelo. Missing is Director Ted McNicol. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GIBSONS & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE GIBSONS & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (GDCC)
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hat does Small Business represent to us on the Sunshine Coast?
Did you know that 97.5% of companies in Canada are small and medium sized businesses? The Coast certainly reflects this high percentage which includes countless “hidden” home based businesses (mobile, web based, consultants) that play a vital role in our economy. Small business owners are our neighbours who run: our restaurants, radio & TV stations, hotels, B&Bs, sell our homes, manage finances (banking, mortgages & taxes), cut our hair, fix our cars, computers, appliances; kennel our dogs; brew our craft beer, deliver locally grown organic food; help our body, mind and soul, sell us groceries, etc. Business owners don’t just run their company, they live it. They continually reinvent their businesses to serve evolving customer needs within the ever changing Coast economy. They stay up late and get up early to spend hours coordinating shipments, products, sales and staff. They struggle to adapt to new technologies and stay attuned to demographic trends that emerge. Your volunteer Chamber Board consists of many of these hard working small business owners. In addition, many of the board members of other Coast organizations are also small business owners, volunteering to make their community a vibrant and prosperous place to live. Small business owners demonstrate their community involvement and concern through their participation and financial contribution to numerous community projects. Gibsons & District, the “Gateway” to the Sunshine Coast, depends on its small businesses for economic strength, community strength and social strength. In turn, they depend on us to keep their businesses thriving and prosperous so we can all enjoy the enviable lifestyle of Coasters. Shop Local and support the businesses that support us.
William Baker, CPA CA President Gibsons & District Chamber of Commerce
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Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
DON CHAPMAN
FIGHTING FOR CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS
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n the occasion of Canada’s 150th birthday, Don Chapman has a message for his fellow Canadians: don’t be too complacent. “Canadian citizenship is nothing more than a legislated privilege, it is not a constitutional right,” says Chapman. “Our citizenship has been amalgamation of laws that go back since Confederation. Today it is so convoluted that nobody is exactly certain who is entitled or not entitled to be a Canadian citizen.” A retired airline pilot, Chapman has a home in Gibsons and a condo in Vancouver where he stays to be near his grandchildren. From those bases he campaigns for citizenship rights “from 5:30 in morning to 10 at night,” lobbying government and assisting individuals who are struggling with our labyrinthine citizenship rules. Don Chapman was born in Vancouver, BC, but his parents moved to the U.S. when he was a child and his father took out U.S. citizenship. Years later, when Chapman discovered that he had lost his Canadian citizenship, he began fighting the Canadian government over it. And he discovered that he wasn’t alone— thousands of other Canadians were denied citizenship under the law, and some were even stateless as a result.
People who had lost their citizenship included War Brides and their children who were never naturalized, foreign-born Canadians who weren’t living in Canada on their 24th birthday, border babies born in a U.S. hospital because it was the closest and then never properly registered in Canada, children born to Canadian servicemen outside of Canada, Chinese Canadians, and Indigenous people who moved back and forth across the border. Women were particularly affected because under the laws in effect in 1867, they were treated as chattels of their husbands. Although they gained rights as citizens in 1929, they did not gain equal rights to confer citizenship on their offspring until 2009. And for Aboriginal women there were added complications due to discriminatory provisions of the Indian Act.
Chapman founded the advocacy group “Lost Canadians,” testified before both the House and Senate, and was interviewed by major international media. The issue gained prominence after 9/11 when the U.S. tightened up border security and large numbers of Canadians applied for passports. Some discovered that although they lived in Canada, had social insurance numbers and paid taxes, they weren’t considered citizens. Chapman eventually won his citizenship. Partly as a result of his tireless campaigning, the Citizenship Act was amended in 2008 to give Canadian citizenship to many of those who lost or never had it due to the old law, including Chapman. But he says it’s not enough. The changes don’t cover everyone who was affected, and in particular the equal rights of women are not retroactive.
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
“My sister’s grandchild can’t be Canadian but my brother’s can be,” said Chapman. “Women don’t have same right under citizenship laws, and we’ve frozen the discrimination.” Chapman wants the Canadian government to completely rewrite the Citizenship Act. When interviewed for this article, he had sent the Liberal government a proposal for new legislation and set up a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss the Citizenship Act. “We can’t really be a just society if women don’t have equal rights with men,” says Chapman. “I can’t be a good Canadian if I’m OK with that.” For more information you can visit Don Chapman’s blog at lostcanadian.com or read his 2015 book: “The Lost Canadians: A Struggle for Citizenship Rights, Equality and Identity.” - Donna McMahon
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CATERERS
ON THE COAST
Hosting and cooking for an event comes with many challenges. Timing? How much food to serve? Allergy considerations? Are the guests going to like the food? How to be a good host while cooking? It can all become quite overwhelming. Fear not, it looks like the caterers on the Coast are here to take away the stress and make your event deliciously simple. Being a caterer is not just about the food, it’s about creating an experience that involves all the senses. I interviewed the following caterers to find out how we can make our catered events a success. There are many details that go into making a great event. We all know that good food is at the top of that list. Caterers ask for as much information as possible to make sure that your event is special to you. Read over the contract details carefully, so you are fully in the know about the cancellation policy, payment structure and individual caterer requirements. In the kitchen we have a saying, “you’re only as good as your last meal”. Cooks take this to heart and always want to make the best meal each and every time. After meeting with these three caterers, I believe that having your event catered on the Sunshine Coast will be a delicious, and stress-free solution. - Natalie Findlay
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Emelle’s Catering
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riginating in Vancouver, Emelle’s chef Mary Lee and her team of professional chefs, servers and event coordinators incorporate the bounty of the West Coast in their catering options. Emelle’s experienced catering team has had many years cooking and catering from intimate gatherings to large formal events. Emelle’s Catering has done it all. Do caterers allow for pick-up of a home cooked meal for a intimate gathering? EC - Sometimes clients may not need a fully catered event but want all the food cooked and supplied so they can host an intimate event at home. Ask your caterer if they provide this service. Some caterers will allow you to pick up previously cooked, packaged food which is a great option for 10 to 30 people. What other details will help your caterer? EC - Know your guest list. Catering for a soccer team has a different spin on the foods and how they’re served than catering to a group of retired ladies. What is your specialty? EC - Definitely fresh, local, and delicious West Coast cuisine. We enjoy creating dishes that incorporate fresh salmon and other seasonal foods. You can best reach this catering team through their website www.emelles.com or email marketbistro@emelles.com
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
Farm to Feast
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nne takes simple and rustic foods and applies her love of local and sustainable ingredients to create “world class finger foods” to delight her clients. When you give Anne the freedom to create she gives you delicious food that will surpass your wishes and impress your guests. Anne takes her relationship with food seriously. As an example, she has begun to mill her own grains, adding even more attention to the details of her food production. What are some criteria clients should use to pick a caterer? FF - How food is handled, sourced and how the food is cooked should be a major consideration for choosing a caterer. I’m not a fan of how food behaves when it is placed in chaffing dishes so I don’t use them. Instead, I serve my food on wooden boards that I had made to match my natural style. How far in advance should you book? FF - The larger the party or the more specific your date the farther out you should book a caterer. Sometimes we can accommodate an event on short notice. What is your specialty? FF - Rustic simplicity with attention to the unique qualities of each specific food is how I describe my cooking style. The wood-oven fired pizzas are a big hit. You don’t have to have an event catered to enjoy them; just head down to the food truck and order one. You can best reach Anne through phone 604-740-2363, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/farmtofeast.ca/, Persephone website http:// www.persephonebrewing.com, or her instagram @farmtofeastca
Caspier’s Catering
T
his husband (Martin) and wife (Melodie) duo believes in taking simple foods, adding their personal touch of culinary fusion and her First Nations spirit, making for unique and flavourful dishes. They have grown their catering company from a small service that provided meals-togo to a full-fledged caterer with an ever expanding list of events of all sizes and styles under their apron. They do a lot of research into making your event as special and unique as you are. Their motto is, “where we cater to your needs”. Why should people hire a caterer for their events? CC - The biggest reason to hire a caterer is to alleviate the stress from the individuals that are hosting the event. A catered event will run smoother and the host(s) can participate and interact with the guests instead of being tied to the kitchen for the duration of the function. What details do you want the client to know regarding menus? CC -Caspier Catering does not have a set menu, instead we gather information that allows us to create a menu that will meet your needs. Details such as the number of people, dietary needs / restrictions / allergies, what kinds of foods people like and don’t like, the style of the function, how will the food be presented (banquet, plated), will the event require servers? And budget? We (caterers) do not look at the budget as a restriction, we see it as a way to use our creativity to help you get the best you can afford. What is your specialty? CC - We love to cook seafood. Especially salmon. And thinking of new ways to create delicious meals taking cues from the bounty of each season. You can best reach Caspier Catering through phone 604-885-1483, email Caspier@live.com, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CaspierCatering/, or instagram @caspiercatering Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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Plethora Fine Foods Gastronomic Treasures and Gourmet Treats
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ames Covell knows a thing or two about gastronomic treasures and gourmet treats and now, fortunately for us, he’s set up shop here on the coast to share some of his favourites with us. Plethora Fine Foods is Sechelt’s newest addition to the ever growing number of trendy food establishments which, much to the delight of us local foodies, are beginning to sprout up here on the coast like Chantal mushrooms after a spring rain. After honing his culinary skills in Vancouver at such iconic establishments as the Cannery , The Capilano Country Club, and The Salmon House on the Hill, James quickly seized the opportunity to become a Sunshine Coaster at the prestigious Rock Water Resort where he spent the better part of a year climatizing and familiarizing himself with the local culinary scene before taking the next big step. As the proud new proprietor of the coast’s first, and only authentic “charcuterie” (for those of you not familiar with the word, think gourmet French deli.) James is excited to share his love of fine cheeses, savory cold cuts and sausages, unique condiments and infused oils, and of course his house specialty, the ultimate gourmet gift basket for those special occasions. These range in price from $75 up to several hundred depending of course on the size and the selection of products. At a recent tasting, we were treated by James, our gracious host, to an authentic sampling of European, regional, and local home grown gourmet hors d’oeuvres that I can only describe in coastal vernacular as “awesome”. Several excellent cheeses, meats/charcuterie, olives, and pickles were served with crisp whole grain crackers and accompanied by a selection of delicious sweet and spicy spreads. They also feature artisanal chocolate, Sunshine Coast Olive Oils, vinegars, Beachcomber Coffee, Frostbites Syrup Co., Davis Bay Teas and much more. Plethora Fine Foods is indeed a most welcome new neighbor for those of us that appreciate the option of taking home a little taste of Provence, Tuscany, or the Rhone Valley without having to set foot on an airplane or even a ferry for that matter. - B. Ferguson
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CHEESES FROM AROUND THE WORLD LOCALLY MADE CHARCUTERIE WIDE SELECTION OF ARTISANAL FOODS CHEESE AND CHARCUTERIE PLATTERS TO FIT EVERY OCCASION Sunshine Coast Olive Oil tasting bar, Sunshine Coast Salt Co., Beachcomber Coffee, Frostbites Syrups, Fisherman’s Market Seafood, Cowichan Pasta Company and more!
Open Monday to Friday 9:30am - 5:00pm and 10:00am - 5:00pm Saturday. #1 - 5679 Cowrie Street, Sechelt, BC www.plethorafinefoods.com Instagram: @plethorafinefoods
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
History OF CIDER
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cross North American, craft cider is booming, but few people know the extraordinary history of the beverage.
Apple trees originated in Central Asia near the Caspian Sea, and travellers carried them along the Silk Route to Western Europe, where the Romans spread them as far as Britain. When Europeans reached the New World, they brought apple trees. The trees grew readily and produced abundant fruit that stored well and could easily be fermented into cider. In the centuries before most people had reliable access to clean drinking water, alcoholic drinks were safer than water. In Europe, men, women, and children drank “small beer” and watered wine, and in North America they quaffed vast quantities of cider and “apple jack” (a concentrated liquor made by freezing cider). It’s no wonder that the iconic American hero Johnny Appleseed was so popular. In the 19th century, cider production declined dramatically, mostly because of the temperance movement. By the late 1800’s, apples were so closely associated with drunkenness that supporters of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union attacked apple trees with hatchets and whole orchards were chopped down in the cause of sobriety. The Christian teaching that Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden for eating a forbidden apple did not help its reputation either.
“By the late 1800’s apples were so closely associated with drunkenness... Whole orchards were chopped down in the cause of sobriety.”
In the early 1900s, apple growers were faced with a gigantic public relations problem, so they decided to reinvent their industry. They bred new varieties of very sweet apples for eating and hired a New York public relations firm, Mather and Crowther, who coined what may be the most successful advertising slogan of all time: “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples were reborn as the healthy, wholesome snack you feed your children. Only in the last two decades have growers returned to heritage apple varieties and begun reinventing the ancient tradition of cider making. -Donna McMahon
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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Sippin The Sunshine Coast
Partners Warren Gregory, left, and Geoff Cornall of Gibsons Tapworks.
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ersephone Brewing Company first opened its doors in Gibsons in 2013. That was the same year provincial regulations governing tasting rooms began to loosen and the craft beer industry in BC took off. In 2012, there were approximately 50 breweries across BC. The BC Ale Trail website, a great resource when planning your next “beer-cation,” currently lists 146. The lower Sunshine Coast is home to three breweries, plus a distillery and a cidery. It’s not just beer anymore, but craft beverages. Persephone, “the beer farm,” is located on 11 acres of Agricultural Land Reserve. Its unique business model has put it on the wrong side of a provincial policy intended to protect farmland from nonfarm uses. Under these rules, Persephone would have to grow at least 50% of its fermentable grain on site, something that would require hundreds of acres to accomplish. With a new NDP government
in Victoria, there is hope the policy will be changed, or Persephone granted an exemption, so it can continue operations. While Persephone waits, it’s business as usual. Meanwhile, the Coast’s other craft beverage producers are doing a brisk business. Since opening its doors to the public on February 24, 2017, Gibsons Tapworks has brewed over 40,000 litres of beer. Partners Neil Bergman, Warren Gregory and Geoff Gornall couldn’t be happier with their decision to open a brewery in lower Gibsons. “We saw it as an opportunity we simply couldn’t miss,” says Gornall. “We all have connections to the Coast and it was the place we wanted to lay down roots.” The trio bought a building on Cruice Lane and did all their own renovations to suit their needs. “We started the business plan and it became a no brainer,” says Gornall, crediting changes in provincial liquor regulations with helping businesses like Bartender Mark Reed, left, and partner and manager of The 101 Brewhouse Chris Greenfield.
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Tapworks succeed. “It’s easier to pay down the massive capital cost associated with starting a brewery when you’re able to serve more than one 12 ounce glass,” he notes. While Gornall worked on fundraising and the required mounds of regulatory and permitting paperwork, Bergman and Gregory worked with the brewmaster at Moody Ales learning the technical side of the business, like how to use commercial sized equipment. “A lot of the recipes, especially the ones we opened with, were done with glorified pots and pans in Warren’s kitchen and Neil’s kitchen long before we started,” recalls Gornall. It was two years from idea to opening. In the eight months since, Tapworks has brewed nine beers for their taps, bottles of their core beers are available for sale in-house, as well as in BC Liquor Store locations in Sechelt and Gibsons, and it employs four people in addition to the partners. The trio are continuing their “community hub” focus with trivia and “name that tune” nights, and their Brews and Bites long table events. This popular series has them working with local chefs to create menus of their quality beer paired with fine food. “It brings that communal vibe,” says Gornall of their events. “You see different groups of people coming in and getting to know each other. That’s where it gets at the heart.” In addition to their partnership with Nomadic Kitchen food truck, there are plans to expand their food offerings by partnering with local providers to source high quality, hot and cold food options. Up the road from Tapworks sits The 101 Brewhouse and Distillery. Only open a couple of months, the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. “It’s been busy,” says Chris Greenfield. “People like the beer.” Greenfield manages the 101 with his wife Kelly. They come with plenty of food and beverage experience as they also operate the Troller Ale House in Horseshoe Bay. They were approached by David Longman who had acquired the 101 site when it was still
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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Bob’s Automotive and he was developing the Blue Heron Village next door. The original plan was to open just a distillery. “But as we learned more about it, there were similarities in the equipment that you can do both,” says Greenfield. “When we met, the regulations changed for tasting rooms so it made sense to offer beer and spirits in your own lounge. And you’re now allowed to have a commercial kitchen and serve more than just one sample sized beer. That changed everything.” The 101 has four tanks dedicated to brewing beer under head brewer Matt Smith, formerly of Persephone. “We didn’t want to step on any toes or have any bad feelings because we have a relationship with them,” says Greenfield. “But they were totally supportive.” The one tank dedicated to spirits produces gin and vodka under master distiller Shawn Milsted. “We heard about Shawn through a friend who is his neighbour in Roberts Creek,” says Greenfield. “His hobby is making gin and vodka and it’s amazing.” The 101 has three full time bartenders and Kelly has been experimenting with cocktails. “When you have a nice gin, you don’t want to hide it in a cocktail,” says Greenfield. “You want to feature it.” Their 101 G+T is made with Fever Tree tonic from England and proved a popular summer sipper. There are certain rules craft distilleries need to follow, like making your own base spirit from BC malt and being limited to producing 50,000 litres of finished product. But even with their “fancy” German commercial still that they hope to have up and running in the new year, Greenfield says they won’t come close to that limit. “We’d have to be running it around the clock to get there,” he says. But a larger still will allow them to start bottling their gin and vodka for people to take home. The third component to the 101 is its full commercial kitchen under the experienced hand of Executive Chef Christine Deyoung. “I met her on the ferry commuting back and forth,” says Greenfield as Deyoung was working for Tacofino in Vancouver. Greenfield is proud of the fact that the 101’s personnel—including himself and his wife—are all local. “It’s important to grow the economy on the Coast with people who live here,” he says. In the short time they’ve been open for business they’ve put six beers on tap and hired 30 employees. Looking forward, they hope to start bottling their beer and spirits and hosting events such as beer and spirit tastings and
food pairing dinners. The Bricker Cider Company in West Sechelt is a family run business: father Chris Moore, brothers Russell and Bronson Moore, their sister Morgan Farrer and her husband Nick Farrer, the cider maker. Nick, originally from England, worked at Steamworks Brewing to learn about the processing and manufacturing of alcohol on a commercial scale. The cidery was founded in honour of the Moores’ grandmother, Ann Bricker. “She spent her last years on a property up the street which is where my dad now lives,” says Russell. “It’s a 10 acre piece of land with 85 heritage apple trees. She had English roots so she liked her cider and always talked about making it. When good dry ciders started popping up, we thought maybe grandma was onto something.” Bricker’s business plan called for 20,000 litres of cider to be produced in the first year, but response to their ciders has been so positive, the company is already over its target. Bricker’s cider can be found on tap in various pubs and restaurants on the Coast and bottles are for sale in the tasting room and The Lighthouse Liquor Store. With 700 apple trees (Oregon Spur, Gala, Golden Delicious and Crabapple) planted last spring and plans to plant 200 more (Kingston Black, Belle de Boskoop and Yarlington Mill) this fall, it’s only a matter of time before Bricker has to expand its operation beyond its two tanks. “The number one thing for us,” says Bronson. “We want to make sure we deliver a consistently good product at a competitive price.” While the change in provincial regulations may have been kind to breweries, The Bricker Cider Company has not benefitted. “We fall in with the winery rules,” says Russell. “But we’re more like beer.
Our ABV (alcohol by volume) percentage is five or six percent where wine is triple that.” While they are limited to serving five ounce glasses in their tasting room, customers can buy a growler or bottles and enjoy their beverage outside in the picnic area. “It’s a reflection of where the industry is at,” says Bronson. “I’m sure the rules will change as more cideries open.” Like Persephone, Bricker’s five acres is ALR land, but unlike the brewery, being lumped in with wineries means meeting the 50% rule is much easier for Bricker as their apples only need to come from either their orchard or any other orchard in BC. As they wait for their trees to establish their roots, Bricker is getting its apples from the heritage trees up the road and the Okanagan. One thing cider does have in common with wine is language: esters, tannins, acidity, colour, body, and mouthfeel. “It’s a lot more complex than a fizzy apple juice drink,” says Russell. “People need to drop their assumptions of what cider tastes like,” says Bronson. “And try some dry ciders like ours. They might be pleasantly surprised.” Persephone, Tapworks, The 101, Bricker, and Townsite Brewing in Powell River, are in the process of forming the Sunshine Coast Craft Beverage Association. “We want to figure out as a group what we can do to improve tourism on the Coast,” says 101’s Greenfield. “Or figure out how to purchase bulk materials so we can get them to the Coast in a better way with better rates.” Their first meeting will be this October, so it’s early days yet, but these industry players recognize the importance of working together. “It is quite exciting,” says Greenfield. “People are creating community.” There’s never been a better time to sip the Sunshine Coast. - Anna Nobile
Bronson Moore, left, with brother Russell of The Bricker Cider Company
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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ArtisAn Olive Oils, BAlsAmics & mOre
THANK YOU ART SPONSORS! CHEERS to all of the companies, people and organizations that supported public art in 2017! Sunshine Coast Community Foundation Sunshine Coast Credit Union Sunshine Coast Regional District Russ & Ria Qureshi/Coast Lifestyles Network Home Hardware Gibsons Patsy MacDonald/Sunshine Coast.Today Group Home Hardware Gibsons The Blackberry Shop
Town of Gibsons Hollis Wealth Gateway Storage Zocalo Coast Reporter Swish Laara Sinclaire/ReMax Metzner Orthodontics
“Come in for a complimentary tasting!” We specialize in balsamic vinegars and single-estate and infused extra virgin olive oils. We offer only the best UP-certified olive oils from around the world. Suite 305 - 287 Gower Pt. Rd, Gibsons (778) 462-3088 Visit our online Cookbook & Webstore! www.sunshinecoastoliveoil.com
ALL businesses are invited to become 2018 SPONSORS. New sponsors that register before Nov. 29th will earn matching funds for more local public art! WIN-WIN! Promote your business and help support public art in your community! Contact the Gallery today for details on how a public art gallery sponsorship can HELP YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT IN 2018.
Blood Orange Chocolate Mousse Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co. NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE: Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co. Blood Orange Olive Oil
*can be substituted with a Persian Lime Olive Oil, Cayenne Red Chili Olive Oil (hot!), or a fruity EVOO, such as arbosana, manzanillo or koroneiki.
Serves 8 INGREDIENTS: • 7 oz (210 ml) dark chocolate, chopped • 2/3 cup (170 ml) Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co. Blood Orange Olive Oil • 4 large eggs, separated into yolks and whites • 6 tbsp (90 ml)granulated sugar • 1 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract • 1 pinch cream of tartar • Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co. Blood Orange whipped cream, for garnish • Cocoa powder, for garnish
DIRECTIONS: • Melt chocolate in a double boiler, or fashion one from a heatproof bowl set over saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, about 3 minutes. Drizzle in Blood Orange Olive Oil, maintaining a thin, steady stream, stirring until well combined. Remove bowl from heat and set aside. • Whisk yolks and 3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate mixture, and vanilla if using. Pour into large bowl and set aside. • Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar in clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to whisk until glossy, about 2 minutes. Gently fold into chocolate mixture. Do not over stir, but fold in until there are no white streaks. • Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. • When ready to serve, top each with a generous dollop of Blood Orange Whipped Cream (see our online cookbook for recipe), and a sprinkle of cocoa powder. • Serve with Strawberries Drizzled with Aged Balsamic (Chocolate or Espresso infused)
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Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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A warm & personal welcome
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The warm and friendly greeting that Welcome Wagon delivers is brought into over 400,000 homes a year, where the hand of friendship is extended personally and with heart. Whether you are purchasing or renting, newcomers to the Sunshine Coast are always delighted with our basket of Community Information and gifts from participating local businesses. WE ALSO VISIT FAMILIES WITH NEW BABIES!
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Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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THE DRIFTWOOD: OCEANSIDE INN BUILDS ON A LONG HISTORY
1930s
O
ne of the more enduring establishments on the Sunshine Coast is getting a makeover.
The Driftwood Inn, located for nearly 50 years at the foot of Trail Avenue, is already looking brighter, with updated décor in its Pebbles Restaurant and banquet room—and more improvements to come—under the direction of new general manager Jackie Coombs. “All the furniture in the restaurant is brand new,” said Coombs, who joined the Driftwood in March after 15 years as food and beverage manager at the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club. “Certainly, with a restaurant in such beautiful, oceanfront surroundings, everything on the inside has to match the outside, and highlight the view,” she added. “We’ve uncluttered the room and brought in furniture that is bright, modern and minimalist. It’s a lot fresher.” The menu has also been revamped, Coombs noted, with “a return to comfort food.”
1940s
The waterfront site makes the 29-room Driftwood the only true beachside inn on the Sunshine Coast, south of the Rockwater in Secret Cove. In fact, the Trail Avenue location has been the site of a hotel for the better part of 90 years, at least. Two versions of the story are left to us from days past. One has it that in 1906, a grand family home was built there by Bert Whitaker, cousin to Edric Clayton, of what was later to be the supermarket family. The other version says that Whitaker had it built in 1899, and from the start, intended it as a hotel, the 20-room Sechelt Inn. What is not in dispute is the fact that the Whitakers sold it (along with the family’s many other Sechelt properties) to the Union Steamship Company in 1926. The hotel expanded to 38 rooms and accommodated guests for decades until fire destroyed it in 1963. The Driftwood was built on the property in 1970. The new owners bought the business late in 2016. They brought Coombs on board months later to oversee the building’s extensive refurbishment, which will extend well beyond the restaurant area.
1950s 20
“There’s so much more to do,” Coombs said. “We’re renovating all the waterfront rooms initially. The rest of the building [running parallel to Trail Avenue] also will Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
2017 eventually be redone.” Key among those waterfront room changes is the complete renovation of a three-bedroom, split-level penthouse suite above the restaurant. Artwood Custom
Homes is spearheading the project, which includes the addition of an extra bathroom, fireplace and a fully equipped kitchen, finished with countertops and a long dining table, all topped with granite.
Introducing our newly renovated 3 bedroom penthouse suite.
“The whole property itself is so beautiful,” said Coombs. “It needs some love now on the inside, and that’s just what the new owners are giving it.” - Rik Jespersen
Beautifully renovated banquet room, open for business.
Join us for Fiesta Fridays and Prime Rib Sundays!
Featuring Trees Organic coffees and cheesecakes
Homemade comfort food, sure to please. Designed for your complete relaxing visit to the driftwood inn.
604.885.5811
driftwoodmotorinn.com Highway 101 at Trail Ave. Sechelt
Downtown Sechelt’s only waterfront restaurant. Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
THIS PROOF IS FOR
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JASPER MARINE excellence in alloy
In 2015, using money he earned in the Alberta oil fields, he moved to New Zealand and took a job with Q-West Boat Builders, building aluminum yachts and tenders. A year later he returned to Canada and started building his own boats in a garage on Nelson Island. Vermeulen successfully built and sold two 18-foot boats, but he needed a properly equipped workshop, so he and his father, Nick, scoured the Sunshine Coast for suitable space.
“I
like to build things that inspire me,” says Jasper Vermeulen. So much so, that the 26-year-old has launched his own boat building business, Jasper Marine, that promises to become a leader in innovative marine design. Boats are in Vermeulen’s blood. The family is Dutch, and Jasper’s paternal great grandfather was the captain of a trading ship. Jasper grew up around boats on the Sunshine Coast and loved them.
A graduate of Elphinstone Secondary, he started welding at school and then went to Okanagan College to become a certified journeyman A-Level welder. While working in Kelowna, Jasper began fixing up boats in his spare time and realized that there was a way to combine his skills in welding and his love of boating—building aluminum boats. Until recently, most aluminum boats on the BC coast have been work boats, built from designs that barely changed from decade to decade, so Jasper went to Holland, Croatia and Spain in search of new ideas. In Holland, he found an “amazing” tradition of boat building, and a wealth of innovative aluminum designs. “There’s so much out there in the aluminum boating industry that just doesn’t exist here,” said Vermeulen.
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They finally found a vacant industrial property in Gibsons which at one time housed the Gibsons public works yard. The lot is slated for redevelopment and the lease is month-to-month, but it has given Vermeulen a high-ceilinged workshop for manufacturing and office space. In this location, he is currently working on a 25-foot landing craft, custom designed for a client who wants to load up his ATV and go hunting in remote areas. Vermeulen explains that while it costs more to build boats with aluminum than fibreglass, aluminum is a far better value because it’s stronger and will last virtually forever with very little maintenance. Ninety percent of all the aluminum boats ever built are still in use today, he says. It’s also a better environmental choice. Damage is easy to repair, the boats can be modified and repurposed, and aluminum can ultimately be recycled, unlike fibreglass, which is piling up in landfills across North America. “This year we went to the Vancouver boat show and 60% of the
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
floor was aluminum boats. It’s becoming more and more the norm.” While he loves living on the Sunshine Coast, it’s not without its challenges. “There a desperate need for commercial space that’s affordable, and not just for the boating industry,” said Vermeulen. He has also had to build a supply chain for everything that goes into a boat, including the engine, flooring, and interiors. Custom items such as curved glass have to be shipped in, and even painting is a challenge, since the local automotive paint shops aren’t big enough to hold a boat. While the vision for Jasper Marine is all Jasper’s, the business is also a family affair. Jasper’s mother Marleen, a well known artist, helped him with his logo and branding, and his brother Dolf contributed professional photography and website design. His father Nick has been his business coach, and this fall he will pick up a lot of the office work so that Jasper can concentrate on building. The future looks promising. Vermeulen would like to grow Jasper Marine into a company that builds forty boats a year, and make a name in the industry for his own unique and distinctive designs. www.jaspermarine.ca - Donna McMahon
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Come visit us in our beautiful showroom today!
N O V E M B E R 1 6 - D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 17
JOIN US for our OPEN HOUSE on NOVEMBER 16, 2017... ONE DAY ONLY!! • The First Day of our Black Friday Event • DON’T MISS OUT!! 5501 Inlet Avenue, Sechelt, BC
www.sscapplianceandmattress.com 24
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
604-885-5141
SUNSHINE COAST APPLIANCE AND MATTRESS EXPERTS
The Little Shop That Could
W
hat happens when an iconic retail giant with a chain of over 600 department stores, US$17 billion (2014) in sales and has been around for over 100 years suddenly declares bankruptcy and leaves a vast network of independent dealers basically hung out to dry? Well if you’re Richard Nelles and you were stranger to innovation and most importantly he leads by example. Talk about hands on, when I met Richard at his showroom for an interview he had just come from a client’s home where he and three of the staff had just hauled a 450 pound fridge up several flights of stairs to appease a customer who had mistakenly been delivered a fridge with the wrong interior color. Yes I said “interior” color. That to me is above and beyond the definition of customer service. When it comes to customer satisfaction Richard will go to any lengths to make sure that every customer comes away with a great buying experience. Why? Because he knows that the difference between success and failure is all about a happy customer and what he tells his friends and neighbors. the only Sears dealer in the country that showed a 25 per cent year over year sales increase for four consecutive years, you move on . Not just on , but onward and upward. And that’s exactly what Richard has done right here on the Sunshine Coast. If you drop by the beautiful new showroom of Sunshine Coast Appliance and Mattress Experts in Sechelt, you’ll be in for a big surprise. You’ll not only be totally impressed with the great selection of top name brands of appliances and mattresses,the beautifully designed showroom, and knowledgeable staff, (with a no pressure, have a look around make yourself at home attitude) but you’ll also see some rather interesting innovations. I’m not just referring to the incredible range of products from world class brands like JENN-AIR, BOSCH, KItchenAid, Whirlpool, and MAYTAG. Or the latest innovations like steam ovens (if you haven’t heard about them yet you will soon). I’m talking about things that create a value added shopping experience. Things like digital price tags (being installed soon) that will allow you to take a scan from your smart phone to compare online or will also immediately tell you within the smart phone, the price of the product, the specs, ratings, and availability of that particular product. This is where high tech meets bricks and mortar. The best of both shopping experiences. One of the obvious reasons for the success of this business is Richard Nelles himself. Besides being the proud proprietor, and captain of the team, Richard is a master of resilience, a mentor, and certainly no
Aside from the great service, excellent selection and friendly staff there is another equally important element in the buying decision and one that is foremost in the mind of most buyers and is key to the success of any business, and that is of course,price. I asked Richard, how can a mom and pop business in a small town compete with the big box stores with the slashed prices? Aside from the obvious answer which was “try getting Amazon to come to your home in Redrooffs with six flights of stairs on short notice to remove and replace your 450 pound fridge because it’s not exactly what you ordered” - point taken.
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
So how can they compete on price point? The simple answer is “Cantrex” - a buyers co-op for individual retail shops that is made up of hundreds of other small Mom and pop operations all across Canada. So, when Richard or any of the hundreds of other members order a few appliances they actually have the clout and buying power of a huge conglomerate behind them. That translates to competitive prices for the consumer with the added benefit of good old fashioned home town service. That my friend, as Richard would say, is something you can’t put a price on. - B. Ferguson
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...a hip new shopping experience...
t’s not a very well-kept secret that the Sunshine Coast attracts some pretty exceptional people. From artists and musicians to writers and yes, celebrities, more and more talented people are calling this beautiful stretch of coast home. Recently, SC Business Magazine caught up with Christi Thompson, as in “Thompson Artist Management” Christi, who has had a long and illustrious career in the top echelons of celebrity management, has recently made her mark in downtown Gibsons in the form of “Fay Wray” a hip new shopping experience for hipsters of all ages and genders. We asked her a few questions about her background, what brought her to the coast, and her plans for the future of Fay Wray... SCBM: You’ve had an exciting career in the music and entertainment business before setting up shop here in Gibsons. Can you tell us a bit about that? CT: I was just out of my teens when I landed a job
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in a famous recording studio. I got to meet some really cool musicians; Robert Plant, ACDC, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Metallica, to name a few. I eventually went to work for A&M records as a publicist, agent, promoter, tour manager, etc. I finally found my zone in artist management. I founded Thompson Artist Management an international entertainment management company in early 2000 and its given me the opportunity to travel the world and meet a lot of interesting folks. SCBM: Do you see your new business as an extension of that business or is it a complete sea change for you? CT: It’s been a different kind of learning curve, but that was part of the motivation to do it. New challenges, get my brain out of the familiar. That said, fashion and music have always gone hand in hand. SCBM: What brought you to the Sunshine Coast initially? CT: I have spent a lot of my life “on the road” and the Sunshine Coast has always been the place
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
that recharges, re-balances and re-energizes me, both physically and spiritually. We are blessed to live here. You leave to come back and appreciate it all over again; the water, the clean air, lush forests, beaches and the wildlife, the people. It’s precious. SCBM: What inspired you to locate here? CT: I feel inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit here and wanted to be a part of a growing community. There was room to bring in a clothing boutique for brands that we had sourced from around the world to our community. I hope to fill a niche here. SCBM: What lines of products do you feature and why did you select these particular brands? CT: We have men’s and women’s apparel and organic curative body care products. The word apothecary in our name relates to the body care products. There are no chemicals in any of our body care lines. For example, Margo Marrone, founder of “Organic Pharmacy” is both a pharmacist and a homeopath. She brings both methodologies to her products which are healing and effective. We also have Satava, a Canadian brand, as well Eco by Sonya from Australia. Our clothing brands each have a story – we choose brands that have staying power with their collections. One great pair of jeans instead of two ‘just ok’ ones makes a difference. We aim to keep it fun too. I love working with brands that are collaborative in their approach. - Staff
LOCAL CELEBRITIES ON THE SUNSHINE COAST! Three Sunshine Coast musicians share their genres... from the sacred, to the socially conscious, to jazz... meet DAVID POON (featured below), KINNIE STARR (p.28) & DAN BRUBECK (p.29)
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avid Poon thought he was going to be a scientist “of some sort” until high school when music became his focus. He played trombone in the school band, but had been playing piano since he was five. It wasn’t until he began studying music at the University of British Columbia that he found the instrument that really spoke to him: the pipe organ. “It’s a very big power trip,” laughs Poon of why he loves playing the organ. “I really enjoy the repertoire. There was all this music for organ I didn’t know existed.” Unlike a piano, which is a percussion instrument (pressing a key causes a hammer to strike a string,) the organ is a wind instrument as sounds are made when air passes through the pipes. An organ can have anywhere from one to seven manuals, or keyboards, each one with 61 keys, in addition to a pedal board with 32 keys. “It can be both intimidating and thrilling,” says Poon, noting the organ is referred to as the “king of instruments.” St. Hilda’s in Sechelt has a two manual Casavant Frères and as far as Poon knows, is the only pipe organ on the Coast. Playing an organ means the right hand, left hand, and feet are all doing something different. “When I started learning organ, it was like I had never played music before,” says Poon. “Your left hand gets so used to playing baseline on the piano, you find that when you start playing the organ, your left hand tries to copy your feet and when you try to separate them, your feet try to copy your left hand.” Poon’s faith and his passion for early music and Gregorian chants have come together to define his musical career. “I see myself as a liturgical musician,” he says. “One who crafts music for services, to be integrated with the services rather than just being used as accompaniment or filler.” He is the founder of MOTET, an eight member ensemble choir whose repertoire is dedicated to quality sacred music for church services. “In a lot of churches, the music is not appropriate to what the service is trying to do and doesn’t point toward what the service is about,” says Poon. “It’s this thing on the side, [but] the music is an act of worship and acts as an aid to the congregation, just like the sermon and the readings.” In addition to organ and piano, Poon also plays the harpsichord and is an accomplished continuo player, playing continuous base while improvising the harmony. Organ music also calls for improvisation, something that drew Poon to that style of music. “I had already been comfortable noodling,” he says. “But with the tradition of being able to improvise on organ, coupled with having to essentially make up things when playing continuo on harpsichord, that felt natural to me and I enjoyed that a lot.” Poon also enjoys choral music and is the director of the Pender Harbour Community Choir, the co-director, with his wife Sarah, of the Coast Messiah Choir in Sechelt, and founder and director of Vesper Song in Gibsons. Fall is a very busy time for him as all three choirs are rehearsing and preparing for concerts. Vesper Song will present an evensong concert November 26 while the two community choirs and MOTET prepare for Christmas-time concerts. He also commutes twice a week as the Assistant Music Director at St. John’s in Vancouver, and is the father of three young children. “Sometimes it feels completely crazy,” he says of trying to keep a balance in his life. To relax, he plays video games and transcribes video game music. “They have very good soundtracks,” he claims and is putting together music for a future concert. “The organ is well suited to play a lot of it.” He plays Super Mario and Ikaruga with his sons, and when they get older, wants to introduce them to role playing games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. Is this a guilty pleasure for the organist of faith? “They have soundtracks I adore,” says Poon of the role playing games. “I don’t see anything guilty about it.” - Anna Nobile Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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innie Starr is keenly aware of how life can change in an instant. In 2015 she was sitting in the back of a cab when it was hit by a vehicle that had gone through a stop sign. In shock, she walked away from the accident without anyone noticing and did a scheduled press interview before returning to her hotel and going to sleep. “That’s not what you’re supposed to do after an accident,” Starr says wryly. She remembers very little of the accident, but still feels the effects of that impact. “Nausea, not being able to breathe, not being able to swallow, dizziness, not understanding people when they’re talking…Makes it hard to tell a doctor what’s going on,” she notes. In addition to a long list of physical trauma, she suffered a brain injury that has left her, to this day, unable to play instruments, arrange or produce music. “I can write again,” she says with relief. “Being able to write those lyrics felt really good.”
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Starr has described her background as “sort of English, French, Spanish, sort of Indigenous, sort of white.” Her interest in social justice issues came from watching her criminal lawyer father (who is half Mohawk) at work in a courtroom. “At a very young age I knew about racism, and I knew about sexism, and I knew about classism seeing who went to jail. It was like, ‘Daddy why is it always a white man making the decision?’” While earning her BA in Race and Gender Studies at Queen’s University, she lived with some very talented musicians. “My friend Joe Chithalen could hear me singing in the shower,” says Starr. “He’s actually the first person who ever put a guitar in my hands.” Add to that three standing ovations she received at an open mic night, and what was supposed to be a career focused on visual art became one focused on music. Like Starr, her music is a mix of a lot of different elements: jazz, folk, hip hop, rap, EDM. “I’m learning as I go” she says. “That’s why there’s so many styles.” She taught herself to play drums and guitar and in 1994 self-released her demo Learning to Cook, unleashing a bidding war with major record labels vying to sign her. She was just 26 years old.
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Six CDs later, plus many other music projects, and a Juno Award for producing We Are by Digging Roots, Starr’s relationship to the music industry is guarded. “It’s basically like being in high school forever when you’re in the music industry,” she says. Starr has endured online attacks from so-called fans who rant about her lyrics and album covers, and faced sexism in an industry that leaves women out of the power positions. When approached to have a film made about her, Starr suggested the focus be on women in the industry instead. Starr cowrote, collaborated on directing, and hosted the film, Play Your Gender, a documentary that wonders why, in a multi-billion dollar global industry, women represent less than 5% of music producers and why there are so few opportunities for women as technicians, engineers and song writers. After 23 years in the music industry, the biggest change Starr has seen is an increase in women DJs. “When you work as a producer or writer you create royalties for yourself,” notes Starr. “When you’re DJing, you’re using other people’s material, so you’re not creating a sustainable economic foundation. That’s why I want to encourage women to write, produce and play.” The film was a way to get people talking about the gender gap in the music industry as a whole. “I really like dialogue,” says Starr of her desire to make the film. “I wanted to inspire people by putting the conversation out there.” Starting conversations is something Starr has been doing her entire career, whether through her visual art, her music and socially conscious lyrics, or her writings on topics as diverse as body image and kindness. “Artists take a lot of bullets for conversations,” says Starr. “We have always done that. We pull the veil off of social issues a bit and look at them. It’s a service we provide.” Starr’s road to recovery after her accident has been a long and laboured one, and she’s only now starting to feel like herself again. The lyrics she’s been writing of late are for a new album, Feed The Fire, due out late next year. Starr has called Sechelt her home since 2004. “I am so grateful to live on Sechelt land,” she says. “I am so grateful to be working.” - Anna Nobile
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Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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an Brubeck is one of the jazz world’s most renowned drummers, a player known for his distinctive solos and mastery of polyrhythms. He’s also the son of jazz legend Dave Brubeck. “In a lot of way he’s just your dad,” says Brubeck sitting on the deck of his Halfmoon Bay home. “My dad’s friends happened to be guys who were some of the world’s greatest musicians, but for me they were just Uncle Paul [Desmond] or Uncle Gerry [Mulligan].” Uncle Joe Morello gave him his first set of drums and was an early mentor. That Brubeck ended up playing drums had a lot to do with his temperament. “I had a ton of energy as a kid so my parents spent every waking hour trying to wear me out,” he laughs. “Playing drums was one of those things.”
BR UB ECK
Brubeck’s passion for drumming had him on the road with his father at the age of 17. “He knew I hated school,” says Brubeck. “I took more after my dad who just liked to play music and wasn’t that interested with the hubbub that went with it.” The elder Brubeck’s music is famous for its odd time signatures and layering of contrasting rhythms, metres and tonalities. As a drummer, Brubeck soaked it all in. “It influenced me a lot,” says Brubeck of his father’s music. “Most people in my generation were associating with 4/4 time. They were hearing rock beats,” he explains. “We [the Brubeck brothers] would take Beatles tunes and play them in 5/4. It’s easy for us to think in odd time signatures.” Though Brubeck was born in California and grew up in the New York City area, he has several Canadian connections. He spent summers in Nelson, BC where his family had a summer home, and when his own children came of school age, he moved his family there as the schools in California were “awful.” Though he liked living in Nelson, it was isolated and hard to get to gigs, necessitating a move to West Vancouver. He’s been living on the Sunshine Coast for the last four years, after Miles Black recommended the area to him. Before settling into jazz, Brubeck explored other musical options, including playing with Canadian rockers, The Band. “I always really loved their music so to be able to play with them was really an honour for me,” says Brubeck. In the 1990s he played and recorded three CDs with The Dolphins, a jazz fusion group described as “an engaging mix of traditional and futuristic jazz.” He’s played with Roy Buchanan, Larry Coryell, and Alan Dawson. In addition to playing with his brothers Chris and Darius in Brubecks Play Brubeck, and with Chris in the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, he has his own group, the Vancouver-based Dan Brubeck Quartet. He founded DBQ, in part, to bring to fruition a project to celebrate his father’s music and his mother, Iola’s, lyrics. “She was a great lyricist,” says Brubeck. “That’s something that’s been overlooked.” The resulting CD, Celebrating The Music and Lyrics of Dave and Iola Brubeck, received a Juno nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2016. Iola was also an astute promoter and manager, moving jazz concerts away from smoke filled bars to college campuses and concert halls. “This stroke of genius,” writes Brubeck in the CD liner notes, “managed to change the face of jazz in America.” Over his long and distinguished career, Brubeck has also garnered Grammy nominations, toured the world, played with symphonies, and in front of presidents when his father received the Kennedy Center Honors and Barack Obama was in the audience. “The energy backstage was super positive,” recalls Brubeck. “Luckily I was standing next to Herbie Hancock and they’re [Hancock and Obama] quite good friends, so he introduced me.” Despite all his achievements, Brubeck isn’t slowing down. A new album is due out this fall and he’s starting a European tour in January. He confides that the Gibsons Heritage Playhouse is one of his favourite venues to play in for its intimate feel. “I keep wanting to get my brothers out here to do something,” he says. Here’s hoping Brubeck can add that to his long list of achievements. - Anna Nobile Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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INTRODUCING THE NEW HOMES & DECOR MAGAZINE
Sunshine Coast
HOMES&Decor
Vol. 01 No. 01
MAGAZINE
WATCH FOR OUR FIRST EDITION COMING TO YOU ON NOVEMBER 2, 2017!
ow is the time of the year for the Pender Harbour & District Chamber of Commerce to look back on our activities and celebrate our successes, learn from things we could have done better and ensure the money and people are in place to be successful in 2018. Pender Harbour government wharf We are focused on making the future brighter for our residents and business community. We have a vision of what we would like our community to become and we are executing several projects that we believe will get us there. Our organization itself is quite a success. We have retained most of our existing Directors and added new and younger members. Our eleven-member board is dedicated to working toward common goals. Our regular meetings are well attended, and many members and individual community residents are involved actively in various planning committees. Our business community is very generous with its financial support over and above basic membership, and many of our Directors are active business owners who take time away from their businesses to serve on the board and lead the working committees that make things happen. We are all stronger when we work together for mutual benefit. Collaboration with other Sunshine Coast Chambers, the Sunshine Coast Regional Economic Development Office (SCREDO), Sunshine Coast Tourism and the SCRD has produced excellent results and given us high hopes for the future. The many locally-based volunteer organizations continue their good work and are extremely supportive of our Chamber. There are so many of them and we are grateful for everything they provide to our community and our Chamber. In 2017, we accomplished much by working together with a number of key organizations, particularly the Harbour Authority of Pender Harbour, Pender Harbour Living Heritage Society, Pender Harbour Advisory Council, Pender Harbour Rotary, Pender Harbour Lions Club, Pender Harbour Music Society and Pender Harbour Hiking Club . Our many successful collaborative projects included enhancement of public access to lakes and ocean, Pender Harbour Days, local signage, Chamber fund-raising and several Economic Development projects. Things we could have done better are important to consider if we are to improve. We need more member meetings to attract strong general attendance, we need to streamline board meetings, and we need to keep our projects running on schedule. We have plans to add resources to some committees and ensure our plans and associated time lines are realistic (we should not be biting off more than we can chew). We have already reviewed our financial results for 2017 and have started the 2018 budget process. Project teams are in place to continue multi-year projects and start new ones. Our Chamber Directors have indicated they will continue serving and their Chair is extremely pleased with their enthusiasm, dedication and achievements. Our volunteer community groups are healthy and active (although we could use a few more willing workers). The SCRD and Frank Mauro, our Area A representative, continue to encourage and support us. There is renewed hope for improvements in community relations between the Sechelt native government and the residents of Pender Harbour. If we can all continue to work together with enthusiasm, a positive attitude and good will toward each other, we will be successful.
Please visit our web Site at: www.penderharbour.ca Follow us on facebook at: www.facebook.com/penderharbouranddistrict
Leonard Lee,
President, Pender Harbour & District Chamber of Commerce
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Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
Working Together to Build Our CommunitiesÂŽ
We are proud to be a part of the Sunshine Coast.
Sunshine Coast Business Magazine • Fall 2017
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