BUSINESS BEAT: Couple wins major prize from The Brick

The latest newsy tidbits from around the business scene in Greater Victoria

Jeff Shultis. left, and wife Patti accept their $10,000 in gift cards from the Victoria Brick store manager John Ellis.

Jeff Shultis. left, and wife Patti accept their $10,000 in gift cards from the Victoria Brick store manager John Ellis.

Victoria’s Jeff and Patti Shultis were winners of a national contest from The Brick furniture stores, taking home $10,000 in gift cards from the store.

The Brick’s “Flip It to Win” promotion ran through April, giving customers a chance to win instant prizes in the store and then enter online for the grand prize, says Victoria’s Douglas Street store manager John Ellis. The annual contest is hosted by about 150 Brick and Brick Mattress locations across Canada, including the two Victoria stores, on Douglas Street and in Langford.

“We’re a small store compared to some others across the country so it’s pretty big (for us). As a store we thought it was really exciting, then when the Shultises showed up the energy (was terrific), ” Ellis says.

New & Notable

Mayfair Shopping Centre marks the opening of the Island’s first Banana Republic store with a weekend-long celebration May 24 to 27.  The store most requested by Mayfair shoppers, at more than 6,000-square-feet, it will be one of the largest retail spaces at the centre. Watch for the Mayfair Street Team for a special give-away leading up to the opening and be one of the first 200 people to line up at the new store by 10 a.m. May 26 to receive a $20 Banana Republic gift card.

BlueBird Cabs has launched a free smartphone app offering services such as a one-touch call screen, fare estimator and even a “flag screen,” displaying the best areas to flag a cab during busy periods, based on input provided by Blue Bird drivers.

In time for the Victoria Day weekend, Black Ball Ferry Line has launched its spring M.V. Coho schedule with six 90-minute sailings each day between Victoria and Port Angeles. The Coho will depart Victoria at 10:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and from Port Angeles at 8:15 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 5:20 p.m.

Building Victoria

The region’s newest mixed-use development, Union, has broken ground in Chinatown.

Anthem Properties, which owns and operates Victoria’s historic Market Square, has taken over the site formerly intended for the Bamboo development.

The company has started construction of 133 residences, three signature lofts, heritage restoration of the Finlayson building façade and the recreation of Victoria’s Theatre Alley as part of the grand plans.

Victoria’s Stantec design team picked up both a judge’s choice and an award of excellence in the institutional category at this year’s Vancouver Island Real Estate Board Commercial Building Awards for the Vancouver Island Visitor Centre in the Comox Valley.

Send your business news to jblyth@telus.net.

Victoria News