Lauren Kramer/Special to the Peninsula News Review
Sidney has long been a place of opportunity for entrepreneurs and has welcomed a host of new businesses whose offerings and services will continue to enrich our community. The new businesses range from yoga to hardware and automotive, charcuterie to Indian food, and kids’ martial arts to great barbers. Here’s a quick run-down on what to look out for.
Sitka Yoga opened in a newly renovated studio featuring a variety of yoga and pilates classes designed to energize and empower participants. Try barre fusion, hatha yoga, mindfulness yoga, essential oil-infused yoga or a yoga/pilates combination for a stretch, a sweat or a breath. Classes are offered mornings and evenings Monday through Friday, and mornings on Saturdays.
Love cheese? Go check out the Farmer’s Daughter, a store dedicated to connecting farmers, cheesemakers and winemakers to consumers. The store, located at 2360 Beacon Ave., features a 10-seat Parisian-style licensed patio serving cheese and wine flights, artisan boards of cheese and charcuterie, sandwiches and more. Owners Jessica Sommers and Tom Dai are specialists in cheese and wine respectively. Their store and bistro, the couple affirm, is “about making two things that are good on their own become great when paired together.”
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The Indian food scene in Sidney just improved significantly with the opening of Tandoori Flavour Indian Bistro at 2389 Beacon Ave. Owners Ranjit and Jasbir Bains grew up in Northern India and are passionate about traditional Indian spices and their ability to infuse food with amazing flavour and texture. Diners will find their favourite Indian dishes on the extensive menu, including lamb vindaloo, chicken tikka, masala fish and a wide array of vegetarian specialities. Don’t leave without trying a sweet mango lassi and a bowl of gulab jamun for dessert.
Need a creative workout? Pacific Ninja Gym at 2340 Bevan Ave. may be the place for you. The gym owned by Brad Armstrong offers fitness classes for youth and adults and the Island’s first ninja warrior obstacle gym – a great place for kids 7 and up to burn off some energy. The gym’s obstacles include rings, a lache rack, the warp wall, quintuplet steps, a salmon ladder and a jumping spider. The gym also has beginner parkour classes taught by teenagers, kids’ afterschool programs and birthday parties.
Finding that elusive piece of hardware in North Saanich just became easier with the opening of Canadian Tire last October. The 32,000-foot retail space is owned by Grant Wood and is open from 8 a.m until 9 p.m. during the week and until 6 p.m. on weekends. “There’s an opportunity for Canadian Tire to fill a gap in this market and we know there’s customer demand for a lot of the products we sell,” Wood said. This location also features a state of the art automotive service department to look after all your needs.
At Cut Cartel Barbers, the barbershop is more than just a place for a haircut. It’s part man cave, part smoke shop and part lounge for men’s cuts, trims and shaves. Specializing in the fine art of men’s grooming, Cut Cartel opened in February and is owned by Anna Thomas who works with manager Reuben Parker and two other stylists. It is open for business Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. and closes at 5 p.m. on Saturdays. “The renaissance of the gentleman has begun,” Thomas said. “Today the world of barbering has never been more vibrant as modern men reclaim the art of fine grooming.”
