New shops and services in the neighbourhood

By Jacob Hoytema – 

A few new businesses have opened their doors these past few months across Kitchissippi ward. Whether you are shopping for stylish furniture or trend-setting accessories, craving something sweet or looking for a new place to work it off, supporting local businesses is a great way to keep Kitchissippi a vibrant place to live, work and play.

Bridgehead 

Bridgehead is moving to McRae Avenue, a location that will feature expanded seating and a bigger menu. Patrons will be able to enjoy their in-house Kombucha (a sweetened, fermented tea) and all-day toast menu with toppings such as poached egg or avocado. Unfortunately, moving to the new space means saying goodbye to the very first Bridgehead location at 362 Richmond Rd. President and CEO Tracey Clarke says that several mementos, such as the “weathered” sign, will make their way to the new store from the old one. Loyal customers are invited to come to 362 Richmond to share memories of the old location. Those interested in a pre-launch celebration for the new spot should contact inquire@bridgehead.ca.

Premium Performance Fitness

Premium Performance Fitness opened the doors of its “state-of-the-art” gym at 1065 Wellington St. W. on December 1. Co-founders David Fontaine and Paul Boileau say that they aim to serve a growing community through personalization. Their black iron dumbbells are custom made for their location and walk-ins can receive a “Biosignature” profile that will examine hormones to assess what type of workout suits each individual best.

Anouk by Outpost Original

Open since November, Anouk by Outpost Original at 281A Richmond Rd. is all about artisanship in interior design. Shoppers will find handmade furniture and pillows made in Montreal, as well as a number of pieces created by artists from as far away as Africa and India. Jessica Marshall, who runs the business with Charlotte Du Toit, says that they’ll soon be opening their basement up as a studio where customers can choose from local materials to buy custom-made furniture.

CIEL

Clothing boutique Green Tree Eco Fashion (358 Richmond Rd.) has gone through a few transformations lately. They’ve changed their name to Canopy and opened CIEL (285 Richmond Rd.), a sister store that offers shoes and accessories meant to complement Canopy’s stylish clothing selection. Shoppers will find popular brands like the Kendall and Kylie Jenner collection on the racks, as well as vegan and other eco-friendly options. Since opening mid-December, they’ve shone a spotlight on a new designer each month in a “revolving marketplace.” At the moment they’re featuring clothing designed and manufactured in Canada by Dunrobin’s Megan Duffield.

Kindred Shop and Studio

Wife and husband team Tamara Steinborn and Nathan Dubo are behind Kindred Shop and Studio. It’s a new retail outlet for their jewelry lines, the first of which was started 17 years ago. The Wellington West location (1243 Wellington St. W.), their second in Ottawa after a being in the ByWard Market, has been open since the end of November. Aside from their own products, they also feature collections of candles, jewelry and other wares from around the world.

Crossfit Hintonburg

After the gym where he worked closed down, Conor Oakley saw an opportunity to fill the void with a fresh project. “I decided that I was gonna try to keep the community together that we had built,” he says. Besides retaining that old clientele, Conor says he’s blown past his expectations for new memberships in his first two weeks of opening. He says his new location at 340 Parkdale Ave., with its “industrial and rugged” interior, is a perfect environment for getting his wide range of customers in the zone for “the roots of CrossFit.”

Legend Records

Although the moving date may be set for April Fool’s Day, Legend Records owner David Nolan says their new location on Winona Avenue (behind Mrs. Tiggy Winkles) is no joke. The new space will have parking, and will be on ground level rather than in a basement. They invite music enthusiasts to come check out their new location this spring to see the nostalgic decor and take advantage of special grand opening deals.

MHK Sushi

Although the move may be small in distance – just a few blocks away to the former location of Yogurty’s at 283 Richmond Rd., – this relocation will provide some exciting new opportunities for MHK. Not only will the bigger store mean more seating, but an expanded kitchen will allow for a bigger menu with more hot food items. Owners expect to make the move by May or June.

Quelque Chose Pâtisserie

David Seba is opening a second location of his bakery in Westboro, in the former location of Second Cup. (The original location is in Vanier.) The macaron menu will be extended to thirty flavours with new additions like tiramisu and coconut. The new location will also serve high tea. Foodies take note! Word on the street has it that Quelque Chose has the best croissants in Ottawa. Watch their Facebook page at facebook.com/quelquechosepatisserie for details about a grand opening in March.

Swiss Pastries

Swiss Pastries abruptly closed its four shops in February, including the two Kitchissippi locations: Westboro and Carlingwood. The exact reason remains unclear. Siegfried Heilemann, the owner of the local chain, posted a lengthy letter on the Swiss Pastries website in which he made several allegations against landlord and former owner, Connie Zuberbuehler. The business had been serving desserts, deli items, and other delicacies to the Ottawa area for fifty years.

The Westboro location of Swiss Pastries. Photo by Andrea Tomkins
The Westboro location of Swiss Pastries. Photo by Andrea Tomkins

Feline Café

For those who prefer to enjoy their coffee in the company of an animal friend, Ottawa’s first cat café will be opening in Hintonburg later this spring at 1076 Wellington St. W. The café’s separate “cat zone” will be a temporary home to several cats waiting for adoption. Customers will be able to purchase drinks and food and bring them into the cat zone for what the website calls “purr-therapy.”

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