By Jacob Hoytema –
The last few spring and summer months have seen several new businesses sprout up in Wellington Village and Hintonburg. If you’re in the market for a meal, a new hobby, or a haircut, there’s almost certainly something fresh and exciting to discover in the neighbourhood.
In our June 8 issue, the Kitchissippi Times profiled Nu Grocery, a new zero-waste bulk grocery store at 1130 Wellington St. W. — the first of its kind in Ottawa. That store is now open for business after a soft opening on August 12.
“It went super well. We had a lot of people coming in,” says owner Valérie Leloup. “I hope [the business] will be the success that I expect.”
Nu Grocery will be filling their shelves with produce and dairy products in time for a grand opening on August 19.
Reducing waste is not just a one-off theme with new businesses this summer. One new restaurant, The Bowl, (83 Holland Ave.), is so dedicated to the idea that it has honed its efforts and resources into one efficient meal option, also called The Bowl.
“We’re really trying to have a small footprint in an industry that tends to have a larger one,” says founder and owner Kristy “KiKi” Gaetz.
“What we’re trying to do is have minimal- to no-waste, and we achieve that by serving just the one dish.” The dish is comprised of rice, salsa, avocado, olives, and a few other vegan or vegetarian ingredients, all with the signature “KiKi sauce” (named, of course, after its inventor).
Why not pair that environmentally friendly meal with lessons in the ancient art of the ninja? Hayabusa Ninjutsu is more than just working out through martial arts, says owner Marc Cooper, it’s also learning about self-defence through authentic Japanese hand-to-hand fighting styles. The Hayabusa Ninjutsu dojo has been open at 1040 Somerset St. W. since last winter but is still welcoming new members with a two-week free trial period.
While some residents study the traditional styles of the past, others are looking forward to the fall and winter wedding seasons — and Wellington West newlyweds-to-be need look no further than their own backyard. For wedding planning and flowers, Canadian wedding boutique Satin and Snow have opened their first Ottawa location at 1367 Wellington St. W. Prospective brides may also want to check out Revelle Bridal, at 1281 Wellington St. W.
If you’re attending a wedding and need some grooming — or just a trim — drop by the neighbourhood’s newest barbers. Legends of the Trade, at 1309 Wellington St. W., is an expansion of the popular barbershop that originated at the St. Laurent Centre. Additionally, Foxhole Barber is a brand new business founded by brothers, Lucca and Milan Arsenault-Verrelli, and their friend, Corey Bezan. Located at 1206 Wellington St. W., the business not only offers grooming, but men’s clothing and style products as well.
And speaking of style: why not drop into one of two new businesses that promote ethical and sustainable fashion? Suzie Blue is a supplier of jewelry and accessories made by artisans in Bali and Indonesia and have opened up their first retail location at 1226 Wellington St. W. For fans of consignment shopping, PreLoved Ottawa is a new second-hand boutique that takes a selective and personalized approach to the items they take in — meaning a higher standard for the wares they sell, and a more sizeable profit for their consigners. PreLoved is located in the Viens Avec Moi building at 1338 Wellington St. W.