What’s New II
By Karen Orme & George Amaro
There’s always something new in The County. That’s part of what makes it interesting and exciting … when you think you’ve done it all, seen it all, tasted it all, sipped it all, along comes a fresh addition to enhance your already awesome County experience!
Since we published our annual What’s New in Prince Edward County article, there are so many new businesses that we had to create a What’s New II blog. Check ’em out:
DINE
Demorestville
Demorestville Café & Convenience is a welcome Sophiasburgh pitstop for not only visitors touring around the northeast corner of The County, but also area locals. Seven days a week, husband and wife Larissa and Ian Stout tag team behind the counter, scooping Kawartha Dairy ice cream and brewing barista-style java. Freshly prepared light-fare and baked goods are the perfect espresso accompaniment. Visit them on County Road 5: Summer hours are 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.- 8 p.m. weekends. Fall hours move to 6 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. weekends. Shop the thoughtfully stocked grocery shelves for fresh produce and other goods and sundries.
Picton
Get your bibimbap, bulgogi, and kimchi fix on at Sujeo Korean Restaurant. Sujeo means chopstick and spoon in Korean. Tucked into the same building as The Bean Counter on Main Street (enter off Elizabeth Street), sisters Su and Choi are cooking up mouth watering signature cuisine dishes for takeaway. Pair the meal with Korean bevies, including Soju, Kloud beer, rice wine and sake. Bonus: Food and drink carryout is available until 9 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
Wellington
Chill out in the Caribbean-like setting of The Lakeside Motel. The resort-style property has a tropical-vibe offering 10 stylish black-and-white themed rooms, two private rental houses, and four cool glamping tents. A drop-dead gorgeous waterside terrace bar overlooking Lake Ontario is open to the public, and day passes are available for pool-side lounging. Enjoy cocktails by evening fire pits, play ping pong, or take the stairs down the hillside for a dip in the lake.
What’s a flight attendant to do when COVID grounds the travel industry? If you have a culinary nutrition background, you open a café. Amanda Kovatchev, along with her husband Nyden, have launched Hello, Bonjour in The General’s old space on Main Street. The menu is organic and local-focused with kombucha on tap, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and specialty coffee. Great grab-and-go grub offers diet- and nutrition-friendly options, and ranges from breakfast eats to salads, paninis, charcuterie boards, ice cream sandwiches, and baked goods. Dine on the cute back patio, or shop the café’s “Local Love” gallery featuring items from area artisans. Sports enthusiasts will want to check out Nyden’s Sport Display for sports memorabilia.
SHOP
All PEC
New online arts and crafts shop Blue Heron Co. specializes in digital print wall art inspired by the cottage and lake life. Choose from designs celebrating various regions in The County, as well as non-PEC graphics. Shopping is easy. Just select your favourite design for instant download, then print yourself or at a local print shop.
Bloomfield
Brocante is new to Prince Edward County’s thriving antique scene. The shop’s aesthetics are as old-time charming and exquisite as the vintage furnishings and wonderful found things it houses. One-of-a-kind items, refurbished pieces, objets d’art, and eclectic décor are beautifully arranged into eye-catching vignettes throughout the store. Co-owners are Chris Howley and bespoke jewelry designer Beverly Dunnington of Lustre & Tarnish, Brocante’s sister boutique, which is located in The Armoury in Picton.
KOKITO grows its Main Street presence from one to two stores. The retailer has transitioned its popular housewares and cottage living décor collection into a larger space adjacent to its original location. The new general merchandise shop, in what was the town’s original hardware store, has added the “shed” — a sweet back room filled with plants, Eastern European antiques and a wrought iron collection. The old store location, Bloomfield’s first post office, now offers a wonderful selection of children’s clothing, accessories, toys and linens. Much of KOKITO’s merchandise is PEC sourced or Canadian-designed and made.
Picton
Slip down Lipson Walkway, between Main Street’s Books & Co. and Yellow Studio, to reach Carbon Life. Hosted in the steel bunker that’s Carbon Art and Design’s gallery, owner Hri Neil has installed a permanent version of his popular Winter Market. The tightly curated market of local goods represent some of Neil’s fave County producers and pickers. Find vintage clothes, new and used vinyl records, quirky antiques, pop art pieces, beeswax candles, and delicious culinary wares.
Four talented local makers are behind the opening of Field Made Goods – a potter, a wood worker, an alchemist, and a candle-stick maker. The boutique is gallery-like raw and white, bathed in loads of natural light that beautifully shows off the wares of Caitlin O’Reilly of Cylinder Studio, Laurel Munro of East City Candles, Bethanie Kaye of Bethanie Kaye Design, and Melissa Condotta of Sunday’s Company. Together, their products represent a naturally cohesive harmony of earth elements.
A recent address change sees Bloomfield’s County Treasures now installed inside the tasting room at Black Prince Winery. The gift shop’s selection of local food stuffs, like jellies, cured meats, sauces, and other goodies, is the perfect complement to the winery’s vintages and award-winning Canadian Vinegar Cellars unique wine vinegars.
Fridays, is a small, apothecary style cannabis dispensary, owned and operated by two local families. The shop is a beautiful space – oh, that gorgeous arched store-front doorway! – delivering a comfortable, education-based shopping experience catering to customers with all levels of marijuana experience, interests, and needs. Product selection not only includes provincial best-sellers, but also reflects requests from the community.
Wellington
Hey, the surfing is groovy in PEC, and we’re not talking ankle busters! Gear up for take off by dropping into Oak Surf Club & Coffee. Local wave-runner enthusiast Tyler Beatson recently opened the shop-within-a-shop at Oak Clothing Co.’s newly relocated spot on Main Street. Order a coffee from the café bar for sipping while shopping surf boards, wet suits, accessories and other merch. Meander through to the lifestyle-fashion section run by wife Adelaide Upman.
TOUR
Get Corked is a new personalized PEC driving service. Louise de Bourbon is your tour master, and a comfy SUV seating four is your chariot for exploring the region’s must-stops, including wineries, breweries, cideries and artisanal food producers. A knowledgeable and engaging guide, Louise customizes her scenic tours to also include galleries, local shops and places to dine.
Take a chauffeured-jaunt around The County’s wine region in a lemon-sorbet hued 1969 Cadillac Deville convertible – top down, of course. Or cruise around in a mint-condition turquoise 1961 Cadillac DeVille, the same model as seen in the movie The Green Book, a 1969 Lincoln Mark III (from the film The French Connection), or maybe a 1937 Oldsmobile F37, four-door touring sedan, the actual car used in the classic movie, A Christmas Story. Prince Edward County Vintage Car Wine Tours offers all of those rides with Sam Grosso behind the wheel. The County resident and former owner of The Cadillac Lounge in Toronto’s Parkdale is charismatically engaging and will regale you with interesting tidbits about the region, and his days running two famous music venues.
BEAUTIFY
Consecon
Love, love, love the new Jacquie K. Salon . From spring to late fall, either the mobile bus spa-salon (a vintage school bus) pulls up, or the studio’s pros arrive to work in your space, packing all of their beauty tools for on-location hair and make-up sessions. It’s the perfect beauty fix for special-occasion pampering, like bachelorettes, weddings, proms, anniversaries, galas, etc. Services include manis, pedis, event make-up and hair, make-up tutorials, and more. You can also purchase the company’s personalized line of environmentally friendly, cruelty free make-up products.
GET MARRIED
Consecon
From tying the knot in a rustic barn to formal black-tie ceremonies in a gorgeous winery setting, PEC is a popular wedding destination. Sure you can plan it on your own, but Weddings by Brittiny seamlessly delivers the perfect special day. Certified wedding planner Brittiny Blodgett orchestrates the details of the company’s full-service wedding and event packages, from consultation and budget planning to coordination of venues, caterers, entertainment, etc. The company also has a direct connection to hosting events in PEC’s Grist Mill.
