After 28 years in the clothing business, Wayne and Jay MacDermott have sold well-known MacDermott’s Men’s Wear at #10 – 565 Bernard Avenue (The District on Bernard). The new owners of the up-scale store are James and Suzen Marshall. James previously owned and operated Marshall’s Home Living at 2455 Highway 97N for 15 years and sold that business in June of 2022. Now, James is going into the clothing business. MacDermott’s has a vast array of top brand men’s wear fashions, including Robert Graham, Hugo Boss, Coppley suits, Eton shirts, Joop, Physco Bunny, Emanuel Berg, Bugatchi, Tommy Bahama, Tateossian London and Alberto trousers, just to mention a few. They also carry Hugo Boss, Cole Haan, GoodMan and Geox men’s shoes, along with men’s accessories. Operations manager, and longtime employee Noel Anderson and other staff will all be staying on, so business will be as usual. MacDermott’s offers free parking in the rear of the center with a parking validation slip. When I asked Wayne and Jay what they will be doing I their retirement, Wayne said “first we are going to purge the house and then I am going fishing.” Sounds just like Wayne! Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
Matthew Lawson has joined the team of Farris Lawyers LLP as Senior Counsel to their Kelowna office. Matt's areas of expertise, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate commercial law, equity and debt financing and securities matters. Located at #802 - 1708 Dolphin Avenue, Matt's colleague Rob Veitch and Matt are now running the Kelowna office, focusing on M&A as well as corporate finance and securities. They are supported by the deep bench strength of their Vancouver office in addition to their team in Kelowna. Rob and Matt combine their top-tier experience with a local boots on the ground approach as members of the local business community. Farris feel they have a very unique offering in the local market.
November 6th was the official date that the sales and service team operated together in their brand-new Kelowna Mercedes-Benz facility located at 2580 Enterprise Way. They are thrilled to be back together and to be able to assist their clients with both sales and service under one roof again. Sam Kaloti is the general manager of Kelowna Mercedes-Benz.
Save the date for the 23rd Annual Tiny Tim Charity Toy Breakfast on November 29th, 2023 at the Coast Capri Hotel from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. More information to follow. Todd Weitzel is the Hotel Manager.
BLKBOX; KELOWNA has opened its second location in the city, at 482 Bernard Avenue in the heart of downtown. Owned by local co-founders Greg Sebell and Lonni Van Deist, the original BLKBOX opened three years ago at 1880 Dayton Street in the Landmark District. This expansion brings the downtown core a wide range of unique fresh premade healthy, fast-casual takeaway meals, indulgent lower-sugar treats, high protein smoothies, supplements and a wide variety of other healthy options. The new location showcases a modern California-inspired aesthetic complete with a large patio area and bar seating. The new downtown location is the third BLKBOX storefront with the first franchise location opening earlier this year in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Whether you are looking for a quick and healthy lunch on-the-go or a post-workout smoothie with friends, BLKBOX’s new location will become a favourite. www.blkboxlife.com
Paris Jewellers in Orchard Park Shopping Centre is introducing the Bespoke Collection - Where every ring is distinctly yours. They are one-of-a-kind rings designed to embody your story. The rings are meticulously crafted with genuine gemstones and solid gold, designed to embody your distinct style and story. It is a celebration of individuality and self-expression and is a timeless treasure that can be passed down through generation. The rings can be worn as an engagement ring, a right-handed statement piece or just because. The collection is available at www.parisjewellers.com/product-category/collections/bespoke-collection
Well-known local and a good friend, Mike Haines has written and is passionately speaking about customer service for individuals with diverse abilities. This is not confined to a niche; it is a vital element for every business. Mike highlights the following: addressing diverse abilities taps into an often-overlooked customer base, fostering loyalty and revenue growth; prioritizing inclusivity elevates your brand’s reputation and competitiveness; compliance with accessibility laws is essential to avoid legal issue and protect your image; inclusivity sparks innovation and adaptability, benefiting all customers; inclusivity boosts employee morale and retention; training your team on empathy and accessibility is crucial; sharing positive experiences from diverse customers reinforces your commitment; Inclusivity should be an ongoing commitment. Through Mike’s speaking engagements, he has seen its transformative power. Embracing inclusivity can unlock new markets, enhance your reputation and create a more equitable future. If you would like Mike to speak to your team, you can video chat with Mike at https://calendly.com/mikehaines/30min or mikehaines@telus.net. It will be a rewarding experience.
Alemash Berhane is the owner/operator of Nomadzz Boutique in The District on Bernard. The shop strives to share stories, cultures, values and traditions through unique original handmade products while empowering talented men and women artisans around the world. She provides quality and ethically sourced products that are both stylist and comfortable from Peru, Ethiopia, Bali, India, Thailand, Mexico, Ecuador and Senegal. Nomadzz offers a variety of items, including bohemian dresses, cotton Thai harem pants, alpaca sweaters, hats, purses, jewellery, ponchos, scarves, blankets, hand women Ethiopian baskets, cotton throws, opal, Tibetan singing bowls, colourful African fabric aprons, accessories, and lots more. The shop is chock-full of items. Items that have been in high demand are the alpaca garments from Peru, cotton wear from Thailand and silk and pashmina wear from India. www.instagram.com/nomadzz_boutique
Mark your calendar for two events coming. The Kelowna Buddhist Temple Farmer’s Market & Bake Sale at 1089 Borden Avenue is Saturday, October 21st, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There will be a bake sale and Japanese pickles, carrots, daikon cauliflower, peppers, beets, potatoes and other vegetables depending on supply. The Kelowna Buddhist Temple’s popular Chow Mein and Apple Pie Sale is also coming up. You must order by October 27th, 2023 by emailing sales@kbtemple.ca or leave a message at 250-717-5987 with all the pertinent details and your phone number. Veggie or Pork Chow Mein is $11.50, frozen apple pie or frozen Splenda Apple pie is $11.00. Pick up date is November 5th, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Congratulations to Vancouver Pizza Kitchen for winning both Best Topping & Overall Fan Favorite at the October 4th URBA Pizza Wars at Interior Savings Credit Union in Rutland. Good Brothers Pizza won Best Crust. Participants were Vancouver Pizza House, Good Brothers Pizza, Domino’s Pizza and Panago Pizza.
Local singer and song writer, Jeremy Messenger, has just released his new Greatest Hits Album featuring five new singles as well as 20 other hits from his first three albums. Jeremy has added tenor guitar and tenor banjo to his repertoire giving him a total of 10 instruments he now plays and performs with. Come and support this local talented musician at his CD Release Party on Saturday, November 18th from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Grizzli Winery in West Kelowna. Join Jeremy for an evening of wine and music. Admission is free but you must call to reserve a table at 250-769-6789.
BCCMA and international award-winning recording artist Ben Klick has released a brand new single “Mama’s Cookin.’ This is his second single release in 2023 for Klick, but also marks the first of many over the next year. Known as The Guitar Pickin’ Country Gentleman, Klick fuses modern country wounds with a traditional twist. The song, co-written by Nashville songwriter Rhett McDaniel, not only gives an insight into his love of food, but you an hear some early country music influence throughout the track. In the coming months, Klick is playing a few shows where he will be showcasing brand new music including Mama’s Cookin. He is also heading into the next few months with a few nominations at the 2024 BC Country Music Awards on Sunday November 5th in the lower mainland. www.benklick.com
Birthdays of the week – Jim Csek (Oct. 18); Paul Winkler (Oct. 18); Christine Esovoloff (Oct. 18); Dorothee Birker (Oct. 18); Debbie MacMillan (Oct. 19); Gord Brennan (Oct. 19); Charlotte Springate (Oct. 19); Ron Spence (Oct. 19); Ken Good (Oct. 20); Bob Kuehn (Oct. 20); Dennis Perley (Oct. 20); Donna Majewski (Oct. 21); Roxy Paul (Oct. 21); Janet Walter (Oct. 22); Brent Pay (Oct. 22); Willie Findlater (Oct. 22); Vicki Chan (Oct. 22); Jenelle Hynes (Oct. 22); Angelina Agostino (Oct. 23); Anna Jacyszyn (Oct. 23); Cathy Landry (Oct6. 23); Linda Hayes (Oct. 23); Colleen Brown (Oct. 24); Joe Creron (Oct. 24); Diane Belanger (Oct. 24); Robert Letvinchuk (Oct. 24).
Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662. E-mail max@maxinedehart.ca
