April saw the Chamber welcome a wide range of new businesses to Summerland.
If you’re looking for extra motivation, ION Fitness Inc. is a new business providing personal fitness training options operating out of Jubilee Fitness Club.
Helping you to rejuvenate is G Nail and Spa a new nail expert and esthetician working in Summerland.
Want some new product for your store shelves? Souviwear Apparel provides Canadian made cotton and cotton/bamboo blend apparel with locally designed graphics representing the Okanagan or other Canadian regions.
Pro Media Concepts is a company working in media management, services, administration, sales and publishing on the web internationally.
Taking advantage of the Okanagan sunshine, Agrihof are growing farm produce to sell locally as well as providing agricultural consulting services, while Okanagan Forest Products produce bagged wood shavings for use in barns, stables, stalls, pens, and horse trailers.
Quick Stop safety Services Inc. offer traffic control services for construction and highway contractors, utilities companies and special events.
Expanding her services in Summerland, Ingrid Tourigny has launched Celebrant with Heart to create and perform wedding, funeral and baby naming services in addition to her health and wellness practice.
Harvest Moon Guest House is the newest addition to Summerland’s accommodation hosts with their beautiful three-bedroom bed and breakfast holding an open house on May 28 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Blue Heron Home and Business Maintenance is a locally owned company that provides high quality restorative cleaning services for businesses and home owners.
Members move
On April 1, The Wag Spa moved to their new store at 13244 Victoria Rd. N.
The new facility offers great services for your furry friends with dog and cat grooming options and many other services.
Exciting news for the Summerland Arts Council, who moved to their new permanent home in the Blagborne Building at 9525 Wharton St. on Saturday, April 30.
An open house was held by the District of Summerland and the Arts Council at the end of March to get the community’s input into what they would like to see in the new space before renovations began.
On Saturday, May 14, Cherry Tree Quilts will re-open at their new store in the former Willowbrook Lane building across the road on Main Street.
The move will provide more space for their quilting and sewing machine centre, as well as better classroom facilities and lots of new retail space.
To facilitate the move Cherry Tree Quilts will be closed from Sunday, May 8 to Wednesday, May 11 at their current location.
Urban winery
Encore Vineyards Ltd., home to Time Winery, McWatters Collection, and Evolve Cellars, announced their purchase of the former PenMar Theatre at 361 Martin St., Penticton.
They plan to transform the space into an urban winery.
The restored building will be home to a brand-new winery production facility, including a crush pad, barrel cellar, custom fermentation hall, lab, warehouse, and administrative offices.
Planned to open in the fall, once open there will be a tasting bar, a small plates lounge, an outdoor patio, retail wine shop and onsite commercial kitchen for hosting public and private events.
As well as a 75-seat movie, performance and event space for concerts, private functions and non-profit uses.
In the news
Monte Christo magazine’s Rhys Pender recently applauded Okanagan Crush Pad for pushing boundaries by making wines that reflect the place they are grown by using hands-off techniques.
Co-owner Christine Coletta Okanagan said, “We want our wines to be 100 per cent reflective of what the Okanagan gives us.”
On Shaw TV Okanagan hosts Doug and Diana of Go Okanagan dropped into True Grain Bread to learn their baking secrets and see all the hard work that goes into making their products.
The video shows them working alongside True Grain’s production baker, Emily to hand craft organic bread from BC organic grains.
Expansions
Saxon Estate Winery recently offered investors in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, an opportunity to invest in the winery through Seed Ups Canada.
One of the first wineries in Canada to take advantage of the new start-up crowd funding rules, the initiative allows ordinary investors the opportunity to invest in growing B.C. companies.
The capital raised will help fund the expansion of the winery facility to add a traditional English-themed Tea Room as well as expanded wine-making capability. Although the offer is now closed, people can learn more from paul@saxonwinery.com.
What The Fungus (WTF) is expanding to increase production to 1,000 lbs of mushrooms per month through building additional lab and greenhouse space.
This level of production will create two full-time jobs in 2016 and enable them to offer their fresh produce to more restaurants and the public.
To help fund this expansion the company has launched a gofundme promotion, including a video, with donations from $25 for a mushroom kit to $1,000 for a guided porcini mushroom hunt.
New products and services
SummerGate Winery launched their own Grape Seed Oil made from SummerGate’s organic grapes and cold-pressed in Summerland.
The new product is perfect for those summer salads and stir-frys.
Stacy Studios is offering a very unique product through their “Okanagan Doodads” division.
The souvenir wine glass lampshades by Ron and Marcia Stacy come in custom designs, “colour your own” or beautiful images relating to wine, native art and home decor.
Making the eyewear shopping experience fun, Eyes for You Eyewear has developed the Eyewear Party. Book an evening or daytime party for great deals on frames and door prizes.
Upgrades
In the last few months Pharmasave has been working hard on renovations to their store.
The updated display and service areas are bright and modern and provide customers with a great shopping experience by making products easy to find.
The updated Lakeshore Racquet Club website reflects the energy of the facility and clearly showcases their facility and events.
Visitors and members will find it easy to navigate the site whether they are looking for squash, tennis, or venue rental.
Tech leader
ElectroMotion Energy Corporation was selected by technology consulting firm Rocket Builders to be on the 2016 Cleantech Emerging Rockets list, beating out more than 100 other candidates.
Ready to Rocket is a unique business recognition list that profiles B.C. technology companies with the greatest potential for revenue growth.
Since 2003, the Ready to Rocket list has consistently predicted the revenue growth leaders and the companies most likely to attract investment, which is great news for ElectroMotion’s projects.
The achievement was recognized in a Global TV Okanagan News interview with Angela Jung.
Corporate
member news
In April, Secure-Rite Mobile Storage, Western Canada’s leading provider of shipping containers joined the chamber.
Based in Kelowna, they provide new and used shipping containers for rent and for sale for commercial and residential flexible storage, office space and more.
One of our existing corporate members, Morpheus Graphix and Publications, has moved to 2598 Taber Rd., Penticton.
Morpheus have recently expanded their products to include the South Okanagan and Kelowna and Area Explore and Save tourist guides and coupon books, and will still offer graphic design, signage, printing, and more.
Vicky Jones is the communications and membership coordinator at the Summerland Chamber of Commerce.