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Main streets are an important part of growing the Canadian economy and supporting local communities.

The Town of Orangeville would like to congratulate each of the following small businesses for receiving a My Main Street non-repayable funding contribution of $10,000 to support its main street business.

The following businesses were recipients:

  • Bluebird Café & Grill
  • Cycling Elements
  • Jessii Vee’s Peculiar Place
  • MAD Clear Out
  • Pottery Parties Studio

The contributions from the Local Business Accelerator program will allow each of the businesses to support findings from the market research provided by My Main Street to drive economic growth and attract new customers to it business and the entire downtown community.

The Local Business Accelerator program provided business owners of Bluebird Café & Grill Michelle and Rick Arsenault an opportunity to upgrade equipment and implement AODA enhancements that will benefit their customers. The hope is to attract new customers that may not have been able to dine with them previously due to accessibility challenges. They also hosted AODA training for their staff so they can offer a more inclusive, hospitable experience where everyone feels like they belong.

Cycling Elements has been dealing with supply shortages throughout the pandemic and owner, Jeff Lemon, had to focus on the service side of his business. To provide more convenience for his customers, he applied to the Local Business Accelerator program to help build safe and secure drop-off and pick-up stations for bikes. This allows customers to drop-off and pick-up their bikes even if the store is closed.

After experiencing the warmth and charm of Orangeville, successful YouTube and TikTok Influencer, Jessii Vee, decided the town was ideal for both the purchase of her first home and for the brick-and-mortar location of her online store — Jessii Vee’s Peculiar Place. The Local Business Accelerator funding helped transform inventory storage space within 210 Broadway into a multifunctional space to host special events. Vee also purchased equipment to create a recording studio that will be used for her podcast programs.

MAD Clear Out Liquidation and Clearance Centre opened its doors on October 1, 2022. Business owner, Misty Desrosier, had recently moved to Orangeville and was looking for a new career. An avid shopper at liquidation and clearance centres, she felt that Orangeville was the perfect location to open this type of business. The Local Business Accelerator program provided insightful market research that helped Desrosier learn about the downtown area’s demographics, shopping behaviours and customer preferences. This knowledge has benefited Desrosier with curating inventory for her store. The funding component enabled her to install new flooring and window coverings that also help promote the location.

Business owner, Tanya Frew, was operating her successful art studio, Pottery Parties Studio, with exciting plans to start a new business that encapsulated the personalization of her pottery in the form of jewellery. Unfortunately, a fire at the Old Mill Hub caused a delay in Frew’s plans, but she has since relocated to 121 First Street and is once again offering her popular pottery making services and her new line of silver clay jewellery called ”Silver Clay—The Tanya Louise Collection.” The $10,000 non-repayable contribution from My Main Street helped Frew purchase a new kiln and tools to get her started with this new business venture.

The My Main Street, Local Business Accelerator program is delivered by the Economic Developers Council of Ontario with an overall Government of Canada investment of $23.25 million through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) to support the recovery and strength of main streets and local businesses in southern Ontario.

On behalf of these businesses, The Town of Orangeville would like to thank the Government of Canada, FedDev Ontario and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario for supporting our local businesses.