Kitchissippi Favourites

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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE BEHIND THESE UNIQUE SHOPS AND SERVICES

It’s a sweet anniversary for the Ottawa Bagel Shop

SEE PAGE 23

20 • November 13, 2014 Kitchissippi times

ADVERTISING FEATURE

KITCHISSIPPI FAVOURITES

Don’t be surprised if you notice people lingering happily these days as they walk along Richmond Road,

just west of Island Park. At its Q West development, Ashcroft Homes has nearly completed two beautiful breeze-ways that are unlocking access to one of Ottawa’s most iconic landmarks – the historic former Abbey of the Soeurs de la Visitation. The breezeways provide gorgeous sightlines to the common areas comprised of lush greenspace and soon-to-be-refurbished Abbey.

“Ensuring the former Abbey became a vibrant, communal space was key to David Choo’s vision for Q West,” explains Christia Zachariou, Ashcroft’s director of sales and marketing. “This lovely property has been hidden behind tall gates for more than a century so it is very exciting for us to be able to open it up to the public.”

The multi-phase Q West project links the past and the future of city living, right in the heart of Westboro. Sales have been brisk, says Zachariou, but select suites in several different layouts are available. “We are experiencing a busy fall at our sales centre as experts have predicted an interest rate hike this winter,” she adds.

Q West’s appeal stems not only from the meticulously designed and con-

structed condominiums but also their location. “Almost every conceivable amenity is within walking distance of Q West,” confirms Zachariou, “from shopping to recreation and culture to fine dining to gourmet food shops. We are looking forward to welcoming some terrific retail partners into our Rich-mond Road storefronts; we’re confident it will be an eclectic, appealing mix. The remaining spaces avail-able represent a great opportunity for new or existing businesses to locate themselves in one of Ottawa’s most desir-able neighbourhoods.”

“Our next phase will be updating and restoring the Abbey to its historical glory,” says Zachariou. The Abbey Court – the for-mer convent itself – will be transformed into a diverse public space, home to live theatre as one of several possibilities along with restaurants and cafes. “We are reinventing this jewel into a new kind of congregating space offering sumptuous food, drink, entertainment and more.” She notes it will take some time to get the building ready as the Abbey needs significant repairs.

Q West is but the latest in a twenty plus year history of successful projects, earn-ing Ashcroft an impressive track record

as one of Ottawa’s leading real estate developers. Having built thousands of fine homes across the region, includ-ing the city’s first fully masterplanned community of Central Park, Ashcroft is capitalizing on its extensive experience to enhance the urban living options for a wide range of buyers.

Ashcroft’s Eastboro development between Orleans and Navan in-cludes an appealing mix of single family homes, attached and detached bungalows, as well as semi-detached and townhomes. Blending the unspoiled beauty of the countryside with easy access to the city, East-

boro will offer a wide range of features geared towards families, empty nesters and first time home buyers.

An unparalleled opportunity for elegance and convenience is coming to the centre of the city with Ashcroft’s re Residences at Sparks and Met-calfe Streets. “This property affords us another historical landmark presence,” says Zachariou. “The building will be in direct axis to Parliament Hill with incredible views, particularly from the 12th floor Sky Lounge. An all-service condominium, owners may select from among the many luxury services

available, including white glove and concierge services, valet parking, house-keeping, room service, pet walking and grooming, fitness trainers and more. It will be just like living in a five star hotel at a very prestigious location.” She notes that despite the fact that re Residences will only be ready for occupancy in 2018, the project is more than 60% sold already.

As Ashcroft gets ready to welcome the newest residents of Q West, Zacha-riou acknowledges the role that the community has had in shaping the Q West development. “On every project, Ashcroft takes into account the land-scape and desires of the immediate area; with Q West this involved a whole new visioning process with David Choo, our founder and president. Now that we are nearing completion on the first several phases of the project, people are excited to see the master plan being realized out of what were just conceptual ideas before.” She adds the entire team has been grateful for the community’s pa-tience and support during construction.

Ashcroft HomesQ West Sales Centre101 Richmond Road

Ph | 613-221.5926 [email protected]

Ashcroft Homes: building your lifestyle

“Our next phase will be updating

and restoring the Abbey”

Christia Zachariou

Kitchissippi times November 13, 2014 • 21ADVERTISING FEATURE


For over eight years, Tall Tree Cycles has been Ottawa’s pre-miere bicycle boutique, not to

mention one of the friendliest shops in Kitchissippi. Those traditions are sure to continue now that long time employee Grant Burke has become a partner in the business. “It’s exciting for us because Grant brings fourteen years of industry experience,” says co-owner Will Ficner, who founded the business with Thom Johnson out of a small Westboro garage in 2006.

Grant, a Kitchissippi resident, is well known to many in the cycling com-munity for his outreach work and event promotion; he’s been instrumental in creating and organizing numerous Fat Bike events, popular among enthusiasts of the wide-tire bicycles that offer a great ride on many types of terrain, including sand or snow. “Grant will have an active role in managing the store,” says Will, “while Thom and I plan to focus more on support and administrative func-tions.”

Just because winter is approaching, don’t expect things to be quiet the next time you visit Tall Tree. The shop has expanded its

offerings for winter commuters and has also become Ottawa’s primary retailer of Fat Bikes. “We’re really focusing on these market niches, along with accessories and an expan-sion into clothing,” notes Will. “We are one of the only dedicated bike stores that stays fully operational all year round, so we’re always busy servicing bikes for winter cyclists as well as providing pre-spring tune ups for organized folks who want to be ready as soon as the warm weather returns. It’s a great way

to avoid the spring rush and lineups.”

Tall Tree is also a great gift-shopping option if you have a cycling enthusiast on your list. “We have gift cer-tificates, a nice range of merino wool clothing which is ideal for winter riding and other outdoor activities, along with lots of bike-themed gift items and stock-ing stuffers,” says Will. “And if you are a really generous person, you might want to consider commissioning one of our custom Canadian

made Steelwool bicycles, created and designed by Thom and me.”

“I think Tall Tree’s popularity comes down to the calibre of our service,” suggests Will. “We have super well trained and experienced technicians and that’s been our model since

day one – to have people served by some of the best in the industry. In addition, we only offer products we believe in and have confi-dence in the quality. We tend to do our own screening and testing before we’ll sell any-thing. We are thriving after 8 years because we have created strong relationships with the local community and we always provide hon-est, straightforward service. That feels pretty great to everyone on our team.”

“I think Tall Tree’s popularity comes down to the calibre of our service.”

Will Ficner

Left to right Thom Johnson, Grant Burke, Will Ficner

Tall Tree Cycles – Ottawa’s Premiere Bicycle Boutique

Tall Trees Cycles & Steel Wool Bicycles

1318 Wellington St. W.Ph | 613-725-2453talltreescycles.ca

As Westboro’s exclusive bou-tique style financial institution, Frontline Credit Union offers

all the benefits of a small, customer-focused operation. “We consistently offer exceptional service,” says Frontline’s Patrick Tardif, head of marketing and business development, “because we are nimble and available for our clients.”

Founded in 1948 by Ottawa Fire Fighters, Frontline has grown to over 4000 members, primarily individuals work-ing in the fire, health and hydro sectors. Long recog-nized as a solid alternative to traditional banks, Frontline has expanded its reach and is now offering its services to the broader community.

The true credit union difference comes via mem-bership. Rather than simply being an account holder, everyone is a member. “Membership is the same as ownership,” explains Patrick. “Every mem-ber has input and all business decisions are made to benefit our owners, meaning our account holders. This could come in the form of profit sharing, or reinvesting profits to provide additional products or services of benefit to members”

“Improving the financial well-being of our

members and their families is our main objec-tive,” he adds. “The key to providing different and valued service is our understanding of the complexities of family financial situations and providing creative and efficient banking solu-tions. We are a full service financial institu-tion with a twist, and we specialize in offering quality banking, investing and lending ser-vices to our members.”

Because it is a smaller organization, Frontline is able to offer extremely custom-

ized, personalized service. “We offer a full suite of financial products – banking, investing and sharing, which is the lending and sharing of benefits amongst our mem-bership,” says Patrick. “One of our cornerstones is our One Family suite of service and product blends, where two generations of one family can get discounts on loans and chequing account packages. This approach pro-motes financial literacy, access

to financial planning, customized investment advice, estate planning and wealth transfer between family generations.”

If you are looking for a financial institu-tion that sees you as a valued partner, not just a dollar sign, Frontline Credit Union would be pleased to discuss how their comprehen-sive approach to financial health and home

grown family values could be right for you.Frontline Credit Union is located at 365

Richmond Road in Westboro. www.front-linecu.com or 613-729-4312

Frontline Credit Union 365 Richmond Road

Ph | 613-729-4312www.frontlinecu.com

“Improving the financial

well-being of our members and their families is

our main objective”

Patrick Tardif

Patrick Tardif, Gayle Keeler, Colleen Gagnon, Jill McBane

Frontline Credit Union offers financial wellness with a twist


ADVERTISING FEATURE


While seeking prompt medi-cal attention after an acci-dent is always top of mind, did you know it could be just

as important to consider legal advice as well? With one of the city’s most active personal injury practices, Auger Hol-lingsworth regularly dispenses counsel across Ontario to those who have been seriously injured in automobile and cycling accidents, as well as people who have sustained injuries due to falls.

“In many cases, people who have been injured do not end up needing a lawyer,” says founding partner Richard Auger. “What they really need is some help and information at a time when they may not be thinking as clearly as they’d like. That is why we are glad to offer independent, free, legal advice. Rather than an insurance adjuster, who may not always be operating in your best interest, our only job is to look after our clients.”

The importance of getting expert, unbiased legal advice cannot be un-derstated. “Without it, you may not receive all of the benefits to which you are entitled,” notes partner Brenda Hollingsworth. “These can include such things as income replacement benefits, caregiver benefits, attendant care benefits, housekeeping benefits, medical and rehabilitation benefits and visitors’ expenses, to name just a few. That is why it is a good idea to have a lawyer acting on your behalf, particu-larly if you are in no condition mentally or physically to handle the stress of sorting through all these things.”

Brenda notes that it is particularly im-portant to get legal advice immediately following an accident to avoid making tactical mistakes that could haunt you for the rest of your life. “Our mission is to ensure people have the information they need to obtain fair compensation,” she explains. “There is a lot of misper-ceptions out there about advancing personal injury claims in Ontario.”

Those misperceptions are why one of the cornerstones of Auger Holling-sworth’s thriving practice is providing no-charge education through a series of carefully-researched publications. “One of our most-requested books, all of which we distribute for free, is called

The Injured Victim’s Guide to Compensation,” says Brenda.

“Given how active people are in Kitchissippi, our Ontario Bicycle Accident Handbook, called Spinning Out of Control, is particu-larly popular as well,” she adds. “It is an online book that we created because we realized we were getting the same questions re-peatedly and people need to know their rights and obligations as cyclists. It explains the rules of the road in everyday language and outlines what to do if you are in a cycling ac-cident.”

Brenda is quick to explain what she finds appeal-ing about working with personal injury clients. “I enjoy the direct contact with the people we are helping. When they come in through the door they are injured and upset and having trouble navigating the insurance world. It’s nice to be able to par-ticipate in seeing justice served for these people.”

Richard notes that one aspect of dealing with a personal injury lawyer that sometimes gets overlooked is the importance of choosing someone who is geo-graphically proximate. “Not only does it make face-to-face meetings a lot easier to arrange, but we also have significant expertise in helping people get access to the resources they need after an accident. The insurance representa-tives are here in Ottawa; there are medical and rehabilitation facilities to liaise with as well. We know the players and the systems so we can help get things done expediently.”

Long known for its commitment to outstanding client service, Auger Hol-

lingsworth has both an impressive track record of achieving tremendous results for cli-

ents and a penchant for giving back to the com-munity. “We are proud to have established our first office in Ottawa ten years ago,” says Richard. “Everyone at the firm feels fortunate to have the opportu-nity to be involved in a wide variety of activities including sponsoring

sports teams.”

The firm’s steady growth – it now has a staff of 13, including 5 lawyers – is due in part to its excellent reputation. “Referrals are a big part of our success,” confirms Brenda. “We are always hon-oured when other lawyers and past

clients send people to us. Their trust reaffirms the importance of the work we do.”

Auger Hollingsworth1443 Woodroffe Avenue

Ph | (613) 233-4529@OttawaLawyers

www.personalinjuryottawa.ca

Richard Auger, B.A. (Hons.), LL.B. and Brenda Hollingsworth, B.A. (Hon.), M.A., LL.B.

Auger Hollingsworth provides expert advice when you need it the most

“We are proud to have established our first office in Ottawa ten years

ago,”Richard Auger



We all know the value of expert advice and excellent service. When it comes to enhancing

your home with perfect illumination, there’s no finer place to visit than Arevco Lighting’s gorgeous showroom.

“Lighting is sometimes an overlooked ele-ment when it comes to renovating or building a new home, or simply refreshing an existing dwelling,” says Arevco’s Hera Arevian. “Yet getting the lighting right is key to making the most of the space you live in.”

Arevco’s trained experts work with clients to determine the best lighting from both an aesthetic and functional point of view. “It’s not just about finding fixtures that look pretty; we emphasize the quality of the light you need to live comfortably in your home.”

Since relocating from the heart of Westboro to a more spacious, central location just south of Carling Avenue, Hera has been able to expand the range of products on offer. Arevco is also pleased to provide abundant free parking. “I am really proud of our show-room,” she explains. “It’s quite beautiful and artistic. Now, instead of hiring designers to help with lighting, clients can come directly to us. We offer one-stop advice, shopping and service.” Like its sister store in Montreal, owned by Hera’s brother Greg, the Ottawa store showcases an inspiring, carefully select-ed collection of superior quality, mid-to high-end lighting brands from around the world. “We are proud to be continuing the family

business which was founded by our father many decades ago,” says Hera.

An important part of the Arevco advan-tage involves keeping up with changes in technology. “We offer a full range of fixtures, dimmers and light bulbs, including top qual-ity LED bulbs that deliver clean, pure light. We are experts at rewiring and we are also the only place in Ottawa to repair halogen fix-tures,” notes Hera. “Designers and builders of high end homes come to us because they know we have excellent products and we will always maintain what we sell at no charge.”

“We are so grateful to the community for supporting us all these years; it has allowed our small, family-run business to continue to thrive,” says Hera. “Our loyal customers tell us it is the service that keeps them coming back.” Arevco’s reputation extends far beyond Ottawa thanks to its commitment to offer

professional lighting solutions that merge creativity and practicality. Why not let Arevco help you enjoy your home in a whole new light?

Arevco Lighting is at 915 B Clyde Ave (at Laperriere) or visit their online showroom at www.arevcolighting.com. 613.729.2725. Arevco Lighting

915 B Clyde Avewww.arevcolighting.com

Ph | 613.729.2725

Xxxxxxxxx

Arevco Lighting – Experience Lighting Differently

“We are proud to be continuing

the family business which was founded by our father many

decades ago.”

A cherished neighbourhood institution, the Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli has been

receiving extra praise in this, its 30th anniversary year. Founder Vince Piazza brought the first wood-burning bagel oven to Ontario in 1984, quickly making authentic Montreal-style bagels an Ottawa favourite. The shop has expanded over the years to include a full range of deli and specialty food items as well as catering and a popular café.

Recently, Vince’s daughter Liliana and her husband Matthew Troncale took over the business. “We have big shoes to fill, given that my father has over 50 years’ experience in the food business, but we share in his passion and his love for Ottawa,” says Liliana.

The Bagelshop’s tal-ented bagelmakers have handcrafted more than 45 million bagels, currently serving up about 4000 per day, 360 days per year. These same bagels are the foundation of the shop’s popular Bagelsubs™ sandwiches served up daily by the hundreds. In addition to Bagelsubs™, catering offerings also include smoked salmon, charcuterie, cheese, fruit and

dessert platters while the restaurant’s menu includes a daily hot buffet and homemade soups.

As if the bagels themselves were not enough of a draw, the Bagelshop is equally renowned as a gourmet food emporium, stocking over 8000 products including hun-dreds of varieties of cheese along with deli meats, oils, mustards, high end treats such as caviar and fois gras along with a wide range of locally produced items ranging from granola to jams to chocolates and much more. “We

are always delighted to hear from shoppers how pleased they are to find the perfect item for their own table or for gifting, particu-larly for the holiday sea-son,” says Liliana.

The Bagelshop also offers a wide range of gift baskets suited for any taste and budget. Having such an extensive inventory at their fingertips, including many kosher items, makes it possible for them to offer completely customized

baskets in a wide variety of sizes and price ranges.

“My father built this business on a foun-dation of offering good food and great cus-tomer service,” notes Liliana. “When I started working here as a girl, I remember being

amazed at just how generous he was in sup-porting events in the community, but now I realize that it was his way of thanking people for supporting his business. Many of our first customers are now bringing their grandchil-dren to the shop and it makes our family so happy to be a part of other families’ tradi-tions.”

Visit the Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli at 1321 Wellington Street West; 613.722.8753 and www.ottawabagelshop.com

The Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli 1321 Wellington Street Westwww.ottawabagelshop.com

Ph | 613.722.8753

“My father built this business on a foundation of offering good food and great

customer service.”

Liliana

The Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli – the gourmet’s go-to shop

1321


ADVERTISING FEATURE


Wondering what Ottawa’s favourite builder has been up

to lately? Domicile Developments is busy creating beautiful living spaces all over the region. The successful launch of Beechwood Avenue’s The Kavanaugh is figuring prominently in New Edinburgh’s current renaissance. In Chapel Hill, Bergeron Terrace is taking shape as a lovely community of urban flats and townhomes. As if these projects were not enough to keep everyone at Domicile busy, the com-pany recently announced two exciting new developments in the centre and east end of the city.

Main Street, near Saint Paul University, will be the next to benefit from Domicile’s careful approach to development. Having purchased a beautiful parcel of urban land from Les Soeurs Du Sacre-Coeur De Jesus (Canada) earlier this year, the sisters will re-main in the convent building at the rear of the space as long as they wish while Domi-cile’s project proceeds with utmost respect for their order and their many contribu-tions.

Phase 1 of the Main Street project will see the creation of one building at the east end beside the convent, ranging from 4 storeys on Springhurst Avenue to 6 sto-reys on Oblate Avenue and comprised of approximately 70 one and two bedroom units. Phase 2 will include a second 6 storey building fronting on Main Street with over 13,000 square feet of ground floor retail

space on Main.“We are pleased to be able to complement

the city’s planned ‘complete street’ makeover for Main Street and implement the most re-cent Community Design Plan for the area. In addition, we are excited to bring our re-tail development expertise from Westboro, Wellington West and Hintonburg to Main Street,” says David Chick, Domicile’s senior vice president.

Across town, a gracious enclave of clas-sic, east coast influenced homes will bring new life to a pastoral plot of land close to all the amenities. Domicile’s Crème project in Orleans represents a whole new vision for what a neighbourhood can be. “Only a short distance from Ottawa you can embrace a rural lifestyle without forsaking any of the city’s conveniences,” notes Chick. Sure to become one of the most appealing features of Crème is the vibrant communal garden which will offer homeowners the chance to connect with neighbours and nature as they tend their plot of flowers, herbs and vegetables.

The completed project will consist of 12 buildings, with 96 two-bedroom homes in total. Buyers can choose from mainte-nance-free living in either bungalow homes with full basements, chic lofts with plenty of space, including exterior parking, or mod-ern gourmet flats with underground parking and an elevator.

Domicile is so committed to quality

that it now offers an Extended Warranty

Plan. In an extraordinary move – the first in the industry – the company now doubles the standard Tarion one and two year war-ranties, providing buyers and condominium corporations with four full years of coverage, included in the price of every new home.

As a family-oriented company with strong roots in Ottawa, Domicile has been building eco-friendly, community-sensitive homes for almost 40 years, earning a well-deserved reputation for excellence.

“Our passion is building spaces whose style and quality add even more charm to some of Ottawa’s most appealing com-munities,” says Chick. “As we continue to work in some of Ottawa’s most desirable neighbourhoods, we are proud of our track record at creating modest scale, attractive buildings which people are proud to call home,” he adds. “Domicile’s vision – from

design through build – is to create elegant homes that suit both the needs of our own-ers and the communities in which they have chosen to live.”

Domicile’s head office is at 371A Richmond Road, Suite 1; www.domicile.ca, 613-728-0388.Visit their blog at www.domicile.ca/blog and follow them on Twitter @readytodomicile

Domicile371A Richmond Road, Suite 1

Ph | 613-728-0388 www.domicile.ca

David Chick - V.P. Sales and Marketing; Dave Renfroe - Director, Business Development & Planning

Domicile – finding potential and building on it

“Our passion is building spaces whose style and quality add even more charm to

some of Ottawa’s most appealing communities.”



Just over a year ago, a little business opened in Hintonburg that immedi-ately changed Kitchissippi’s food landscape in a big way.

The Hintonburg Market not only filled a grocery shopping void in the eastern realm of our region; it did so in many creative, delicious and thoughtful ways.

Family owned and operated with a team of thirteen employees, the Hintonburg Market may be small in size, but it is remarkably well stocked. Specializing in fresh produce, homemade take-home meals, grocery items, specialty cheeses and deli items plus a full service, on-site butchery, the Market excels at meeting customer needs.

Owners Barbara and Philippe Trottier are delighted with the recep-tion the Market has received in its first year. “We love that while the majority of our customers come from the immediate area, we are now drawing shoppers from other parts of the city, many of whom come specifically for our prepared meals – everything from Thai curry to ginger carrot soup, tourtiere, mac ‘n cheese and pot pies. Our onsite butchery includes delicious

items such as bison, O’Brien’s beef, gluten free sausages and double smoked bacon and so much more. It is great to have a chance to get to know our customers, and for them to know us,” says Barbara. “We are always happy when people ask us to stock something for them; as a small shop we can be responsive.”

This responsiveness extends to ever-changing weekly specials which are posted on their website. “We like to pass through sav-ings to our customers when we are fortunate

to take advantage of sale prices offered by our suppli-ers. It’s our way of saying thank you as often as we can.”

The Market also operates in a very ethical and sustain-able way. “We compost extensively onsite and offer an order-ahead green pack-aging option for customers who would prefer not to have meat packaged in non-recy-clable Styrofoam trays,” explains Barbara. “We are also very proud to support the Parkdale Food Centre on

an ongoing basis. We donate imperfect but still delicious fruits and vegetables for their Good Food cooking initiative and have been overwhelmed by people’s generosity, helping us regularly fill a donation bin at the front of the store to feed our neighbours in need.”

This month marks the Hintonburg Market’s first anniversary and they will be celebrating with some fun giveways and tast-ing opportunities. Both Barbara and Philippe are looking forward to personally thanking the community for all their support.

Marché Hintonburg Market is at 1059 Wellington Street West; 613.722.2777 or www.hintonburgmarket.com, like us on facebook.com/hintonburgmarket and follow us at @hintonburgmarke.

Marché Hintonburg Market

1059 Wellington Street WestPh | 613.722.2777

www.hintonburgmarket.com

“We are always happy when

people ask us to stock something

for them; as a small shop we

can be responsive.”

Philippe and Barbara Trottier with their son, Samuel

Marché Hintonburg Market – the friendliest grocery store in Kitchissippi

Individuals and businesses seeking expert financial advice need look no further than

Westboro’s GGFL, a full-service accounting firm founded over six decades ago. “We know exactly what it is like to run a business,” explains Managing Partner Deborah Bourchier. “As entrepreneurs helping other entrepreneurs, we share the same goals and obstacles.”

The firm’s growing staff of 75 includes nine partners and two associate partners. GGFL has always been extremely active in the Ottawa community, backing local events such as Westfest, sponsoring awards in the arts community and Women’s Business Network, and taking a leadership role in the Jewish community. In addition, the firm’s profes-sionals are encouraged to serve on the boards of char-itable organizations, and are currently lending their expertise to more than 25 organizations.

“Our practice’s focus areas are owner-managed businesses in various sectors includ-ing startups, medical and other professional corporations, not-for-profit organizations, and high net worth individuals,” says Bourchier. “We apply a holistic, proactive approach and are pleased to provide services that extend far beyond just accounting. Our clients know they can count on our team for

guidance and support in many areas of their lives and businesses,” she adds. “We like to say that our people lose more sleep over clients’ financial concerns than our clients themselves.”

Turning the stereotype of accountants as impersonal number-crunchers on its head, GGFL takes great pride in its company-wide focus on building long-term relationships, while having fun at the same time. Clearly, the positive atmosphere at GGFL is highly conducive to employee loyalty, with numerous staff in their second, third, and even fourth decade with the firm. “We believe our envi-ronment is as appealing to staff as it is to our

clients, and it allows us to attract the best and brightest applicants.”

“Our firm’s success over the past sixty years is based primarily on the positive relationships we’ve estab-lished not only with our cli-ents but also amongst our

employees. It’s really a family feeling we are continually fostering,” says Bourchier. “We are so pleased whenever we hear that people appreciate us offering an alternative to the stressful environment of some of the large, multinational accounting firms. With us, cli-ents quickly learn they can focus on the fun-damentals of what they do well, and leave the rest to advisors they can trust.”

GGFL, LLP 287 Richmond Road

Ph | 613.728.5831www.ggfl.ca@GGFLCA

“We apply a holistic,

proactive approach.” Deborah Bourchier, FCPA, FCA, LLP, CFP, TEP, LPA

GGFL – your partner in success


ADVERTISING FEATURE


Sometimes, when you just can’t find the right words to say, it’s easier to let flowers speak for you. Such is the

sentiment that led Elizabeth Young to establish Flowers Talk in West Wellington in 2005. Now, she is thrilled to be expanding her business with the recent acquisition of 25 year old Tivoli from retiring florist-owner Michael Corbeil.

“There is a lot of serendipity about Michael turning the reins over to me,” explains Elizabeth. “Tivoli is actually the first flower shop I ever spent money at and Michael is the reason I became a florist. He knows I will respect the atmosphere and tra-ditions that have made Tivoli one of Ottawa’s most beloved flower shops for many years.”

Elizabeth had already garnered a large and loyal following at Flowers Talk when she got her big break in 2013. Invited to supply the flowers for An Evening with Oprah Win-frey at Scotiabank Place, Elizabeth went all out. She voluntarily spent thousands of dollars on spectacu-lar arrangements to adorn Oprah’s dressing room, the stage and a VIP reception. Her investment paid off

as it brought Flowers Talk a tre-mendous amount of positive public-ity and led to additional celebrity customers both in town and out, including the Dalai Lama, Elton John, Hilary Clinton, and more. “I still smile when brides tell me they are so excited to be working with the people that did Oprah’s flowers,” says Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is quick to praise the incredible ‘Tivolians’ with whom she is now working and is pleased that everyone from both stores has chosen to stay on. “A huge part of Tivoli’s success is its people,” she says. “Flowers are very much a referral-based business and I am confident that people who visit us now will have the same wonderful experience they have always loved. I have no plans to make big changes at Flowers Talk Tivoli; I’ll only be freshening up the store to add a bit of a modern lift.”

While Flowers Talk Tivoli is first and foremost a flower shop, it is also a great source for gifts. “We are proud to support numerous local artisans for our cards, candles and

barnboard product, to name just a few,” says Elizabeth. “These carefully chosen items fit with our philosophy to offer the largest selection of the highest quality flowers and plants available, along with fair prices and friendly, knowledgeable service.”

Her staff are not only extremely well trained; they also take the time to truly listen to what the customer wants. “We ask about the per-son for whom you are purchasing flowers, and then we customize it according to their pref-

erences. For events, we always inquire about the atmosphere you are striv-ing to create as well as any favourite or un-favourite flowers. We are much happier making unique, interesting bouquets and arrangements rather than simply repeating ourselves from a static catalogue.”

Elizabeth notes that Flowers Talk Tivoli scours the globe to locate gorgeous blooms in every size and hue. “We do endeavour to work with seasonally appropriate flowers by carefully sourcing only from vari-ous trusted suppliers who adhere to the Fair Trade principles that are so

important to us at Tivoli. We only deal with companies who treat their employees and the environment respectfully.”

While Elizabeth acknowledges that her background is in horticulture and event planning, she beams while saying, “my heart has always been in flowers. I am continually learning so much from the talented designers I work with and I love being a part of a group of creative people. When we put out heads together, magi-cal inspiration happens, particularly when we work on special projects like decorating for the Homes for the Holidays tour for Hospice Care Ottawa.”

The entire Flowers Talk Tivoli team is now busily planning interior and exterior holiday decorations for scores of clients across the region, creat-ing unique, attractive displays that enhance the homes’ natural beauty. “If you want us to help you decorate for the holidays, we recommend booking a consultation early as this is a very busy time. We are excited to have a great variety of materials to work with this year, and also pleased to offer lots of choices for do it yourselfers, including loose products, wreaths, and cheerful advice.”

Elizabeth says she is so excited about keeping all the traditions going that people love about Tivioli, while also adding her own unique flair, includ-ing some creative campaigns in the future to remind people in a fun way of all that Flowers Talk Tivoli has to offer. “Whether it’s a joyful birthday centrepiece, a set of lavish outdoor urns, or a heartfelt funeral arrange-ment, it is such a complement when people come in and trust us to put something together for them, to help them express themselves through flowers.”

282 Richmond Road

Ph | 613.729.6911 www.tivoliflorist.com.

Flowers Talk Tivoli Florists: offering exceptional quality and creativity

“A huge part of Tivoli’s success is its people,”

Elizabeth Young

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