The Valley has a new furniture store.
Businessman Roger Kapila opened a 10,000 sq.ft. store, called Roger’s Furniture & Mattress, at #503-5301 Chaster Rd. in Duncan last week.
The store carries a variety of brands and consists mainly of living room, bedroom and dining room sets.
Kapila said the store’s mattress gallery carries organic beds that have no chemicals.
“Business has been building since we opened,” he said.
Italian Kitchen & Deli opening at Grove Hall Farm
Grove Hall Farm will hold a grand opening for its brand new Italian Kitchen & Deli on July 21.
Laura Brizzi and her husband Carlo, who established the farm at 6159 Lakes Rd. in 2015 with the goal of creating sustainable farming practices for the community, said their son Matthew is a graduate of a culinary school in Italy and wanted to set up his own business after years of working in some of Vancouver’s top restaurants.
She said Carlo, who is an experienced builder, constructed the deli and a large commercial kitchen on the farm for Matthew to work with.
“The deli will serve fresh foods made here, including house-made pasta with traditional Italian sauces, fresh baking, paninis and much more,” Brizzi said.
“It will be a full Italian deli with a coffee bar. The meals will be made to go, but we will have picnic tables outside.”
Brizzi said that while the grand opening will be on July 21, the deli will actually open on July 19.
The deli’s hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
The deli will be closed on Mondays.
Veterinary wellness practice opens in Shawnigan Lake
Shawnigan Lake Veterinary Wellness Practice is now offering limited general medicine appointments as well as animal hospice and palliative care services for pets with life-limiting or incurable diseases and support for their families.
Animal hospice and palliative care provides comfort to companion animals as they approach the end of life.
Services may include hospice treatment, pain/anxiety management, and in-home euthanasia.
“People all over the world are interested in how they can provide meaningful end-of-life care to their pets,” said Dr. Denise Phipps and Dr. Karena Skelton.
“We are happy to be at the forefront of this innovative, yet much-needed practice.”
Shawnigan Lake Veterinary Wellness Practice is a locally owned clinic located in the heart of Shawnigan Village.
New video promotes Duncan’s downtown core
The Downtown Duncan Business Improvement Area has posted a new video on its Facebook page highlighting the unique aspects of the downtown core.
While soft music plays and some of the more iconic area of Duncan’s downtown are shown, DDBIA president Ian Fairwell introduces the viewer to the area’s many attractions.
“For anyone looking for a peaceful and enjoyable afternoon, downtown Duncan is the place to be,” Fairwell says in the video.
“I think it’s truly a walkable city in which people can have lunch at a pub, stroll around and window shop, and check out the many heritage buildings. There are all kinds of activities and a variety of shops in which people love the one-on-one service they receive. Downtown Duncan is small in a big way.”
Coastal Community wins award for document system
The Coastal Community Credit Union has received the Doxim Leadership Award for Digital Transformation for its decision to move to a cloud-based secure electronic document management system called myDox.
The credit union successfully rolled out the new platform in January at their Eagle Creek Village branch in the Capital Regional District, where members enjoyed the efficiencies and convenience of the new system, including remote document signing.
All Coastal Community locations will have implemented the new technology by the end of July.
“We’re very proud of this recognition of our commitment to excellent member service and cutting edge technology,” said James Mitchell, vice president of technology, for Coastal Community.
“This new platform enhances our ability to deliver seamless service experiences across all regions and service channels, when and where our members need them.”
Regional unemployment drops to five per cent
Vancouver Island and the coast added 20,100 jobs in 2017, pushing the unemployment rate in the region down to five per cent, just below the provincial average of 5.1 per cent.
The region’s population also grew by 10,201 new residents last year, according to the annual economic report by the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia.
The service sector accounted for the majority of the job gains, but the mining and oil and gas industries reported the largest gain in any one industry, with 2,200 new jobs.
“Despite the on-going dispute with the United States regarding B.C.’s softwood lumber, our region’s forestry industry fared reasonably well,” said CPABC spokesman Woody Hayes.
“Forestry and logging remained stable, with exports slightly up from last year. However, wood products manufacturing contracted as a result of supply constraints. As a result, Western Forest Products consolidated its South Island operations and closed the Somass Sawmill in Port Alberni.”