In full control of the spa treatment

With the stress and pressures from today’s busy lifestyles, taking time at the spa may seem like a luxury that some can’t afford.

Amy Hamburger, owner of Inspired Esthetics, wants people to know that a spa treatment is not just about pampering oneself, it can be a healing experience and improve one’s lifestyle.

Located on Finch Avenue in Elmira the spa, which opened two weeks ago, offers full esthetics including skin care, facials, body treatment, manicures and pedicures, fully body waxing and tinting lashes and eye brows and shellac manicures, which is the latest trend in the world of esthetics. The product is changing the way women get their nails done.

“Shellac nails look as good if not better than acrylic nails,” said Hamburger. “They last up to 14 days without losing shine or shimmer. They are hard and do not scratch or smudge and when it comes time to take them off the nail, it is easy and it does not damage the nail itself.”

The majority of Hamburger’s clients come from the Kitchener-Waterloo area, including former customers from the high-end Waterloo spa that she worked at for five years.

Deciding to start a new business can be a daunting experience for anyone but with the support from her husband and family, Hamburger has created a warm and inviting spa within the confines of her own home.

“This was something my husband and I decide during my last maternity leave. We are about to have our second so now it makes a lot more sense for me not to have to leave the house,” she said. “It was also a way for me to make more money and at the same time charge my clients less.”

While the majority of her clients are women, Hamburger is beginning to see a change as more and more men are turning up at spas. Currently 25 per cent of Hamburgers clients are men who’ve discovered that attending a spa is not just about getting polish put on your toes.

“They are beginning to realize that if their feet are hurting them that begins to affect the rest of their body. If their heels are cracked they begin to walk a certain way, which causes discomfort to the ankles and eventually the knees. As an esthetician I can help them. Men are realizing what we do in esthetics is not just a frilly thing for women.”

Hamburger also offers her clients privacy that larger spas cannot. She has clients who prefer a place where she can give them one-on-one service without having to sit next to their neighbour as they get their nails or a facial done.

Having a clientele that trusts her and knows the services she offers gives her the flexibility to offer new products. She’s gone with a clean product line called Eminence, a fully certified organic product meaning there are no parabens or artificial colours or fragrances.

In Canada only five per cent of the ingredients need to be organic in order for manufacturers to put “organic” on the label, whereas Eminence products are 98 per cent organic and are handmade.

“The skincare line is yummy; it is hand-grown, handpicked and handmade in Hungary. Any smells and colours that are in the product come from the berries, fruits and vegetables and plants. It’s an experience for the senses: it just doesn’t feel good on your skin, it smells great and makes you want to taste it,” said Hamburger.

Sensing a need for pure natural products, Hamburger wanted to stay away from any product that contained parabens, which are now being linked to hormone issues and cancer.

“Our drugstores have shelves full of products to help with skin problems; the problem is that no one knows where to begin and end up getting frustrated when they purchase an item that doesn’t work and know they need to spend more money on a second or a third product,” said Hamburger. “I sit down with them and look at their skin and ask them all the proper questions that allow them to fix their problems. The one on one care I give my clients offers the results they are looking for and getting their money’s worth.”

Working with her clients and creating a routine of coming for regular pedicures or manicures help them with issues with their feet and hands like cracked heels or ingrown toenails and together they work to maintain it so that nothing gets worse. A simple crack on the heel if left untouched can grow deep enough that an infection can set in.

“Having somebody who takes care of these issues and is able to do it professionally is something that my current clients need and enjoy.”

Having total control over her spa is something Hamburger enjoys, saying it is easy to walk in to work for somebody else and walk out at the end of day, but in the end they control how you are servicing clients.

“Working for yourself is very satisfying, and knowing that I can give my clients everything that I can and not worry about answering to somebody else is worth it.”

The focus is on pampering yourself

With the demands of our ultra-modern work, family and social lives, it is often difficult to find the time to relax and decompress after a stressful week.

Alonda Nichols believes that more people should take the time to care for their bodies and their minds by enjoying some well-earned rest and relaxation, and after 18 years of working in the spa industry, she has recently opened her own shop called The Thymeless Apothecary in St. Jacobs.

“A lot of time people won’t go [to a spa] until they get a gift certificate, and then they’re kind of forced into it,” admits Nichols, whose store is located in the upper level of 1369 King St.
N. in the heart of downtown.

“But then after that it might be something they think about doing on a regular basis, but it’s still very difficult for a number of people.”

At The Thymeless Apothecary, Nichols will provide everything customers might need to create their own spa experience at home. From rich body butter to scented candles and therapeutic bath salts, Nichols has you covered.

This is not her first time running her own spa and boutique, either.  Nichols owned and operated Healing Roots Spa in Cambridge for 11 years before deciding to downsize and move to a new location, going from 4,500 square feet in Cambridge to just 900 in St. Jacobs.

And after nearly two decades in the spa industry and two certifications in aromatherapy under her belt, the former schoolteacher from Kitchener has developed a deeper understanding of what customers are looking for, and aims to please at her new location.
Her store features custom blends of sea salts and essential oils to match problem or desire a customer might have, from trouble sleeping to post-workout relaxation using salts that are brought from around the globe and into your bathroom.

“We have Dead Sea salts from Israel, Bolivian salt from the Andes, salt from the Mediterranean, French salt, and Himalayan salt,” explained Nichols. “They all have specific properties. They detoxify or relax muscle tension, and I custom blend whatever fragrance they want. I kind of play around a little and it’s fun.”

The Thymeless Apothecary also offers a specialized facial treatment to help tone, tighten and hydrate the face for age-defying results. Nichols offers one hour, 90-minute, and one-hour-and-45-minute treatments. Customers can also opt for a half-hour massage and a half-hour facial package, or 40 minutes of reflexology administered by Nichols herself.

Also known as ‘zone therapy,’ reflexology is an alternative medicine that involves the physical act of applying pressure to feet, hand or ears with hand techniques with the aim of creating physical changes in the body.

All of these treatments will be as holistic and natural as possible, an important feature for Nichols.

“People are very concerned with holistic and organic and natural,” she said. “I get that asked all the time; ‘What is in the product? Is it natural? Are there preservatives?’ and that sort of thing.

“Customers are more savvy, certainly.”

By removing those artificial preservatives and chemicals, however, her products tend to have a shorter shelf life and Nichols suggests replacing them every six months or as necessary. She buys soaps and oils that contain naturally occurring ingredients such as vitamin E or wheat germ, a natural preservative.

“It is difficult, because we do to some extent need some preservatives in the products otherwise they will go quite rancid quite quickly. Unless you refrigerate your products you are going to have to use them up much faster.”

As a former teacher, Nichols laughs when she admits that her experience in stressful situations helps her relate with her clients a little better and to understand what they might be looking for.

She hopes that more people will take the time to treat themselves, to listen to their bodies and just relax, particularly with the busy lives we all lead these days. She says that the health benefits of taking some ‘me’ time are too simple to ignore.

“Well, mentally you can decompress and from there lessen your muscle tension and from there you can lower your blood pressure and that can help with digestive issues.

“And with reflexology – even though nothing is proven – in a lot of cases it can provide some temporary relief.”

For Nichols, there is no greater feeling than seeing a customer go home relaxed and rejuvenated.

“There is something very rewarding about the end of a treatment and how people feel really good and relaxed after. With all the stress in the world it’s nice to just give them the time away from their troubles.”

Stone Landscapes to expand offerings

For Stone Landscapes, bigger is almost certainly better.

After two years of business at 650 Weber St. near the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market, the company has outgrown its 2.2-acre yard, prompting them to open a second location in Kitchener at 68 Webster, behind the Toys ‘R’ Us plaza.

According to the company’s president, however, the move has been a long time coming. Land is a tough commodity to come by in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, and ever since he started the company he has been looking for more space.

“The main reason for the move is we’re growing,” said Jeff Dillon, who started the company with his father when they purchased Kuntz Landscaping Depot after selling their family’s office supply business.

“We’ve outgrown our current location and even our temporary location, and we knew we needed more space.”

They had been renting about 1.7 acres near the farmers’ market to help ease some of the pressure from their limited space on Weber Street, but still more land was required. Dillon said his company has begun to expand beyond the traditional markets in the Waterloo
Region and Guelph and have started taking on larger projects, which necessitated the move.

The new property is almost double the size of their current yard – just under four acres – and will act as a staging area for the distribution of materials to both retail customers and contractors.

“I’ve been looking for land for three years and literally every week I would search for real estate, and when I found this one I jumped on it; I met the owners and we hit it off.”

Having two locations, one in the north end of Waterloo and one near the south end of Kitchener, should help serve customers more effectively and efficiently, Dillon noted.

“We’ve got a really good location here and it’s near the market and it’s well known and has been established for quite some time, so we’re going to stay here and focus on Waterloo customers at this end, and it will remain our head office,” he said of their current site.

“The second location will be more in the distribution end of the business and we’ll be positioned well at the north and the south end of the city. From a contractors point of view it will be easier for them to feed from both locations.”

The company deals in nearly anything to do with landscaping or landscape supplies, from mulch and fertilizer to garden lights and fountainscapes, but as the company name suggests, their real specialty is all things stone.

“When I came up with Stone Landcapes, I wanted it to be clear what we do. Yes, we handle stone – both natural and manmade product – and pretty much anything to do with stone.”

The company sources materials from around the world, from our own backyard in Ontario to the far reaches of India and China. It all depends on the colours of stone that customers want for their homes and driveways. The company stocks nearly 6,000 items and produces a 120-page colour catalogue each season.

Given the lead time necessary for getting stone all the way from Asia – orders are made in January for delivery in May – Dillon said the extra space at the new location will help in organizing their materials more efficiently and get contractors out on the road as quickly as possible.

“We don’t do any of the landscape work ourselves, we are primarily in landscape distribution,” Dillon said. “Most customers, especially contractors, want the product right away and they want it done right the first time. There is no time to go back: they have their crews on the road and fuel is expensive.”

Dillon said the company will have twice as many displays thanks to their new location, and that plays an enormous role in making sure customers get the stone and the look that they desire. The stone arrives in crates and loaded on skids, which makes it difficult to envision how it will look on the side of a home.

The displays allow Stone Landscapes to arrange the stones as they might appear on the outside of a house or on their driveway, and Dillon said with the excellent staff he has working for him, they can solve any problem or question a customer might have about their landscaping needs.

“Between the two locations we’re going to have one of the largest displays and sites that anyone has seen in southern Ontario,” said Dillon.

The company is already well on their way to opening the new location, and Dillon hopes to have the move complete by next week for a scheduled ‘soft opening’ in August with limited hours just to get their feet wet.

He said demand is really high right now given the slower spring, and by having a more limited opening it will give them a chance to fully stock their inventory for a full opening next spring.

“I want to have it open and allow people to shop there. I don’t want to waste any time and allow people to see it, I definitely want to keep the momentum going and we’ll be building in the background.”

Getting the poop on fertilizer

Lew Bauman and Tim Schneider are up to their knees in manure … and they love it.

The brothers-in-law own a company called Nincompoop.

“The name comes from, nitrogen-in-composting-poop,” said Schneider. “Our slogan is ‘We want to poop in your garden.’”

The company sells a line of mulches designed to look like hemlock or cedar but with the benefits of feeding the soil instead of depleting the soil as most wood-based mulches do.

“Wood tends to wick nutrients and water out of the garden before it gives it back, which makes it nutrient zero. Whereas our product begins to feed your garden the moment you put it down,” Schneider explained.

It’s designed to look and do everything a mulch does but it has no nutrient value for flowers – it’s nutrient rich for the earth, he added.

“Our theory is if you have healthy earth you will have healthy flowers, no need to fertilize. That’s done with worms.”

The key to the company’s success is using a nutrient mixture and having the worms to do all the dirty work.

“Nature dictates clearly if there is a food source things will flourish,” said Schneider. “We are providing a huge amount of food for worms, and microbiology which encourages worms to produce nitrogen in the soil.”

Generally when people are gardening they dig in their compost and either mulch, weed or use fertilizers and then plant.

“With our product you don’t have to do anything, just put down mulch because it will basically till and aerate the soil, that’s what the worms do,” said Bauman.

Nincompoop launched in 2009 and has already acquired an impressive number of customers, including the cities of Kitchener and Brampton, Grand River Raceway, Grobe Nursery in Breslau, Landscape Plus and E.S. Hoffer and Son Limited in Elmira.

“People are slowly catching on to the benefits of using this kind of mulch as opposed to how they have been doing it in the past,” said Bauman.

The company has already doubled it sales from last year said Bauman. “Not bad considering we are only halfway through this season.”

The company came about when Schneider and his nephew, Andrew Schneider, were both off work on sick leave and were “licking their wounds,” when Andrew asked his uncle ‘how is it that your wife’s flowers are always the biggest on the block.’

“I showed him my secret concoction of horse and poultry manure and Andrew suggested we try to sell it,” said Schneider. “I thought ‘why not?’ Ultimately we have all been dealing with horse s–t all our lives why not put it in a bag and sell it.”

With the help of Bauman, a dairy farmer, the three men began to experiment on Bauman’s farm looking for the right mix to sell.

Since manure can be very weedy, the three men came up with the right combination that is wood and weed-free and prevents other weeds from taking root as well.

“We guarantee no weeds in our product, unlike other suppliers,” said Schneider. “Most manure used is from bovine, which is the weediest and takes the longest to cure and is very wet, where as horse and poultry in the proper proportions has a lot more nutrients and fiber.”

With the help of the Waterloo Wellington Community Futures Development Corporation the men received a loan and began selling.

“Our biggest challenge is the moisture of the product, it has a shelf life of about two weeks before it gains an odor,” said Schneider. “When people see it they say hey it just looks like other mulch but when you think manure you think of the smell, but this doesn’t smell like manure, it has the smell of compost.”

Selling through the internet and at spring home and garden shows, including the Stratford garden show and the Canada Blooms show, business began to pick up.

“Our concept is direct-to-application, we make it on the Monday to be used the following weekend, it’s a constant turnover,” said Schneider. “A few nurseries in the area and in Greater Toronto jumped on it right away and began purchasing the product.”

This season the company produced three new products: a lawn top dressing, an earth-soil blend and straight compost.

Nincompoop is managed out of Schneider’s Waterloo home and has a yard at a Maryhill farm. They recommend that customers call ahead to make an appointment if they plan to come to the farm.

Farmers’ markets playing a growing role

Farmers’ markets are thriving in Ontario, where their number has tripled to 165 in the last 20 years.

Come rain or shine, fresh food is always available at local farmers’ markets across the province. Fruits, vegetables, meats, herbs, baked goods and products draw the crowds into the market squares.

“A farmers’ market is a huge benefit to a community,” said Robert Chorney, executive director at Farmers’ Market Ontario (FMO). “Shoppers love them because they can buy top quality farm-fresh products directly from the person who produced them and help to reduce a community’s carbon footprint.”

All across Ontario, shoppers are choosing farmers’ markets for produce, secure in the knowledge that the food is fresh, safe to eat and the next best thing to harvesting it yourself, he added.

“Communities come together at the farmers’ market,” said Chorney. “Shoppers inspect the produce, blooming baskets and beautiful displays. The neighbourly atmosphere is always evident.”

Shopping at a farmers’ market is a healthy decision not only for the consumer, but for the community’s economy as well.

For every dollar spent at the farmers’ market a little over three dollars reverberates through the community, said Chorney.

“In Ontario alone, sales at farmers’ markets total almost $700 million. Farmers’ markets are a dynamic economic development tool. If a market does sales of $1 million in a summer its economic impact on the community is three times that, leading to an economic impact of $2 billion across Ontario.”

An economic impact study produced for the FMO showed 60 to 70 per cent of market-goers visit neighbouring businesses on their way to and from the market.

Farmers’ markets also help to encourage new businesses. Entrepreneurs find markets a great place to start their own enterprise because of the low overhead.

Tiia Planert opened a new stall at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market this summer called Cupcakes! Cupcakes! Cupcakes!  A Queen’s university student, Planert applied for a government grant that helps students start their own business.

“The market is so important to me,” she said. “It’s hard to find a summer job as a student and the market lets me support myself while allowing me to do something I love, which is baking.”

Terry Webster, owner of Nights in White Flannel at the St. Jacobs market, understands the importance of the market for her business as well.

“This is our only retail outlet,” said Webster. “People are really interested in buying from local businesses. Even tourists that come to the market love knowing the stuff they are buying was made in the region. It is important that it is locally made to them. The market is a great place to launch a new product and helps us with our market research. The feedback we get from our customers is invaluable.”

Farmers’ markets are an important source of income for local farmers who sell their produce, meats and products directly to their customers.

“The market is 100 per cent central to my farm,” said George Voisin of Voisin Family Farms, who sells produce in St. Jacobs. “Ninety-five per cent of our crops are sold at the markets.”

According to the FMO, for every one person working at the market, another two are busy at work back on the farm. The FMO figure that as many as 27,000 people in Ontario are directly involved in preparing and selling the products found at local markets.

Hugh Nauman of Nauman’s Farms uses the farmers’ market to promote his family farm.
“We agri-entertain at our farm: we have a corn maze, a rope maze, a straw jump as well as selling all our in season produce, “said Nauman. “We often see customers from the market come to our farm because of the promotion we set up at the market. We have customers that come to just to meet us, they come to chat, to learn, and often leave with tips about how to prepare the fruit and vegetables we grow.”

The wet cold weather this spring has had a negative impact on the farmers’ markets across the province this summer. Crops were delayed meaning less produce in the stalls.

“We are hearing for the most part that crops are at least two week late this year,” said Chorney. “However if a shopper is getting a nice fresh product and is able to chat with the farmer and find out where their food is coming from then they are more inclined to help support the local farmers rain or shine.”

A creative space, with flowers

Christina Droumtsekas considers herself a Jill of all trades.

The graphic designer – who is also a photographer, painter and children’s clothing designer – can now add one more title to that list: florist.

In April Droumtsekas officially opened Pink Poppi in Conestogo, located at 1857 Sawmill Rd.

“I was working from home for the past 10 years, I freelanced, and I had my own company Pink Poppi designs,” she said while sitting on a white cushioned couch in her brightly-lit shop. “I was tired of working from home and I wanted a [place] where I could move my home studio into.”

Droumtsekas brainstormed with some friends of hers and came up with a unique variation of the florist shop – a do-it-yourself store where customers can come in, relax, browse through floral books and magazines and design their own personalized patterns and arrangements.

“People can walk into the cooler and pick their own flowers, I’ll have a price list on the wall or in each container, and they can do their own arrangements in a selection of vases at the back,” she said of the concept. “I’m here to help them if they want or they can put together their own.”

Originally from Waterloo, Droumtsekas attended the University of Waterloo and graduated with an honours degree in visual arts. From there she moved to Toronto for nine years before making her return to the Waterloo Region a year ago.

When she decided to become a florist she enrolled in the three-week Canadian institute of Floral Design in Toronto and has not looked back since.

“I don’t do your run-of-the-mill florist. I’m not like FTD. I’m more creative. The flowers have become like an extension for me, like a paintbrush,” she said. “It’s not a really hard thing to do, I find. Once you learn some techniques, and if you know colour, things tend to work out.”

The store is located at the old location of the mercantile shop, and Droumtsekas said that she still gets customers who come in and are disappointed that the store has changed hands, but she hopes that being in such a well-known location will eventually help boost her own business and spread the word about her flowers.

“People in this area have been really friendly and encouraging, so I’m happy to be here,” she said.

The atmosphere of the store is very relaxed, which was the goal all along. Droumtsekas believes that many florists have lost sight of their primary business – flowers – and become caught up in merchandising other items such as vases, cards and ribbons instead of focusing solely on the flowers.

Anyone who was familiar with the old layout of the mercantile shop will not recognize Pink Poppi. The dividing wall down the centre of the room has been removed to create a larger, more open space. The old hardwood floors were regretfully removed because they were in just too rough of shape, Droumtsekas said. A large desk made of reclaimed barn wood and sturdy shelves of the same material dominate the front entrance as well, which is well lit from the two large windows out front.

What’s more, unlike many shops you walk in to, everything you see is up for grabs. From the photography on the wall – taken by Droumtsekas herself – to the furniture and the shelves, it’s all for sale she said.

There is also the unmistakable addition of the nearly 100-square-foot refrigerator used for storing cut flowers near the front of the shop.

There are also stools on the way for sitting at the front – they’ve been delayed for months now – and there is also the option of espresso or water as well.

“I just want to make the place seem comfortable and inviting. I’ve had a couple people say, ‘wow it feels like a spa in here,’” laughed Droumtsekas.

She even rented out the adjoining room at the back of the building with the goal of one day providing a gallery space for artists and photographers from throughout the region to hang their work in a public forum. The shop is also dog-friendly and she encourages people walking by with their dogs to pop in and say hello.

The store is open 10-6 Wednesday to Friday, and 10-3 on Saturdays. She says the shop is normally only open Sunday to Tuesday by appointment, but that is just to give her time to make trips to her wholesalers and get fresh supplies of flowers for the week. No firm appointments are required on those days, simply call her number and if she is in the area she will gladly come to the shop and help you with whatever you need.

“I love flowers, they’re just beautiful and they’re an extension of me,” she said.

“I don’t design by flower, I design by colours, and I tend to think of things that most people wouldn’t think of. I always tell people ‘go into your garden’ because you’ll be surprised by what you find and what you can create with it.”

For more information visit her website, www.pinkpoppi.ca.

Experiencing a new Reality

For computer wholesaler and retailer Troy Witter, just because his business is expanding doesn’t mean he has lost touch with what has made his company, Reality Bytes, so successful.

Two weeks ago Witter opened a second location in Fergus to help supply the wholesale division of his company. The new Fergus store will be having a grand opening celebration next Saturday, June 18.

“Our quality and service is still the same,” said Witter, who ran the company out of his parent’s Hawkesville home before setting up shop at 112 Bonnie Cres. in Elmira seven years ago. “We’ve always taken pride in our quality here and our service. That’s been one of the differences with Reality Bytes as opposed to other computer companies, [and] that won’t change.”

Along with the new location, Witter is also unveiling a major overhaul of his Elmira shop one week later, June 25, and invites customers – old and new – to check out the renovations. The retail section at the front of the store has nearly doubled in size to about 800 square feet after knocking down walls and eliminating a pair of offices.

“We heard in the past that when you had four or five people in the store at once you could feel the tension in the space,” said Witter of why he wanted to renovate the store. “Now, they have a place to browse and feel a little more comfortable.”

Comfort aside, Witter said there is also a practical reason for making the retail section of the store larger and more inviting: it allows him to put more products on display, many of which customers didn’t even know they carried.

“TVs, cameras, projectors, projector screens and all types of things like that which normally we couldn’t have up there because we didn’t have the room,” he said. “It’s more visible now.”

Nevertheless, despite the changes Witter wants his customers and clients to know he has remained true to the small-community roots that helped build Reality Bytes over the years.

Witter has donated prizes for the Woolwich Wild Run, including laptops for the winners, and back in 2009 when Elmira was in the running for Kraft Hockeyville, he donated 40 computers for the public to use to rack up votes to try and win the award.

“I’ve learned that being in the community and servicing the community is a very important thing,” he said.

Reality Bytes is also an electronic-waste facility and charges a small fee for people to bring in their old electronics to be recycled or refurbished. Witter employs one or two co-op students each year so they can gain valuable experience in the computer industry, and help disassemble the e-waste.

That experience is key to educating and developing future computer technicians, Witter says, because the way the industry is moving these days the assembling of computers has become almost accident-proof – which is the wrong way to train, he believes.

“The first computer I built I didn’t have any instructions, the store manager just gave me the parts and said ‘Go’. I put the CPU in backwards, which was a $400 mistake, but I never made it again. Every mistake you learn from,” Witter said.

He also says the major difference that separates his store from the big-box companies is service and quality, and even though he has begun to expand his business – with a third store at an undisclosed location also in the works – he will never try to compete in larger urban centres.

“I don’t want to get into battles of price with the big city because they don’t honour service like we do.

When you bring your stuff here, and buy your stuff here, you’re buying on trust of the small community and of somebody who has been around for a while,” said Witter, who has been a computer technician for more than 15 years after working as a door-to-door coupon salesman.

“I know computers inside and out, and I know quality. For a smaller guy like me I can’t sell junk and make money and keep the confidence of the consumer. My name would go down the tubes.”

That point is key, considering much of his business is made from buying equipment off-lease from companies and refurbishing it for sale elsewhere. His attention to quality and cleanliness with the machines is what sets him apart.

For more information, see www.realitybytescomputers.com.

Business venture fueled by a passion for music

Music is medicine.

That is according to Elmira’s Frank and Christina Corbett, musicians with nearly 25 years experience between them. Their most recent foray into the musical world doesn’t involve amps and guitars, however, as they’ve launched their own business called Promo a Go Go, with the goal of specializing in the sale of band merchandise.

“We’re in two bar bands together, and we found as far as promotional items go, people usually have t-shirts or CDs,” said Christina. “Since there isn’t a lot of money being in bar bands, we thought that a way of increasing our revenues would be to be able to sell some sort of merchandise, whether it is stickers, lanyards, key chains or things like that.”

Christina and her husband play in a London-based band called Blind Luck, a sax-driven R&B group, as well as the house band at the Central Tavern called Soul 2 Soul, which Frank described as a guitar-driven rock and roll band. The couple wants to take their love for music and apply it to the business end of the industry, which they say is underserviced, particularly at the lower levels of music.

“We know we’re not going to be rock stars. We’re just a bar band, right?” said Frank. “So this is our way of contributing to music and to give back to the music world.”

Their plan is to use their extensive connections in the music industry – they know bands not only throughout Waterloo Region, but the rest province and as far as Chicago and Nashville – to help them get their business off the ground.

They also have one thing going for them that many other similar companies might not: they themselves are musicians, and know what bands might want in terms of promotional material.

“We always have people come up to us asking if we have things for sale, whether it’s t-shirts or CDs,” said Christina, who plays bass guitar. “So we looked around and thought, ‘well, why don’t we just do this ourselves and cut out the middleman?’”

For now the business is a side-project, as both of them still have their full-time jobs. Christina works in town for an insurance company, while Frank is a self-employed tile installer. After 25 years of working on his hands and knees, though, the recently-turned 50-year-old said it was time for a change.

“Installing 300 feet of tile in one day used to be a breeze, and now I come straight home and lay on the couch and I’m done for the night,” said Frank, who plays guitar and sings. “I’d like to slowly get out of it and pursue this.”

The couple can also rely on some help from their family. Their son, Jake Robinson, has just completed his first year of graphic design at Fanshawe College and he has been a big help in designing posters and business cards for them.

“We always found it was a pain to find people who could do that in a short period of time and keep costs down,” said Christina. “[But] he can just whip them up for us. We tell him what we want, and he comes back with more than we expected.”

Likewise, they’re going to leverage their connections in the industry to get the business off the ground in true rocker style on June 6, when international recording artist Anthony Gomes comes to play at the Central Tavern.

Gomes, a Toronto-born singer, songwriter and guitarist, has had his last two recorded albums produced by the legendary Jim Gaines, who has helped produce work for Stevie Ray Vaughan and Santana.

Gomes has also appeared on stage with a who’s who of blues and rock legends, including BB King, Robert Plant, Buddy Guy, George Thorogood and Chuck Berry.

“He’s going to blow the doors off the place,” said Frank of the concert at the Central Tavern. “I’ll give him two years before he won’t be playing in bars anymore. If Robert Plant knows you, that’s pretty cool.”

The Corbetts have made music their life. Not only do they play in two bands, they also own at least eight guitars between them, they named their Bichon Poodle Starr – after Ringo Starr of the Beatles – and were even married last year at BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups bar in St. Louis, with Gomes himself officiating the service.

They also said that playing together has allowed them to have fun and keep their relationship fresh and exciting.

“It’s a good way for us to make a bit of money, be together, have fun, see all of our friends and we’re together, so that’s the bonus,” said Frank.

The couple’s hard work has started to pay dividends as well. Since they arranged for Gomes to play in Elmira and started advertising for it, they’ve heard from other bands and artists hoping to book gigs through them. That has opened up new doors that they didn’t even dream of when starting the business, and should allow them to diversify past just band memorabilia.

“We started with merchandise and now all of a sudden we’re starting to book bands, so we really don’t know what direction this is going to take us, but it’s going to be fun,” said Christina.

“If we can prove that we can do this, then we’ll bring in other bands, and not just blues bands but whatever the people want,” added Frank.

Anthony Gomes plays at the Central Tavern Monday night. For tickets, contact Frank or Christina at (519) 729-4909, (519) 729-3517 or email them, promoagogo1@gmail.com.

Festival season a boon to local economies

Popular events such as the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival and next week’s Robin in the Hood Festival aren’t just good fun, they’re major contributors to the provincial economy.

A recent study by Festival and Events Ontario (FEO) found such events provide significant cultural, sporting and recreational opportunities for Ontarians and attracts many visitors to all regions of the province.

Festivals also provided significant economic benefits for the province through spending by the organizations themselves and by their visitors.

The overall impact of the roughly 2,000 culture, sports, recreation and community festivals and events in Ontario amounts to nearly $2.3 billion in economic return to the province’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The study, conducted by FEO in partnership with the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Toronto-based Enigma Research, found that the festivals and events across the province generated more than $1.1 billion in taxes for all levels of government and helped create 52,700 jobs.

“Whether it is a festival engaging the local population or a world-leading best-in-class event, this research verifies that investing in festivals and events is a smart business decision,” said Gary Masters, FEO’s executive director. “Festivals can play a key role in attracting visitors, some create jobs, and enhance the quality of life in communities across Ontario.”

Of all the festivals, 90 per cent, are considered small, local festivals with budgets under $250,000 but contribute $1 billion to the province’s GDP. The small festivals and events also generated $577 million in taxes for all three levels of government and helped create 19,200 jobs.

“Festivals can act as attractors to an area,” said Masters. “Not everyone can afford a cottage in Muskoka or a trip to Las Vegas but they can attend a local festival and these events enhance the value of a community, not only to visitors but to the residents as well.”

The study found that smaller festivals and events have significant GDP impacts on various sectors of the local economy, especially the recreation, accommodation and restaurant sectors.

“During the maple syrup festival we are run off our feet,” said Allie Vignault, an employee at the Sip ‘n Bite Restaurant in Elmira. “It is a very busy day; we see a lot of transactions come through.”

Other local venues decide to close or see a drop in revenue during the maple syrup festival, finding the event impedes any business they would have seen.

“We close for the day,” said Freda Walker of Pampered and Polished Tanning Aesthetics Nails Spa. “We don’t book any of our regular business that day because there is no parking for my clients during the festival.”

Christine Aberle owner of The Window Box also keeps her shop closed due to the lack of interest she sees in local shopping during the annual event.

Festivals and events do have impacts that go well beyond what can be measured in economic terms.

“They contribute to the quality of life across Ontario by strengthening communities, providing unique activities and events,” said Masters. “Festivals can help build awareness of the diverse cultures and identities around us and acting as a source of community pride.”

Massage playing a role in cancer treatment

From relaxation to treatment for overworked muscles and then to general well-being, massage has played an increasing role in an expanded health-care model.

Now, that function is expanding again as massage therapy is proving to be extremely good medicine for treating those with chronic diseases such as cancer.

Registered massage therapists Krista Sandelli and Julie Wemp of the Elmira Wellness Centre have recently completed a specialized course in massage and the late effects of cancer and cancer treatment.

“Massage is being recognized as a source of significant benefit for people with cancer or who have had cancer in the past,” said Sandelli.

The therapists at the centre are now treating patients with any stage of cancer after consent has been received from their oncologist.

“We will sit with the patient and discuss a full health history and develop a personalized treatment plan,” said Wemp. “We have to get the go ahead, we will not work on any undiagnosed masses or lumps that a patient may have.”

The treatment massages may be shorter, gentler and scheduled around the patient’s good and bad days.  The therapists customize and personalize the massage to treat any source of cancer through out any stage.

“They have recently done studies which have proven that massage is a source of significant benefit for people who have cancer or cancer in the past,” said Sandelli. “We take all the safety precautions that need to be in place when working with someone with cancer.”

According to Sandelli, massage therapists are now included as part of the recovery team at some cancer centers in Canada for patients who come out of cancer related surgeries.

“(The therapists) work directly with the oncologists, surgeons and physiotherapists.

They have proven to be a valuable asset to these teams, being able to provide both safe and effective treatment,” she explained.

The benefit of a massage is to either get the body into a good healthy state before an operation or post operatively to help heal the body, added Wemp.

“We are very passionate about being able to help anyone who has been stricken with cancer and feel we can provide the community with a place where they can come locally to get this sort of treatment,” said Sandelli.

The common post-surgery goals of the massage therapists are to decrease pain, muscle tightness, fibrosis and scarring as well as help their patients with an increase in their range of motion, reduce nerve sensitivity and decrease any anxiety while giving them a dedicated time of relaxation.

The therapists encourage friends or spouses to come along to each treatment so they can learn the basics as to how to gently massage at home safely.

“I lost my father four years ago due to colon cancer,” said Sandelli. “I just remember asking myself, what can I do to help him, to make him feel better. I feel we are helping family members in the same situation. It is a great way to create a bond between family members who feel helpless towards their loved one.”

The clinic also offers clients craniosacral therapy and acupuncture as both types of therapy may also help with symptoms associated with chemotherapy or radiation such as a decreased immune system, fatigue, nausea, swelling, bone atrophy and depression.