StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out Business Beat This Week Featuring PJ's Diner, Alexander Optical & More!

PTBOCanada is delighted to to be running StooNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

PJ’s Diner on Sherbrooke Street is under new ownership. Shari Cunliffe and Adam Jackson have been in the food service industry in Peterborough for a long time, and have finally fulfilled their dream of owning their own place. They are creating a family atmosphere at PJ’s with both of their kids working in the restaurant. Open from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. every day, PJ’s serves an all-day breakfast, lunch specials, everything from eggs benny or pancakes to a clubhouse or a wrap. There is free parking and a warm and friendly greeting, so check out the new owners of PJ’s Diner, 250 Sherbrooke Street (705-775-3663).

PJ’s Diner new owners

Alexander Optical is Dylan Trepanier’s new company. Dylan plans to change the eye care business by setting up pop-up shops in larger companies or institutions who not only want to take care of their employees or students, but also want convenience, accessibility and affordability. Partnering with Vanessa Brown of Direct Visual Care, the two young entrepreneurs set up their first pop up shop in the Venture North Building last week as they prepare for their first big contract with a local institution. The concept is scalable and presents a great business opportunity for optometrists and opticians as well, so if you want more information just visit alexanderoptical.com for details.

Dylan Trepanier from Alexander Optical

At The Lake Distributing is a wholesale distributor of water recreational products, from towables, trampolines, paddle boards and pedal boats, to docking, swim rafts, canoes and kayaks to full-on water parks. They recently launched a second company called Waterfront Recreational Specialists, offering planning, design, sales and installations to commercial customers such as camp grounds, resorts, kid’s camps and municipalities. Mike Mann is the new Sales Manager for Waterfront Recreational Specialists. For details contact Jason Pulchinski at atldistributing.ca.

”Like” StoosNews page on Facebook here!

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

Watch: Peterborough Chamber CEO Stuart Harrison On Growing Up In A Town Of 35 People, Leadership, Collaboration, Community & More

On Episode 30 of “PTBOCanada”, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce CEO Stuart Harrison talks to us about growing up in a town of 35 people in Leipzig, Saskatoon where his parents ran a hotel/pub, and where Stu lived above the pub.

The town of Leipzig where Stuart Harrison grew up

We also cover what brought Stu to Peterborough four decades ago, what being CEO of the Peterborough Chamber (he is celebrating 15 years there) has meant to him, the impact of his Business Beat column, where we’re at now as a community, and how a recent health scare with something called Transient global amnesia gave him even greater perspective on life.

Stu Harrison on “PTBOCanada” show

Watch the interview with Stu below…

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

The Business Beat With Stu Harrison: TrentWorks, Flying Colours, Wee Wok Express

 TRENT WORKS
Sofie Andreou is leveraging the talent of her Trent University students to create a new company called TrentWorks. Sofie will help students launch their careers in digital marketing by giving them experience in graphic design, logos, branding, websites, SEO, tech support and social media. Businesses will benefit from fresh new thinking from the cutting edge. To find out more about this great idea, visit Trentworks.com.

FLYING COLOURS
The investment in the Peterborough airport is starting to pay off, with the recent double announcement—the expansion of Flying Colours, and the creation of the Peterborough Aerospace Centre. Flying Colours continues its amazing flight path with the construction of a new 20,000 square foot addition and 15 – 25 new jobs in the interior, maintenance and engineering areas. This adds to the 200 employees at Flying Colours. Meanwhile the Seneca College School of Aviation & Flight Technology Building is nearing completion. Peterborough Economic Development is packaging all of this new activity and infrastructure including airport resident and regional aerospace businesses to demonstrate the strength of the sector in this region. It should help generate interest and increase investment inquiries. More details here.

 WEE WOK EXPRESS
Wee Wok Express is a new Chinese takeout restaurant at 337 George Street. Ron Kam and his family have renovated the former South Pacific location and are now offering pick-up and delivery of their signature dishes including Cantonese, Szechuan and Thai specialties. You find the full menu and details online at Weewok.ca.

 OVERSTOCK LIQUIDATION
Jay and Sheryl Over recently took over the former Jack and Jill Farms location at 3001 Lakefield Road to create Overstock Liquidation. Open every Friday and Saturday, Jay and Sheryl unload two new truckloads of merchandise each week. Everything from bedding, furniture and household, to beauty products, electronics, handbags, clothing, jewellery and watches.

To submit your new business to Stu's "The Business Beat", click here.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook.

The Business Beat With Stu Harrison

Mark Loescher has moved his well known business, Mark’s Finer Diner, into Peterborough at 128 Lansdowne Street. You’ll find the same great food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, catering and eat in or take out, plus a licensed bar and lounge upstairs called Your Place. The lounge is currently running a logo contest with an entry deadline of this Friday (October 4).  Details at Marksfinerdiner.com or find them on Facebook.
 
Lawrence Smoot’s company, Virtual Man Friday, offers virtual assistant services such as data entry, research, Webpage or blog content, as well as meeting planning, real estate photography, location scouting and personal concierge. Lawrence has a Masters of Public Administration and over 25 years of administrative experience.  Visit Virtualmanfriday.net or call 705-927-5056.
 
Sofie Andreau and Winston Bromley have just launched the Social Media Business Institute.  They offer organizations and individuals an all inclusive self paced social media learning platform. In the Social Media Fast Track certification program, members are trained in Strategy & Planning, Management, Measurement, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Video, Pinterest & eNewsletters. Plus there is a live training session on October 9. Details at Socialmediabusinessinstitute.com.

To submit your new business to Stu's "The Business Beat", click here.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook.

The Business Beat With Stuart Harrison

ALWAYS IN BLOOM
The Flower Store on George Street—home of the famous dancing clown—has merged with, and will be known as, Always In Bloom on Charlotte Street. The George Street store is closed and owners Codi Yale and Tracey Hopcroft will now be working together to offer the same great services which include fresh flowers for funerals, weddings, and all other special occasions. The phone numbers remain the same and yes the clown will be there too!! Call 705-876-ROSE(7673) or stop by the 324 Charlotte Street location. 

PTBOCANADA.COM
PtboCanada.com is a website about everything Peterborough, covering arts, news, media, politics, events, sports, business, tourism, food and more! Publisher Neil Morton has now created a boutique agency division offering social media orientation and training, website design, branding, video, photography, copywriting and more. Just look under “Services” at Ptbocanada.com for full details and contact information.

THAT'S A WRAP CATERING COMPANY
Tracey Ormond is the owner operator of That's a Wrap Catering Company, offering a simple menu of healthy wraps and salads delivered to your office, work space or group setting. Located at 390 Queen St in Peterborough, Tracey shares space with Charlotte Anne's Restaurant. Visit Thatsawrapcatering.ca for details or call 705-768-7168.

QUILTS FOR CANCER PETERBOROUGH
Quilts for Cancer Peterborough provides comfort quilts for cancer patients in the Peterborough area. They have over 100 people making quilts and they depend on fundraising and donations to deliver up to 500 quilts per year. If you would like to help out, or would like to request a quilt, call 705-875-5596.

EXTRA TALK SPORTS RADIO
And check out the new radio station ramping up at 90.5 on the FM dial. Called Extra Talk Sports, the new format covers the Leafs, Jays, Petes and other local sports, plus a one hour sports talk show with John Badham. Details at Fm905.ca or just tune in.
 

To submit your new business to Stu's "The Business Beat", click here.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook.

PtboPics: Easter Seals Telethon 2011 Raises $117,000

The Easter Seals Telethon today in Peterborough raised more than $117,000. It took place from CHEX-TV Studios and Lansdowne Place. Here's some pictures from this amazing day when our community once again stepped up and provided great support...

Co-host Stuart Harrison with Allison Currie, Senior Development Officer with Easter SealsCHEX TV's Graham Hart, running through the phone donors

KRUZ FM's Mike Melnik accepting a donation

Mitchell McColl, ambassador of this year's Peterborough Easter SealsStuart Harrison and Mitchell McColl, drawing guns

Co-host Teresa Kaszuba and Ryan Cornish (at right) accept a donation

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.