Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Rayco, Have a Blast, Ja-Neo and Shelby's

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

After 55 years of keeping Peterborough comfortable, John Andela has sold his business, Rayco, to Laverne Coulter of Coulter Heating and Air Conditioning.

Andela expresses his gratitude for the support and loyalty of his customers over the last 55 years and is ensuring a smooth transition to the new owners. Rayco specializes in heating and cooling, expanding its offering to keep up with the latest technology. Andela started the business in 1970, working out of his 1966 Pontiac that ran double duty as the family car. Their success can be attributed to their customer-first approach, ensuring the team provides prompt and efficient service when it’s needed. Well done John and the team at Rayco, you’ve left quite a legacy!

Looking for an epic nerf battle party?

Have a Blast is a new business offering a fully customized battlefield of inflatable bunkers to convert any backyard, local park, or indoor space into an inflatable arena. Rentals come with blasters, darts, protective eyewear, tactical team vests, and bunkers. Their battlefield is great for birthdays, team building, fundraising, festivals, and weddings. All ages are encouraged. Game setups include capture the flag, team elimination, zombie and mayhem. You can find them online at haveablast.ca.

Junior Achievement is helping young women explore careers in aviation.

Their recent FemSTEAM event saw 70 young women from grades 7 and 8 from St. Patrick’s Catholic Elementary School and Kenner Intermediate head to Peterborough Airport for a flight through aviation at Flying Colours. The event included hands-on learning and mentorship, exploring careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math within the aviation industry.

Shelby’s Peterborough is still fairly new, but they’re already winning awards, getting the platinum award in six categories in the CommunityVotes Peterborough 2025.

The categories are all restaurants, chicken restaurants, fast food, fries, international food, and poutine. Shelby's Peterborough is your go-to destination for mouthwatering Middle Eastern cuisine and exceptional service. They offer dining in or take out with a warm and inviting atmosphere. If you haven’t yet tried Shelby’s legendary shawarma, drop by 1154 Chemong Rd. in Peterborough.

If you want to have your business featured on the Business Beat or know of a business doing something new and interested, shoot an email to joel@pkchamber.ca.

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