The Good Baker YPQ Lands As Peterborough Airport Restaurant

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The Good Baker YPQ has landed in Peterborough Airport as its new restaurant in the terminal building announced on Thursday.

Peterborough Airport serves as an aerospace and education employment centre, supporting over 500 direct jobs and hosting more than 20 businesses on-site. the last restaurant operator departed in 2021. Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The restaurant has added seating areas that overlook the airport’s apron and runway activity.

It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the airport terminal building, 925 Airport Rd., serving a range of breakfast and lunch options and pastries. 

Since the late 1960s, Peterborough Airport has featured a restaurant which has been a destination for visitors, people who work at the airport's businesses, pilots passing through and others who want to enjoy a meal while watching planes come and go. 

“The Airport restaurant is a vital connection to the regional community, and we’re excited about the delicious offerings from The Good Baker YPQ,” said Kyle Bruce Peterborough Airport administration manager. “The restaurant serves as a destination for young families, fostering a passion for aviation among young enthusiasts.” 

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David Tuan Bui


Bobcaygeon Brewing Company Invites Public to Celebrate Its Ninth Birthday On Saturday

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There have been nine years of flowing taps for Bobcaygeon Brewing Company which will celebrate its birthday this Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. at its Peterborough Brewery and Taproom at 649 The Parkway.

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) RICHARD WOOD, BOBCAYGEON BREWING COMPANY PRESIDENT; CHRISTIAN HARVEY, ONE CITY PTBO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; KATIE HARTING, MCTHIRSTY’S BARTENDER AND MATT CAMPBELL, BOBCAYGEON BREWING COMPANY VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES ENJOYING THE FIRST-POURED BLACKBERRY RASPBERRY GOSE FROM THE TAP that was launched on Oct. 7, 2022. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

The brewery will offer nine unique cask selections featuring one-time-only variants of classic Bobcaygeon styles such as Cottage Lager with Lime, Dockside Red Ale with Black Currant, and Double Dry Hopped Northern Lights.

The Brewery is also doing four beer releases with two brand new beers:

  • ‘Lansdowne Fog,’ which brings Earl Grey tea and vanilla over a classic English Ale base*

  • ‘Hibernate,’ a Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Strong Ale*

  • ‘Firefly Belgian Wheat’

  • ‘Birch Bark White IPA’

*denotes new beer

The event features live music from TJ Shirk (2 p.m. to 5 p.m.) and James Higgins (5:30 – 8:30 p.m.) and savoury New Zealand pies from Kia Ora Pies.

The back of the brewery will open its rain-or-shine beer garden for the day and the production side of the brewery will be open for the public to view and tour.

This is a family-friendly event featuring outdoor lawn games and non-alcoholic options.

For those wishing to sample the various beers on offer, tickets are $15. They include a limited edition sampling glass and two drink tokens which can be kept. Additional tokens will be available for purchase on site.

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Local Pizza Huts Fundraising For 'Purple Day' During Epilepsy Awareness Month For Peterborough Epilepsy

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Pizza Hut’s colours in Peterborough and Lakefield are changing from red for ‘Purple Day’ during Epilepsy Awareness Month to raise funds for Epilepsy Peterborough (EP) this Tuesday.

MIRANDA ZEPPIERI, EP ambassador was diagnosed with Epilepsy at six years old. Photo courtesy of Pizza Hut.

Ten per cent of all sales are being donated to help EP to continue to educate, raise awareness, support caregivers and people living with Epilepsy in our community.

Four Pizza Hut locations from the City and County are participating.

The following are the participating locations:

  • 901 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough

  • 705 George St. N., Peterborough

  • 132 Queen St., Lakefield

Miranda Zeppieri, EP ambassador and her brother Michael were diagnosed with epilepsy at six years and five weeks old respectively. Events like these to generate awareness are key since there is a lot of epilepsy that not everyone knows about according to Miranda.

“We’re really just emphasizing getting awareness out there about those like myself and my brother who live with it,” she said. “Yes, it brings its challenges but it’s something that is a part of everyday life and how it affects it is vastly different based on an individual basis. There are also 40 different types of seizures too so that’s really important to emphasize too as not all seizures are the same.”

Guests are encouraged to wear purple on that day, eat pizza and enjoy the satff’s company.

Epilepsy Peterborough representatives will be on-site to provide information for anyone wanting to learn more about epilepsy and/or the services they offer.

“Just being there to help support someone who has seizures is always huge,” said Miranda. “Just knowing that someone is there makes it easier too.”

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Kenner Students Sink Their Teeth Into Apples For School Nutrition Awareness During 'Great Big Crunch'

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Roughly 180 Grade 7 and 8 students from Kenner Intermediate School students and staff crunched into apples in sync at the ‘Great Big Crunch’ to highlight the need for sustainably funded school food programs across Canada on Thursday morning.

(From left to right) Easton Howard, 12; Savannah Amos, 12; Mona Abokhashref, 12 and Zoey Tremblay, 12 were one of 180 Kenner students crunching into apples at Kenner’s auditorium. As one trivia question asked at the assembly, Macintosh is Canada’s national apple. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Food For Kids, a student nutrition program, provides nutritious food for 51 Peterborough City and County schools (elementary and high) including Kenner.

Students can arrive hungry to school for several reasons such as long bus rides, rushed mornings and skipped meals.

“I think it's really important, — especially as kids are growing and teenagers like to eat a lot — to be aware that in this day and age when food is so very expensive,” said Tania Lamond, Kenner principal. “We've got many households with food insecurities that we're very fortunate to have Food For Kids fund our nutrition bins so we have healthy food and snacks for our students every morning.”

Kenner had an assembly welcoming the Food For Kids representatives and Peterborough Public Health to briefly teach nutrition and hold trivia before chomping into Ontario-grown apples. The apple-biting measured 94 decibles which is considered roughly the equivalent to a belt sander.

“You could see that all the kids were engaged and really excited to crunch on our apples,” said Lamond. “But I think the most important message today was to bring awareness to the fact that we do have this amazing food program that provides the food here for our students that depend on it.”

This was the 20th year that Kenner’s nutrition program has been in place.

The apples were provided by Peterborough Wholesalers Ltd. and were washed and distributed by the students.

Kenner is openly accepting donations and sponsorships to help continue their food program.

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Agave By Imperial Wins Back-To-Back Top Chocolatier Titles From DBIA's Hot Chocolate Festival

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A second straight title of Top Chocolatier goes to Agave by Imperial after winning the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area’s (DBIA) second-annual Hot Chocolate Festival, announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

The Peterborough Hot Chocolate Fest featured 20 hot chocolate creations available for dine-in or takeout from participating downtown cafés, restaurants and pubs. Festival goers voted online for their favourites in three different categories: top hot chocolate, most unique and best classic.

With over 1,800 votes cast, Agave by Imperial’s Chocolate Champurrado won first place receiving the most votes overall, winning back-to-back titles. As this year’s winner, Agave received a hot chocolate-themed trophy and bragging rights for the year.

“We want to thank Peterborough for all your support and votes. We are so excited to be the top chocolatier for the second year in a row,” says Manish Choudhry, Agave owner. “Our customers loved this addition to our menu, and many people looked forward to enjoying the Chocolate Champurrado after their meal. This festival is a great way to bring more people downtown and get out to explore all the wonderful businesses and culinary artists in the area.”

Agave’s winning entry for this year, the Chocolate Champurrado. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

The Dirty Burger Company won the ‘Best H’Adult’ award with its cocoa cocktail, the ‘Honey Cocoa Crunch Puff.’ Milk + Tea Shop wins the category of “Most Unique” for its cozy Earl Grey Hot Chocolate and Dreams of Beans wins the category of “Best Classic” for its indulgent Hazelnut-Infused Triple Chocolate.

New this year was a Hot Chocolate Rewards app. Digital stamp collectors were entered to win a weekly draw for Boro gift cards and receive access to exclusive discounts at several downtown businesses. Over 300 festival goers signed up for rewards, with four winners in total.

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Publican House's 'Our Pet Pilsner' Raises Over $8,500 For Peterborough Humane Society's Animal Care Centre

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Since its inception in early February of 2022, Publican House’s fundraiser beer ‘Our Pet Pilsner’ has raised over $8,500 for the Peterborough Humane Society and their Animal Care Centre.

Our Pet Pilsner is a 4.5 per cent German-style that won a gold medal at the 2023 Ontario Brewing Awards. pilsner Photo courtesy of Publican House Brewery.

The money was to aid the Humane Society’s move to their new $10 million Animal Care Centre on Technology Drive.

The beer originally raised $5,000 as of May last year. The downtown pub raised another $3,590 and donated the money in another cheque presentation last Friday.

The brewery plans to continue to raise money for the Humane Society throughout 2024.

”With the gold medal recognition at this year's Ontario Brewing Awards, we hope to raise even more in 2024. Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed an Our Pet Pilsner and to the amazing team at the Peterborough Humane Society,” as stated in an Instagram post.

As part of the collaboration, Publican House showcased a pet for adoption from the Humane Society on their social media every month.

The beer label design was created by local artist Jason Wilkins.

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19 Sweet Creations To Compete In Peterborough DBIA's Second-Annual Hot Chocolate Fest Throughout February

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The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (PTBO DBIA) has brought back its Hot Chocolate Fest for a second year as 19 sweet creations vye for the title of ‘Top Hot Chocolatier’ throughout February, announced at the Venture North Building on Tuesday.

Agave by Imperial won teh inaugural event last year with their ‘Hot Churro-late’ consisting of Mexican hot chocolate made with cocoa and dark chocolate. It was served with two cinnamon and sugar-topped churros. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

This year’s event runs from Feb. 1 to 29 with various hot chocolate drinks and hot chocolate-inspired menu items will be featured in Downtown Peterborough eateries for dine-in or take-out.

Several entries include ‘classic’ hot cocoa options, imaginative hot chocolates and even ‘h’adult’ versions with a cocktail twist.

Participants can plan their chocolatey adventure using the Hot Chocolate Trail Map online to scout out options before heading downtown.

New this year are four distinct categories with voting options for Top Hot Chocolate, Most Unique, Best Classic and Tastiest H’adult Chocolate 19+. The winning Hot Chocolatier will be determined by the most votes overall and will receive a handcrafted Hot Chocolate Trophy. Votes can be placed online.

Also new is an interactive digital rewards program will run to incentivize participation. Through the digital rewards app, festival goers will be able to win weekly prizes and gain access to exclusive ‘sweet deals’ during the month of February. Hot chocolate revellers earn ballots into four weekly draws by visiting hot chocolate locations and collecting ‘digital stamps.’ Every three stamps collected participants will earn themselves another ballot into the programs weekly giveaway draw for a $25 Boro Gift Card.

Those who download the app will also access exclusive ‘sweet’ deals and promotions provided by local businesses such as free samples of artisanal chocolate at Naked Chocolate, discounts on sweet treats, buy-one-get-one offers and more.

“Downtown Peterborough is regionally renowned for its culinary scene. Culinary programs like our Hot Chocolate Fest provide a platform for our restaurants, cafes, and pubs to really show-off their gastronomic passion and innovation in a playful and engaging way,” said Hillary Flood, DBIA vibrancy manager. “Every year we try to add our own innovative spin on program delivery, and I believe this year we’ve taken our hot chocolate program to the next level with the addition of our new digital rewards program. Incentivizing downtown visitation is what gives our downtown a competitive edge in the marketplace, and we are delighted to be offering exclusive perks, deals and prizes to festival goers.”

The following are the participating businesses and their entries:

1. Blackhoney Coffeehouse: Blackhoneycomb

Indulge in this decadent black honey-infused hot cocoa which is served up in an edible chocolate cup! Choose between a white chocolate cup infused with tangerine, or dark chocolate.The Blackhoneycomb is topped with velvety whipped cream and infused with even more black honey. Garnished with a chocolate honeycomb of your choice: white, milk or dark chocolate and dusted with edible gold.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

2. The Dirty Burger: Chocolate Forest H'adult Cocktail

A multi-sensory cocktail experience featuring cinnamon spiced, Belgian-style hot chocolate made with 1.5 oz of espresso vodka for a nutty and earthy kick. Ignite your taste buds with foresty notes of herbaceous lavender and vanilla, topped in a mountain of maple whipped cream and garnished with crushed honey comb and edible flowers.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

3. La Hacienda: Chocolate-Maple Champurrado

A spiced, warm, and creamy chocolate-based beverage that holds a special place in Mexican culinary traditions. Made with Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, and its key ingredient, corn flour, for a thick and slightly gritty texture; sweetened with local Red Mill maple syrup. Our indulgent drink is infused with ancho pepper, which is the final touch for a warm, bold flavour. Served with traditional buñuelos, a thin, rosette-shaped, crispy fried pastry coated in cinnamon sugar.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

4. Kit Croissanterie & Café: Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate

A sweet hot cocoa with a zesty burst of citrus about it. Made with orange zest syrup and dark chocolate sauce topped with whipped cream and a healthy sprinkle of cinnamon, garnished with candied orange

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

5. Dreams of Beans: Hazelnut Infused Triple Chocolate

Indulge in this dreamy hot cocoa made with hazelnut chocolate sauce and white chocolate milk topped with whipped cream and milk chocolate shavings. Kick it up a notch with a shot Irish cream with whiskey, and optional espresso!

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

6. Turnbull Café: Raspberry Brownie Fudge

A delicious blend of rich dark chocolate infused with raspberries, topped with real whipped cream (well of course!) & layered with chunks of espresso fudge brownie & fresh raspberries, delicately drizzled in a blanket of pure chocolate sauce under a halo of cocoa snow. Comes in both Hot Chocolate and Mocha options.. Ask for a spoon.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

7. Black Horse Pub: Peanut Butter & Caramel Screwball

If you're looking for a hug in a mug that is cozy, sweet, decadent & smooth: this hot chocolate screwball is something to celebrate. This is a creamy, rich hot chocolate with sundae vibes and a bit of a kick: made with Screwball peanut butter whiskey and topped with whipped cream, marshmallows and peanut butter cups.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

8. Cork & Bean: Smores Hot Chocolate

Rich and velvety hot chocolate, topped with lightly toasted marshmallows, crumbled Graham cracker and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

9. Cork & Bean: Peppermint Hot Cocoa

A creamy and delicious hot chocolate with a candy cane twist - what better way to cozy up for winter! Featuring classic hot cocoa, peppermint syrup, steamed milk of your choice and topped with whip cream, chocolate drizzle and crushed peppermint candy.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

10. Agave by Imperial: Mexican Hot Chocolate

Mexican hot chocolate made with masa corn, whipped cream, crushed chilies for a little extra kick and topped with homemade buñuelos.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

11. Speak Easy: Gimme S'more

The ultimate campfire-inspired drink. Steaming mug of ultra-whipped hot chocolate, crowned with fire-toasted marshmallows, and completed with a chocolate fudge-coated graham cracker cookie. We'll "toast" to that

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

12. Milk + Tea: Earl Grey Hot Chocolate

Cozy up with this rich tapioca hot chocolate drink blended with Earl Grey for a subtle hint of tea and lavender. Topped with a thick sweet and salty cream. Enjoy hot or cold!

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

13. Boardwalk Lounge: Soon-to-be-Famous Chocolate Chip Hot Choc

Dive into this glorious, toasted marshmallow rimmed mug, filled with rich hot chocolate, cookie syrup, and topped with whipped cream and crumbs from Connor's soon-to-be-famous chocolate chip cookies. Yum yum!

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

14. La Mesita: Death by Chocolate

Sip on this deliciously rich, Mexican style hot chocolate that's spiced to perfection with cinnamon sugar and topped with a chocolate skull. Served with a churro donut for dunking.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

15. BOBO Tea: Cocoa Brûlée

Crack into this decadent drink made with loads of cocoa chocolate, fresh milk, brown sugar pearls and crowned with a hand-torched crème brûlée top.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

16. DR. J’s BBQ: Mint-Kissed PB&J Hot Chocolate

If hot chocolate and PB & J sandwiches had a baby, this would be their love child. Indulge in the richness of your favourite childhood snack that combines a rich hot chocolate base with a kiss of mint. Served with peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and a peanut cocoa dusting.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

17. The Vine: Teddy Bears Winter Picnic

If you go down in The Vine today, you're sure of a big surprise! This delightful white chocolate drink is made to order with steamed milk and topped with whipped cream, a healthy dusting of shaved dark chocolate and teddy grahams!

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

18. Tragically Dipped Donut: Choc Mocha + Hot Chocolate Donut Chocolate on Chocolate!

Indulge in the Tragically Dipped ultimate chocolate experience with their decadent chocolate donut. The donut pastry is filled with a velvety, chocolate ganache finished off with a cocoa dust - creating a rich symphony of textures and flavours. Hot Chocolate with a kick: This delightful drink is served up mocha style, made with homemade marshmallow, chocolate ganache, espresso, and milk. 

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

19. COMING SOON: The El P and Canoe Cafe

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Peterborough Woman Aiming To Claim Title of Greatest Baker With Votes In Online Competition

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What started as a fun hobby has become a possible title of Greatest Baker for Peterborough woman Jamie Troke, who is competing in the online contest and seeking the public’s assistance for votes.

Photo courtesy of Jamie Troke.

Bakers advance to the next rounds based on an online voting system and Troke is currently a quarterfinalist and in third place at publication of this article. She must be in first place by Thursday at 10 p.m. to advance to the semifinals.

Anyone can vote for free with a Facebook account or a credit card once every 24 hours. More votes can be purchased.

Troke graduated from Kenner CVI in 2016 and attended George Brown College to hone her baking skills further. She started at a young age for fun and it grew to be her outlet to express herself, according to her voting profile page.

‘Greatest Baker,’ is an annual online baking contest run by Colossal.org. that supports the Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Positive) Foundation. They help families deal with pediatric cancer.

The winner receives $10,000, has their work featured in Bake from Scratch Magazine and meets ‘Cake Boss’ star Buddy Valastro.

Voting for Troke can be cast online.

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David Tuan Bui


Alcohol To Be Available At Convenience, Grocery and Big Box Stores In Ontario Start No Later Than Jan. 1, 2026

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Alcohol will be available to purchase at all participating convenience, grocery, and big box stores throughout the province beginning no later than Jan. 1, 2026, as announced by the Ontario Government in Etobicoke on Thursday morning.

Doug Ford, Ontario Premier (left) and Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario Minister of Finance (right) making the announcement at a convenience store in Etobicoke. Screenshot.

Alcohol such as beer, wine, cider, coolers, seltzers and other low-alcohol ready-to-drink beverages are at all participating conveniences, grocery stores and big box stores across the province. Spirits such as vodka, whiskey, gin, etc., will continue to be sold at the LCBO, according to Premier Doug Ford.

“We made a promise to the people of Ontario to deliver more choice and convenience,” he said. “Today, we’re delivering on that promise. There’s no reason why Ontario consumers shouldn’t enjoy the same convenient shopping experience as Canadians in every other province when buying some wine for their holiday party or a case of beer or seltzers on their way to the cottage.”

Roughly 8,500 participating stores are participating in the expansion of alcohol being sold in new outlets.

The provincial government has informed Brewers Retail Inc. (The Beer Store) that the Master Framework Agreement (MFA), signed and extended for a decade by the previous government in 2015, limited the number of retail stores that could be authorized to sell alcohol, will not be renewed after it expires on Dec. 31, 2025 according to a press release. However, The Beer Store and LCBO is continuing their retail operations in Ontario’s new marketplace.

“The people of Ontario will soon have more choice and convenience on where they can buy alcohol,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “As we move towards implementing this expansion, our government will be taking a responsible, measured approach so we can ensure our transition to a new marketplace is smooth, safe and stable.”

The government’s approach also includes the following initiatives as stated in a press release:

  • Competitive pricing: Ontario will introduce competitive pricing to all private retailers to promote competition and a better deal for consumers. LCBO retail stores will maintain consistent pricing across the province to help ensure consumers do not pay more based on where they live, including in rural and northern Ontario. As they do in other provinces, retailers can set promotional prices consistent with relevant regulations. Minimum pricing policies will remain in effect to preserve standards for responsible consumption.

  • Pack sizes: Ontario is removing restrictions and exclusivities on pack sizes. Consumers will be able to purchase any pack size, including 12-packs, 24-packs or even 30-packs, as is popular in Quebec of beer, cider and ready-to-drink alcohol beverages at convenience, grocery and big box stores, in addition to the LCBO and The Beer Store.

  • Recycling program: The Beer Store has agreed to continue to run the provincewide recycling program for alcoholic beverage containers until at least 2031 as part of a transition period in the new marketplace. This program, which is well-liked and convenient for consumers with hundreds of locations across the province, helps keep costs down for producers and consumers while helping to protect the environment by diverting significant amounts of waste from landfills. The government will consult with retailers and industry stakeholders on the future of recycling and deposit returns to ensure this important feature is maintained beyond 2031.

  • Support for local beverage alcohol producers: Ontario will provide a range of transitional and time-limited supports to Ontario-based producers to help with the transition to a more open marketplace, including:

    • Extending dedicated shelf space requirements across all new retailers for craft producers to provide opportunities for small producers to compete

    • Immediately enhancing the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) Wine Support Program beginning in 2024-25 for up to five years to 2028-29 to support the growth and sale of Ontario-grown VQA wines

    • Extending the Wine Marketing Fund and the Small Cidery and Small Distillery Support Program for up to five years

    • Supporting local economic development by directing the LCBO to promote and prioritize Ontario-made products, producers and workers by providing more and enhanced programs, promotions and strategies to help local producers grow Ontario product sales

    • Establishing a wine and grape industry sector table between government and industry partners

    • Introducing legislation that will, if passed, eliminate the 6.1 per cent wine basic tax at on-site winery retail stores, making Ontario’s tax regime competitive with other provinces, including British Columbia

  • Social responsibility: The government is providing an additional $10 million over five years in funding to the Ministry of Health to support social responsibility and public health efforts to ensure alcohol continues to be sold and consumed safely in the expanded marketplace. Existing requirements related to staff training, minimum pricing, hours of sale and warning signs will be maintained and applied to all new retail outlets.

  • Wholesale: The LCBO will be the exclusive wholesaler for all retail, bars and restaurants selling alcohol and will offer consumers an extensive array of choices, including domestic and imported products. This structure will continue to offer the benefits of the LCBO’s world-leading purchasing power and economies of scale and ensures sector stability, including maintaining an important employment footprint across Ontario and a significant revenue stream for government so that it can continue to invest in critical frontline services like health care and education. The province is proud of its LCBO workforce and will continue to support them through this transition.

  • Distribution: The LCBO will continue to work with producers and retailers to distribute wine and spirits in an expanded marketplace, including retail stores, bars and restaurants. The Beer Store has agreed to maintain its primary role in the distribution of beer to retailers, bars and restaurants until at least 2031 as part of the transition period, helping to provide stability to the sector and frontline workers. The province will also permit more flexible distribution models for small producers.

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Popular Bubble Tea Franchise 'Chatime' Hosts Grand Opening In Peterborough's North End

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Peterborough’s newest entrepreneur Kanza Ghzanfar started her week-long grand opening of the popular bubble tea franchise Chatime in the north end of town on Friday.

Kanza Ghzanfar (left) with her brother Zaeem Ghzanfar (right) during Chatime’s first day of business. Their father owns the neighbouring Osmow’s Shawarma and is operated by Zaeem. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The grand opening runs until Nov. 23. The storefront is located on 1447 Water St. Unit 6 next to the Osmow’s Shawarma. Ghzanfar’s family owns the latter and had worked there for an extended period of time since opening in 2018. The young entrepreneur wanted to take a risk and bring her love of bubble tea to Peterborough.

“Personally, I'm just the biggest fan of Chatime myself and five years ago I was craving bubble tea,” she said. “I put 'bubble tea' in Google Maps and the closest it was taking me to was Oshawa.”

Bubble Tea is a popular Taiwanese drink commonly consists of green or black flavoured tea typically with chewy tapioca balls (that act as the ‘bubbles’) and can include milk. Other popular toppings include popping boba (encased spheres of syrup or juice), jelly or fruit.

Customers can adjust sugar and ice levels to their bubble tea as the beverage boasts to be a healthier alternative to other sweet drinks.

Chatime is an chain with over 3,000 locations worldwide according to their website. It is widely popular in the Durham and Greater Toronto Area region.

Ghzanfar is from Toronto and attended University of Toronto (St. George Campus), earning a double major bachelor’s degree in criminology and politics. She earned her Masters at Wilfrid Laurier University, studying national security. She turned down a Ph.D offer and wanted to stick to her roots. She was immersed in a business with her family for several years and wanted to continue that.

“Back then, I didn't know I was going to get involved in the business world but I knew that if I was going to do something at any point, it would have to be bubble tea related,” explained Ghzanfar.

The week-long grand opening has a photo booth with bubble tea props. There are also two daily promotions during that week including a buy on get on free promotion on select drinks (Pearl Milk Tea, QQ Mango, Peach Green Tea) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Customers can spin a wheel to possibly win free drinks, toppings and other prizes from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The store is fully-employed by Trent University students and accepts Trent flex cards as payment. Ghzanfar had many food and drink options in close proximity to her post-secondary institutions but believes Trent students do not have the same luxury.

“I feel like with Trent, there are wasn't that many options for students that were available so close to campus so that was primarily why I wanted to target that kind of community,” she explained. “At the end of the day, I still wanted to get involved with the locals are aware of our presence, what the product is and what we bring to the table.”

Chatime is open seven days a week and are open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Delivery orders can be made through DoorDash, Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes.

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