Downtown Peterborough Restaurant The Vine Reopens Its Doors After A Difficult Few Months

By Scott Arnold

After a challenging few months, The Vine is back open and ready to welcome the Peterborough community through its doors once again.

The Vine owners Lauren Mortlock and Tyrone Flowers are back at the restaurant after a difficult few months, with the local business reopening with a ribbon cutton ceremony on Tuesday, September 15th. Also pictured are DBia Executive director Nour Mazloum and dbia programs manager connor english (Photo by Scott Arnold)

The local pescetarian restaurant held its grand reopening Tuesday, September 15th, marking the return of owners Lauren Mortlock and Tyrone Flowers to the restaurant they have built into much more than a place to grab a meal.

“We're very excited to be back,” Mortlock told those gathered for the reopening. “It's been a long, tough few months. We're still not out of the woods, but we are very excited to be back at it because we missed all of your beautiful faces.”

Flowers also took a moment to thank the community that has supported the couple through the difficult stretch.

“More than anything, just thank you all,” he said. “Thanks for coming. Thanks for standing by us. Thanks for remembering us.”

Lauren Mortlock and Tyrone Flowers welcomed the community back to The Vine during Tuesday’s grand reopening, with the restaurant now open Tuesday through Friday by reservation. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

The Vine had significantly scaled back its operations in April after Flowers began experiencing serious and unexplained health issues, including debilitating migraines, fainting spells and confusion during service.

At the time, Mortlock launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the couple get through the period while Flowers underwent testing and worked toward recovery. The campaign has since raised more than $13,000.

The couple's return is especially meaningful given how much The Vine has given back to the community over the years, including free community meals, fundraising efforts for local causes and other initiatives.

And they are already hoping to bring one of those traditions back.

Mortlock said the restaurant would like to resume its weekly community meal on Mondays, as it did before the health issues forced them to scale back.

“We will need donations to roll in before we start offering that again,” she said. “But then we'd love to start issuing a meal every Monday like we were doing before.”

For now, The Vine is easing back into regular operations.

The restaurant will be open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 3pm, by reservation only, to start. Customers can also call ahead to place takeout orders.

After months away, Mortlock and Flowers are back behind the counter, and perhaps just as importantly, back in the community they have worked so hard to serve.

“Welcome back,” Mortlock said at the end of Tuesday's reopening.

For The Vine, it is a welcome that goes both ways.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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