By Scott Arnold

For 20 years, Euphoria Wellness Spa has been more than a place to book a treatment. It has become part of the fabric of downtown Peterborough, and that was evident Thursday as the business celebrated two decades in the community.

The 20th Anniversary celebration at Euphoria was extremely well attended, with a steady stream of people coming through the doors throughout the day to celebrate the milestone with owner Simone Dobson and her team.

For Inventory Controller and Manager Kaley Graham, the response was a fitting reflection of what Euphoria has become.

“Honestly, we're always overwhelmed every year and this year was no different,” Graham said. “It was incredible to see the amount of people that want to support us.”

And there was plenty to celebrate.

Euphoria’s story began 20 years ago with Dobson and a much smaller business on Hunter Street.

Dobson started at Spa on Hunter, a small medical spa, aesthetics business and hair salon. As the business grew, she was presented with an opportunity to partner with Spa Euphoria on Lansdowne Street.

The two businesses came together, allowing the team to offer more services to their clients and the community. Before long, that location was also running out of room.

That eventually led Dobson to a historic building in the heart of downtown Peterborough, where she transformed the landmark into the Euphoria Wellness Spa that people know today.

The result is a business that has continued to grow while remaining firmly rooted in the community.

Today, Euphoria includes aesthetics, medical services, massage, retail and more, along with its rooftop patio, lounge areas, steam rooms and saunas.

Graham says there is no membership required to visit Euphoria, either. While the spa offers membership perks, its treatments and services are open to everyone.

And, as she explains, people often discover there is much more to Euphoria than what initially brought them through the door.

“You come in for a little manicure quickly upstairs and you get drawn in,” Graham said. “You see the patio, you see the lounge. You're like, oh, we offer massages.”

“We do offer a little something for everyone.”

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But the size of Euphoria and the number of services it offers are only part of the story.

The anniversary celebration also provided a reminder of just how many relationships Dobson and her team have built over two decades.

Throughout the day, longtime clients, friends, community members and local figures stopped by to mark the occasion. Mayor Jeff Leal was also on hand and presented Dobson with a certificate recognizing the milestone.

For Graham, seeing so many people come through the doors was especially meaningful because of what it says about Dobson's connection to Peterborough.

“Simone really is a pillar of community,” Graham said. “She has brought these lovely individuals here. She really warms, opens up her heart and brings in lots of great stuff to the spa and to the community.”

“She has made all of these connections and it's amazing to see all the people that come to support her.”

That sense of connection extends to the Euphoria team itself.

Graham has played a role in bringing together the moving parts behind the scenes, particularly for events like Thursday's anniversary celebration. For her, one of the most rewarding parts of the job is watching everything come together.

“My favourite part is honestly just the hustle bustle of it,” Graham said.

“There’s a big buildup, especially on my end when it comes to the event. But I love seeing everything that I've either dipped my hand in or helped dip my hand in and see it all unfold and unravel into this beautiful celebration.”

Twenty years is a significant milestone for any business.

For Euphoria, Thursday's celebration showed that the anniversary isn't simply about looking back at where the business started. It's about the people who helped it get here, the team that continues to build it and the Peterborough community that has supported it along the way.

And judging by the number of people who walked through the doors to celebrate, there are plenty of people who feel they have been part of the Euphoria story, too.

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

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.

By Scott Arnold

More than six decades after first opening its doors in Peterborough, Brant Basics marked a major milestone on Thursday as community members, elected officials, staff and customers gathered to celebrate the company's grand reopening at its new home on The Queensway.

Clive Katz and Trevor Katz, joined by Brant Basics staff, Mayor Jeff Leal and councillors Kevin Duguay and Leslie Parnell, take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the company's grand reopening celebration on Thursday (Photo by Scott Arnold)

The event brought together a steady stream of visitors who toured the newly renovated space at 701 The Queensway, took part in activities throughout the store and joined in a ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially marked the next chapter for a business that has been serving Peterborough since 1964.

For Trevor and Clive Katz, whose family assumed ownership of Brant Basics in 2023, the day was about much more than opening a new location. It was an opportunity to celebrate a long-standing local business while reaffirming its future in Peterborough.

"Brant Basics is a local company and will always remain a local company," said Trevor Katz. "We never changed the name when we took it over three years ago because Brant Basics is a local company and will always remain a local company."

The move follows decades of operation at the company's downtown George Street location. While the business built countless relationships there over the years, the new space offers opportunities that simply weren't possible before.

During remarks at the ceremony, Trevor Katz noted that the move has allowed the company's sales team to work together on a single floor, creating a more collaborative environment while expanding the range of products available to customers.

Visitors walking through the store on Thursday could see that evolution firsthand. Alongside the furniture showroom and office supply offerings Brant Basics has long been known for, the new location features expanded educational, arts and crafts, and children's product sections.

"We still have a large furniture component in the store, a large office supply component, but we've now created a new area that's more arts, crafts and education for the general community as well," Trevor Katz explained.

The new Brant Basics showroom features expanded product offerings, including furniture, office supplies, educational materials and arts and crafts products. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

The location itself was another important factor in the move.

"We liked the environment of The Queensway, the busyness of the street, close to Lansdowne Place, close to a few of the shops here," said Trevor Katz. "We thought it was a growing area as well, free parking obviously, which is always a good thing."

Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal was among those who spoke during the celebration, congratulating the Katz family and highlighting the significance of seeing local businesses continue to invest in the community.

"When you get the opportunity to be at a ribbon cutting, to see a small business expanding, providing service to a community, it certainly goes to show you beyond the news cycle, there's a lot of great things happening," said Leal.

Leal also reflected on the company's long history in Peterborough, noting that the business continues to build on the foundation established by founder Mo (Morris) Cox and his family.

"One of the great lessons that I got in politics when I entered a few decades ago is that you truly stand on the shoulders of others," he said. "So Clive and Trevor, they're standing on the shoulders of Mo Cox and his family to continue to build this business."

The mayor also pointed to customer service as one of the key reasons Brant Basics has remained a fixture in the community for more than 60 years.

"One thing we know about the history of Brant Basics is providing customer service second to none," said Leal. "That's what separates retailers from good ones and other ones that don't provide that high degree of customer service."

Representatives from the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce and MPP Dave Smith's office also attended the event, offering congratulations and recognizing the company's continued growth.

While Thursday's grand reopening celebrated a new building, both Trevor and Clive Katz repeatedly brought the focus back to the people who helped make it happen.

The brothers credited staff for organizing the event and helping guide the business through the transition.

"The staff have been unbelievable," said Clive Katz. "They've been unbelievable from the day we moved to helping us with this event. They're happy, they're engaged, they love the new environment."

He added that the enthusiasm employees have shown for new product categories and the updated store layout has helped create an atmosphere that customers notice as soon as they walk through the doors.

"We're a family and to have a happy family is everything," he said.

That sense of teamwork was evident throughout the afternoon as employees greeted visitors, answered questions and helped showcase the new space.

Clive Katz admitted he was unsure what to expect when planning the grand reopening.

"I was a nervous wreck," he said with a laugh. "I was going, 'How many people are going to come? Is anyone going to show up?' And the staff just took control."

For a company that has spent more than six decades serving Peterborough, Thursday's celebration was both a look back and a look ahead. While the address has changed, the message from the owners remained consistent: Brant Basics is committed to staying rooted in the community it has called home since 1964.

"This opening is important for us to stay in the Peterborough location," said Trevor Katz. "We just feel the way the store is set up is really based on community and what the community needs."

As the ribbon was cut and visitors continued exploring the new showroom, the event served as a reminder that while businesses evolve, some of the strongest community connections are built over generations. For Brant Basics, Thursday's grand reopening was the latest chapter in a story that continues to be written in Peterborough.

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

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Local

Peterborough Blogs

By Scott Arnold

For 20 years, Euphoria Wellness Spa has been more than a place to book a treatment. It has become part of the fabric of downtown Peterborough, and that was evident Thursday as the business celebrated two decades in the community.

The 20th Anniversary celebration at Euphoria was extremely well attended, with a steady stream of people coming through the doors throughout the day to celebrate the milestone with owner Simone Dobson and her team.

For Inventory Controller and Manager Kaley Graham, the response was a fitting reflection of what Euphoria has become.

“Honestly, we're always overwhelmed every year and this year was no different,” Graham said. “It was incredible to see the amount of people that want to support us.”

And there was plenty to celebrate.

Euphoria’s story began 20 years ago with Dobson and a much smaller business on Hunter Street.

Dobson started at Spa on Hunter, a small medical spa, aesthetics business and hair salon. As the business grew, she was presented with an opportunity to partner with Spa Euphoria on Lansdowne Street.

The two businesses came together, allowing the team to offer more services to their clients and the community. Before long, that location was also running out of room.

That eventually led Dobson to a historic building in the heart of downtown Peterborough, where she transformed the landmark into the Euphoria Wellness Spa that people know today.

The result is a business that has continued to grow while remaining firmly rooted in the community.

Today, Euphoria includes aesthetics, medical services, massage, retail and more, along with its rooftop patio, lounge areas, steam rooms and saunas.

Graham says there is no membership required to visit Euphoria, either. While the spa offers membership perks, its treatments and services are open to everyone.

And, as she explains, people often discover there is much more to Euphoria than what initially brought them through the door.

“You come in for a little manicure quickly upstairs and you get drawn in,” Graham said. “You see the patio, you see the lounge. You're like, oh, we offer massages.”

“We do offer a little something for everyone.”

But the size of Euphoria and the number of services it offers are only part of the story.

The anniversary celebration also provided a reminder of just how many relationships Dobson and her team have built over two decades.

Throughout the day, longtime clients, friends, community members and local figures stopped by to mark the occasion. Mayor Jeff Leal was also on hand and presented Dobson with a certificate recognizing the milestone.

For Graham, seeing so many people come through the doors was especially meaningful because of what it says about Dobson's connection to Peterborough.

“Simone really is a pillar of community,” Graham said. “She has brought these lovely individuals here. She really warms, opens up her heart and brings in lots of great stuff to the spa and to the community.”

“She has made all of these connections and it's amazing to see all the people that come to support her.”

That sense of connection extends to the Euphoria team itself.

Graham has played a role in bringing together the moving parts behind the scenes, particularly for events like Thursday's anniversary celebration. For her, one of the most rewarding parts of the job is watching everything come together.

“My favourite part is honestly just the hustle bustle of it,” Graham said.

“There’s a big buildup, especially on my end when it comes to the event. But I love seeing everything that I've either dipped my hand in or helped dip my hand in and see it all unfold and unravel into this beautiful celebration.”

Twenty years is a significant milestone for any business.

For Euphoria, Thursday's celebration showed that the anniversary isn't simply about looking back at where the business started. It's about the people who helped it get here, the team that continues to build it and the Peterborough community that has supported it along the way.

And judging by the number of people who walked through the doors to celebrate, there are plenty of people who feel they have been part of the Euphoria story, too.

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

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.

By Scott Arnold

More than six decades after first opening its doors in Peterborough, Brant Basics marked a major milestone on Thursday as community members, elected officials, staff and customers gathered to celebrate the company's grand reopening at its new home on The Queensway.

For Trevor and Clive Katz, whose family assumed ownership of Brant Basics in 2023, the day was about much more than opening a new location. It was an opportunity to celebrate a long-standing local business while reaffirming its future in Peterborough.

"Brant Basics is a local company and will always remain a local company," said Trevor Katz. "We never changed the name when we took it over three years ago because Brant Basics is a local company and will always remain a local company."

The move follows decades of operation at the company's downtown George Street location. While the business built countless relationships there over the years, the new space offers opportunities that simply weren't possible before.

During remarks at the ceremony, Trevor Katz noted that the move has allowed the company's sales team to work together on a single floor, creating a more collaborative environment while expanding the range of products available to customers.

Visitors walking through the store on Thursday could see that evolution firsthand. Alongside the furniture showroom and office supply offerings Brant Basics has long been known for, the new location features expanded educational, arts and crafts, and children's product sections.

"We still have a large furniture component in the store, a large office supply component, but we've now created a new area that's more arts, crafts and education for the general community as well," Trevor Katz explained.

The location itself was another important factor in the move.

"We liked the environment of The Queensway, the busyness of the street, close to Lansdowne Place, close to a few of the shops here," said Trevor Katz. "We thought it was a growing area as well, free parking obviously, which is always a good thing."

Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal was among those who spoke during the celebration, congratulating the Katz family and highlighting the significance of seeing local businesses continue to invest in the community.

"When you get the opportunity to be at a ribbon cutting, to see a small business expanding, providing service to a community, it certainly goes to show you beyond the news cycle, there's a lot of great things happening," said Leal.

Leal also reflected on the company's long history in Peterborough, noting that the business continues to build on the foundation established by founder Mo (Morris) Cox and his family.

"One of the great lessons that I got in politics when I entered a few decades ago is that you truly stand on the shoulders of others," he said. "So Clive and Trevor, they're standing on the shoulders of Mo Cox and his family to continue to build this business."

The mayor also pointed to customer service as one of the key reasons Brant Basics has remained a fixture in the community for more than 60 years.

"One thing we know about the history of Brant Basics is providing customer service second to none," said Leal. "That's what separates retailers from good ones and other ones that don't provide that high degree of customer service."

Representatives from the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce and MPP Dave Smith's office also attended the event, offering congratulations and recognizing the company's continued growth.

While Thursday's grand reopening celebrated a new building, both Trevor and Clive Katz repeatedly brought the focus back to the people who helped make it happen.

The brothers credited staff for organizing the event and helping guide the business through the transition.

"The staff have been unbelievable," said Clive Katz. "They've been unbelievable from the day we moved to helping us with this event. They're happy, they're engaged, they love the new environment."

He added that the enthusiasm employees have shown for new product categories and the updated store layout has helped create an atmosphere that customers notice as soon as they walk through the doors.

"We're a family and to have a happy family is everything," he said.

That sense of teamwork was evident throughout the afternoon as employees greeted visitors, answered questions and helped showcase the new space.

Clive Katz admitted he was unsure what to expect when planning the grand reopening.

"I was a nervous wreck," he said with a laugh. "I was going, 'How many people are going to come? Is anyone going to show up?' And the staff just took control."

"This opening is important for us to stay in the Peterborough location," said Trevor Katz. "We just feel the way the store is set up is really based on community and what the community needs."

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

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.

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