Black Friday Is November 29th In Downtown Peterborough

Black Friday takes place on Friday, November 29th in downtown Peterborough. There is 2 hour free parking and 57 businesses are participating!!

They include:

GEORGE STREET: Nielsen's Watches & Jewellery, Brant Basics, Hi Ho Silver, Flavour, Plush Boutique, S.O.S., Green Street e-bikes, Peterborough Inn & Suites, Burgandy's Hair Salon, Joie De Vie, HomeLife Preferred Realty Brokerage Inc., Pensieri Shoes, Knock on Wood, John Roberts Clothiers, Charlotte Jewelers, Sarges Army Surplus, Charm Tree Toys, Peterborough Garden & Gift Gallery, The Nutty Chocolatier, Pipe Dreamz, T-Elle Boutique, Gentry, The Black Horse Pub, Christensen Fine Art, Curry Village, The Whistle Stop, Frame it for U, Needleworks, Vanity Hound, Boater’s World

CHARLOTTE STREET: Hobie's Sports, Bandit's Apparel, Runner's Life, Wild Rock Outfitters, Sticklings Bakery & Bistro, Tribal Voices, Brio Gusto, Cottage Toys, Charlotte's Web, Mind Over Matter Piercings & Tattoos, Thing's From Mom's Basement

CHARLOTTE MEWS: Art School of Peterborough, Josephine's Consignment & Vintage Clothing

KING STREET: Elements, Absolute Hair, Angela Mark, Shish-Kabob Hut

SHERBROOKE STREET: Larry Electric, The Pasta Shop

SIMCOE STREET: Kingan Home Hardware

HUNTER STREET WEST: Glow Maternity Studio & Apparel, The Bra Boutique, Burrow Home Boutique, The Toy Shop, Maggie's Eatery

WATER STREET: The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro, Jack's Hot Spot

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DBIA Featured Post: Charlotte's Web

Downtown Peterborough has a great fashion sense and district all on its own. Clothing stores have flourished in the area and cloth many of the adults you’ll see daily. What isn’t seen as much though are clothing stores geared towards the youngest generation specifically. That’s where Charlotte’s Web, located at 180 Charlotte St, comes in to
play.

Located centrally on Charlotte St between George and Aylmer, Charlotte’s Web has been offering junior trend setters top name brands since it opened its doors in 1994. The store was originally located a few doors down from its current location for its first three years until it moved to its current permanent home next to Cottage Toys.

Locally owned and operated by Monique Cantin, the store offers clothes for kids from newborn age to size 18 (which is the size of many older elementary school students).

Covering all four seasons with style, the store offers top name brands such as Columbia, North Face, Roxy, Mexx, Quicksilver and more which can be hard to find in smaller sizes. Monique says that shoppers are often amazed at what cool clothing lines they can find in the shop that aren’t available elsewhere in town, especially in smaller sizes.

The shop is smartly set up with newer clothing in the front and a large clearance section in the back featuring out-of-season articles. You’ll find everything from snow suits, winter boots, shirts and pants, various shoes and sandals, to pajama's, swimwear, and sunhats in the store at various times of the year. Monique is always looking to add new collections and brands that she offers so her customers won’t be disappointed!

Knowing that customer service is essential, the store is very kid friendly because Monique knows who is going to be there—kids! So parents shopping in the store can be at ease if they have children with them knowing the store has a fun play area set up for the accompanying kids to enjoy while shopping takes place.

Monique and her staff have been happily apart of downtown now for almost 20 years and have taken part in numerous charitable events such as raising food for kids, offering donations, and also assisting in local clothing drives.

If your kids are in the market for a new wardrobe or something simple to finish off a look, they invite you to come down to the store and see what they have to offer. Chances are they’ll have exactly what you’re looking for!

For more on Charlotte's Web (180 Charlotte St.), go here:
Facebook page
Phone number: 705.749.9470

For more on Downtown Peterborough and the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), click here.

—By Aaron Elliott

DBIA Featured Post: Nielsen’s Watches & Jewellery

Often times when owners of a family owned business look to move on, they look to pass on the business to someone else in the family. If this doesn’t materialize, they come to a cross roads—either dissolving the business altogether which is an unfortunate ending, or find someone else to take it over.

Thankfully for Nielsen’s Watches & Jewellery, the second option took place! Located at 406 George St N, Nielsen’s has been located in downtown Peterborough now for 30 years. Owned and operated by the Nielsen’s for 12 years, the business was sold to Tony Bustos and his wife Marlene, who subsequently kept the name and the business flourishing! They have now operated it for over 18 years in the same location.

As one can easily imagine based on the name of the business, Nielsen’s deals with fine watches and jewellery. They have a large selection of Stirling silver, Canadian Diamonds and Italian Gold jewellery from top name producers, as well as a massive selection of watches from names such as Seiko, Rotary, Wanger, and Cardinal to name just a few. Nielsen’s also offer repairs in the shop of everything they sell from the jewellery and watches all the way to clocks. They offer sizing and soldering as well!

Tony and Marlene are happy to be a part of such a friendly and accessible downtown which they say is always evolving. They love how accessible they are to get to, with lots of parking in the area. And they enjoy seeing the vibrancy that many of the locally owned and operated shops downtown offer. As our downtown has moved to more of an arts and entertainment hub, it is great to see that such a business like Nielsen’s has been able to prosper now 30 years after it opened.

If you’re looking for a great locally owned and operated jewellery and watch shop that has a tremendous selection and smalltown friendliness to it, we suggest you give Nielsen’s Watches & Jewellery a visit.

For more on Neilen's Watches & Jewellery (406 George St. N.), go to:
Phone: 705-742-9881
Facebook: Nielsen's Watches & Jewellery

For more on Downtown Peterborough and the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), click here.

—By Aaron Elliott

Tweed & Hickory Ladies Wear is Closing Downtown

Tweed & Hickory Ladies Wear at 351A George Street North is closing. Drop on in for final sale pricing...

• Mon-Thurs: 9:30-5:30
• Fri: 9:30-8:00
• Sat: 9:30-5:30 

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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DBIA Featured Post: Jack's Hot Spot

After being an RC (Remote Control) hobbyist for years, Dwayne Jamieson decided it was time to take his passion to the next level. Although you can find RC at different big box stores around town, he knew that Peterborough was missing a store that fully specialized in it. That’s when Jack’s Hot Spot was born.

Located at 395 Water St across from the Scotia Bank, Jack’s has been bringing top quality RC toys to our downtown since February 2010. Known by Jack to his friends (a nickname he earned by dressing up as Jack Nicholson), Dwayne is a one man show down at the shop. He is there 6 days a week offering his expertise to people of all levels.

Jack’s offers a little bit of everything in a shop that can be considered a “little store with a big store inventory,” as Dwayne puts it. They have RC planes, helicopters, cars, trucks and boats that come in styles ranging from beginner for those looking to try out the hobby, to professional for those who have the experience to take on a vehicle that is basically just a smaller version of the real thing! Relatively new to the RC hobby has been the addition of cameras to helicopters, which he also offers with beginner models.

Though you can find the odd RC car or helicopter at other places around town, there isn’t a store that offers such specialized items as Jack’s. Ninety-five percent of what he sells in the shop is "hobby grade"—meaning you can modify and upgrade it if you so choose. This is where his selection of paints, glue, transmitters, epoxies, and other accessories sets him apart, on top of the quality RC vehicles he offers.

If he doesn’t have a part of accessory onsite, he can bring it in in no time! On top of offering RC, Jack’s can also do repairs and upgrades at the shop which Dwayne says is a large part of his business. As anyone who is in the hobby knows, you are constantly tweaking and repairing. A lot of the time—after business hours—Dwayne takes his work home and makes repairs there!

For those interested in the hobby but to a lesser extent, Jack’s also offers great train sets with a massive array of accessories, model vehicles, and even the odd electric guitar! Jack’s Hot Spot is truly a passion project. Dwayne has brought to the city his enjoyment for RC and it shows in the display of the shop and the work he does inside of it. If you’ve ever been interested in the hobby, we suggest you stop in for a visit and see all that the shop has to offer.

For more on Jack's Hot Spot (395 Water St.), go to:
Website: Jackshotspot.com
Facebook: Jack's Hot Spot
Phone: 705.775.5225

For more on Downtown Peterborough and the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), click here.

—By Aaron Elliott

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.

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DBIA Featured Post: Shots Lounge

The evolution of Peterborough’s downtown is ever apparent. Some businesses have come and gone, while others have undergone a complete re-branding like Shots Lounge, which was formerly known as Splice.

Opening as Splice in 2006, the lounge was meant to be a semi restaurant-lounge offering a wide array of drinks and dinner options. While the menu was constantly changing to provide its clientele with top quality food, it eventually turned into a full-on nightclub to the delight of its owners.

Eventually however, under the same ownership, Splice was essentially transitioned to the successful ARIA. Later, the idea came to bring back elements of the Splice atmosphere but in a remodelled setting. In March of this year, renovations began at 379 George St N, and since its June opening, Shots Lounge has become a hotspot downtown!

Owned and operated by a group of locals including Lang Freeman, Shawn Stephenson, Andres (Sucho) Salazar and Sammy Shehadeh, Shots Lounge has
brought back a casual nightspot atmosphere that brings with it the same feeling as a pub, but in a different setting. This is what Splice use to have, and with Shots they have been able to recreate the old closeness and community feeling.

The owners like that it has become a spot again where everybody knows your name. Separated into two rooms, Shots is quite a versatile operation. The front room opened in June and is set up as a bar where patrons can order trendy drinks in a cozy lounge setting. The back room, which opened in September, is available for special functions such as birthday parties. Any kind of event is possible in this space and they love working with requests from clients.

Open 7 nights a week from 8 p.m.-on, Shots offers an intimate yet exciting venue with DJs constantly spinning only the best music while offering an absolutely massive drink menu with nightly specials. Their bartenders can create anything you can imagine! The lounge offers a nightly promo between 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. called “5 for 5” where you can order any 5 hand crafted beverages for $5 each.

Partnered with ARIA and Dolce Vita who supplies a full kitchen, Shots has become one of downtown Peterborough’s newest go-to nightlife establishments! They invite you to come down and experience what so many people have been talking about since its June opening. If you’re looking to throw a memorable party of any theme, they’d be happy to help you make it happen in this unique spot.

For more on Shots Lounge (379 George St. N), go to:
Twitter: @shotsonshots
Facebook: Shots Lounge
Phone: 705.749.9315

For more on Downtown Peterborough and the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), click here.

—By Aaron Elliott

DBIA Featured Post: Sarge's Army Surplus

When Ian Kyle retired as a soldier in 2008 after 34 years of active service, he still had the military on his mind. That’s why on January 22, 2009 he and his wife, Janet, opened Sarge's Army Surplus at 291 George St N, located directly across the street from Showplace in downtown Peterborough.

As you can imagine, Sarge's forte is in offering military surplus gear from around the world. This includes all sorts from small accessories and all aspects of military clothing to outdoor camping gear ranging from tents and sleeping bags to extreme weather gear graded for arctic and even jungle use! What Ian and Janet also offer at the store—and what has really taken off for them—is paintball and air-soft gear. The hobbies for both are popular now and Sarge's is the top supplier in the area for high end equipment.

When you enter the store, you are immediately met with product from floor to ceiling. People are often enamoured with how much is available and the overall display of things they could never imagine would be available in our city. Ian uses the saying that “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it” which you can tell his store operates by! 

Along with his knowledgeable staff including Dave and Ryan, Sarge's offer rentals and are also qualified to do repairs of much of the gear that they offer. One of the most interesting parts of the shop is the collectibles and memorabilia section that is offered. Here you will find items from all around the world ranging from old military medals to badges and even pre-worn uniforms.

Ian and Janet are still very much involved in the local military scene and often attend and set up booths at military themed shows. They are proud to support our local Veterans, celebrate Veterans Awareness Day, and happily offer discounts to armed forces, scouts, and the cadets.

If you’re interested in military history, camping, survival equipment, or hobby sports like paintball, we suggest you check Sarge's Army Surplus out. There truly is no other place like it around, and we’re happy they’re located in the heart of Downtown Peterborough!

For more on Sarge's Army Plus (291 George St N), go to:

Website: Sargesarmysurplus.com
Facebook: SargesArmySurplus
Phone: 705.741.0811

For more on Downtown Peterborough and the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), click here.

—By Aaron Elliott

PTBOCanada Featured Post: ARIA

Downtown Peterborough is known to have a nighttime establishment for just about every type of crowd you can imagine and for the most part all of the businesses are doing quite well. With so many options available, one would think that opening up a new club in the heart of the city would be a very tough sell! Lang Freeman and Sammy Shehadeh have proved that wrong.

In 2011, Lang, who was already running what was then Splice Lounge, was approached by Sammy with an idea to expand and bring an experience to Peterborough that wasn’t already available. It was on October 31, 2012 that ARIA opened in its location at 331 George St. N after an extensive eight month renovation project!

ARIA brings an unmatched big city nightclub feel to our downtown core that has had people buzzing for almost a year now. The club brings in some of the biggest traveling DJs around to throw down some of the most epic parties you will ever experience! Lang and Sammy have spared no expense inside the club equipping it with sound and light installation from the renowned Apex. 

With club nights falling on Friday and Saturday, ARIA has time between events to plan out amazing ideas. They have developed a program called E-Life which is comprised of local businesses which strive to bring top quality food and entertainment to our great city!

Using Dolce Vita, which is part of the E-Life program as their primary caterer, ARIA has hosted some great events such as last year’s PeterTweeter Awards. They also had a PtboPride event, and host as many theme parties as can be imagined!

With so much space and time available between their massive club nights, it has become the goal of ARIA to become more of an all-encompassing entertainment facility and offer their space for different events throughout the week.

The layout of the club is perfect for bands to play in, to host upscale banquets and also to host weddings which they have started to plan for next year already.

Lang is a graduate of Trent University and has kept close ties with the school since his graduation. As such, ARIA has been proud to host Trent’s annual Glow Show, they have DJ’d intro fest and have also set up at Trent’s Vendor Show. What Lang is most proud of however is that ARIA secured a partnership with the school to run the entire Head of the Trent event with the university and rowing team.   

If you’re looking to host an event in downtown Peterborough in an unmatched big city atmosphere—we're hosting our 1st Annual Christmas party there December 5th!—we suggest you give ARIA a try. They have all angles covered to give you an experience the guests at your function will be talking about for years to come!

For more info on ARIA (331 George St. N), go to:
Website: ClubAria.ca
Facebook: ClubAria
Twitter: @ARIA_Inc
Phone: 705-743-0333

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The Yoga Room Opens Downtown

The Yoga Room has opened at 247 George Street (where the Flower Shop used to be), next door to Riley's.

Stay up to date with The Yoga Room by following them on Facebook. 

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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