December 14, 2023 · 0 Comments
By Constance Scrafield
For a small town, Orangeville certainly packs a wallop of interesting and excellent shops and restaurants. Within the confines of what this feature can cover, we wanted to bring the highlights of some of them on Broadway to the forefront. Let’s begin in the west end and travel east from there.
Co-owner of the Philadelphia Kitchen at 281 Broadway, with her husband, Joseph Lattari, Michelle Mifsud-Lattari told the Citizen they have been here for 13 years. In a shop where there are all the meats but steak is the star, “there’s a few alternatives.” was her comment. “We do veal meatballs, shredded chicken, veggie sandwiches.”
The couple also caters and are cooking “around Christmas.”
Her parents had a farm in Mount Forest and a house in Toronto for many years. Her father was driving through to his farm every day and saw this beautiful little town of Orangeville. They just fell in love with it.
Ms. Mifsud-Lattari said, “We love what we do. We have customers coming for 13 years and new ones every day. Nowadays, people are opening their eyes to homemade food, rather than the chain restaurants.”
The Philadelphia Kitchen’s motto is, “Always know your food.”
“You have to start with good ingredients.” she said.
The first store is Britain on Broadway. Located at Dawson and Broadway, Suzy Koolen is the manager. The current owners opened in 2016.
The Britain on Broadway store, 318 Broadway, features imported goods from Britain, half-and-half giftware and edibles, with the best chocolate ever, Ms. Koolen claimed for the Cadbury Dairy milk chocolate bars. There is jewellery from Scotland and Ireland, she listed, Harris tweed caps and purses – new this year are Irish Saol 100 per cent merino wool sweaters, Guinness wear, scarves, gloves – a whole Harry Potter selection.
The late owner of the store, Brenda Cox, passed away suddenly in June. Now, her husband owns and runs the stores.
Britain on Broadway is still very much in business and very happy to see new customers and old friends.
Pear at 185 Broadway: Kaylynn Davidson has been a salesperson at the Pear store for about the last two years. She loves selling the eclectic collection of things there. She was authorized by the current owner, Karen Alexander, to talk about the store with us.
Ms. Alexander bought the shop in 2015, and her own daughters, Britney and Meaghan, run things now.
Still a student, Kaylynn remarked, “I love working here; people are cared for. The Permanent Jewellery does well and a lot of the clothing is [sourced] locally as much as possible. We like to show things are made in Canada.”
Pia’s, 177 Broadway, is known for its salads and perfect lunch plates. A focus on local and organic produce, in which every ingredient is made in-house, is the headline for the menu. All is created with a “deep sense of respect for the craft of cooking.”
Sproule’s Emporium153 has been part of Orangeville’s business community for over 50 years, mostly as the local pharmacy. Still owned by the Sproule family, when the days of pharmacy were finished for the business, the family moved it on to dealing with Fair Trade to import Fair Trade products from many countries.
The term Fair Trade belongs to a system of producers who pay their farmers and workers a fair wage. There are no child workers, giving youngsters the chance for an education and better living conditions for their families.
Sproule has been able to connect with such suppliers in Thailand, Turkey, Nepal and many other countries during their determined search for these high standards. A wide assortment of products makes shopping from so many sources an adventure.
Dragonfly Arts on Broadway at 189, where the artists are filling the shelves with new works and new ideas, Christmas ornaments, pottery, and jewellery.
“One new line is the Palomino jewellery – all about horses,” owner Joan Hope said. “that’s doing very well. Everyone loves mugs and we are fully stocked with mugs. One of our artists setting semi- precious stones in silver.”
Ms. Hope was very excited to inform us that her daughter and her band, The Weather Station, are playing two big shows this week.
Jessii Vee’s Peculiar Place at 210 Broadway, Unit 105, is a full warehouse to the world. Speaking to Niki Vammus, CEO of the company, told the Citizen that it is owned by a “Canadian YouTuber” and the whole company is located in Orangeville.
According to Ms. Vammus, The store is “very family friendly with a magical difference. A lot of families come and the kids are following; there’s something for everyone.” www.jessiivee.com
Niki started the business in 2017, doing all the buying, trying to make it unique and different. “We have already switched to go with Canadian companies as long as they’re affordable,” was her remark. It is a very welcoming place is the assurance, saying, “There is a Grinch wall for Christmas.”
Bluebird Cafe and Grill at 100 Broadway has been serving Orangeville since 1982. Rick and Michelle Arsenault bought the restaurant in February 2019.
“We offer at home hospitality,” Rick Arsenault said. “Our kitchen is run as a team. Everybody works together to create amazing dishes; they’re all leaders without titles.”
He related that the Bluebird was one of the only restaurants where he and his wife ate. They purchased the business, knowing what a staple the Bluebird was to Orangeville and were sure to bring that to “our own magic.”
At the end of January 2024, they are opening two boutique suites, calling this new offer “The Nest” as a destination experience. Jessica, their hospitality specialist, is putting packages together centred on Dufferin. Packages like dinner and the theatre, working with Theatre Orangeville, and wine-tasting excursions with Adamo Winery.
Maggiolly Art Supplies at 158 Broadway hopes you will give art lessons as Christmas presents this year. Owner Emilia Perri explained there will be special in-person classes for 1-2 hours on Dec. 27, 28, and 29 in the store studio. The idea is for the whole family to come for the Holiday Family Painting Workshops, which will have three different themes.
Melissa Hooper, who is working on her Masters Illustration Program at Sheridan College, will be guiding the workshops.
“This is for ages 8 and up,” said Ms. Perri. “It’s $40 each, but everyone leaves with their painting, and we provide everything. It will be nice for a family to come and everyone has their own painting.” Maggiolly will be open for business during those three dates. Sign up online at www.maggiollyart.com or book by phone at 519-942-9560.
Readers Choice, 151 Broadway, owned by Veronica Cavet, sold over 15,000 books last year in her used and vintage bookstore. Readers Choice opened in November 1997, and Ms. Cavet came as a partner in 2001 for friendship and a love of books. She thought it would be a big step in her life to be a business owner.
“In Orangeville,” she commented, “second hand books are good. People are getting nostalgic about real books, lots of young readers too.”
The store has regulars, and there is merchandise for sale. Yet, as Ms. Cavet says, “My mainstay is books.”
It is called The Craft Pizza Bar and Italian Kitchen at 111 Broadway, but owner Paul Fuda is emphatic that his new establishment is much more than a pizza place. He promises all the traditional Roma, Naples and Calabrian food have come to Orangeville, where he detected a void for “traditional, approachable Italian food.”
It is going fantastic, operating now as a full table service restaurant. Patrons come and enjoy hand-crafted quality pasta and pizza. He has noticed people coming once a week, sometimes twice, for lunch. Mr. Fuda assured us he makes Neapolitan style pizza, and all the fresh cuts of pasta are made there with Neapolitan flour and tomatoes from Italy.
“We just let the quality speak, and we’re 100 percent happy where we are,” said Fuda, his enthusiasm boiling over.
The restaurant just catered the Peter Mansbridge evening at Theatre Orangeville last Sunday, Dec. 10. His joy was infectious as he said, “Peoples minds are blown, but this is not a pretentious place. Come and enjoy”
The 18″ pizza is for take-out only – a New York style; everyone will appreciate the quality.
Also, being featured on the Food Network, Mr. Fuda admitted, was “pretty cool.”