WHAT IS IT
Gold Bars Dessert is a travelling dessert shop that opened in March 2020. From butter tart bars to brownies, the shop specializes in dessert bars. Gold Bars Dessert offers holiday-themed bars and uses seasonal ingredients.
They offered Easter egg brownies around Easter, peach cobbler bars during Ontario’s peach season in August, pumpkin spice bars in October and are currently selling holiday cranberry bars and candy crunch brownies for the holiday season.
Gold Bars Dessert has also partnered with the Hamilton-based specialty coffee company Detour Coffee to offer their whole beans. Gold Bars sells espresso and medium roast, which were handpicked to pair with their dessert bars.
The dessert business combines owner Germaine Collins’ love of adventure with her love of sweets. The adventure lover has created a business that allows her to travel and connect to people through food.
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HOW TO GET IT
While the shop doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar location, they frequent farmers’ markets and host pop-up shops. In the summer and early fall of 2020, Gold Bars Desserts was a weekly vendor at Connon Nurseries’ Fall Farmers’ Market in Waterdown. They also did a Christmas pop-up at Connon Nurseries on Nov. 28. Check their website and social media to find out where they’ll be next.
When they are not at a market, Gold Bars dessert does local doorstep drop-offs. If you’re located in the Greater Hamilton area, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga or Toronto, you can order online for next-weekend delivery. The delivery days are announced on their website and on their social media.
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THE COST
At markets, you can buy individual bars for $3. For doorstep drop-offs, Gold Bars Desserts sells the boxes of bars on their website. A box of nine bars is $20 to $25 depending on the type. Each bar is about the size of a coaster. The delivery is an additional $5.
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WHAT TO GET
You really can’t go wrong with any of these dessert bars. They’re all decadent, filling and beautifully decorated. I would definitely recommend the OG brownie if you’re a chocolate fan because even after a couple of days, the brownie is still moist and rich inside. If you’re not a chocolate fan, I’d recommend the blondies or lemon bars.
If there is a seasonal dessert bar when you’re looking to purchase, definitely try that. I tried the cranberry holiday bars and it gave Starbucks’ cranberry bliss bars a run for its money.
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WHY IT'S GREAT
Gold Bars Desserts is perfect for the sweet tooth who adores a large, classic brownie or dessert bar. The variety of flavours and the seasonal creations make it an exciting business to visit month after month.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the perfect way to support a small business and satisfy your sweet tooth without having to leave your house. Having Collins visit my house on a Sunday afternoon to deliver me handmade sweets was the highlight of my weekend. With the pretty packaging and Collins’ handwritten notes, Gold Bars Dessert bars make the perfect gift for your loved ones.
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Fifth-year men’s basketball player Kwasi Adu-Poku shares how he created his own business to motivate others
As the fall 2020 semester comes to an end, students continue to struggle with finding the balance between work, school and extracurriculars, all the while keeping themselves safe from COVID-19. Fifth-year McMaster University student and men’s basketball player, Kwasi Adu-Poku has been through his fair share of ups and downs this year. From all the experiences he has gathered, he felt that it was a time to give back to the student community.
Adu-Poku created The Reach Series after coming across an idea from Vince Luciani of Legacy Coaching. From the guidance and mentorship that Luciani gave Adu-Poku, he felt that it was his time to share a message and help uplift individuals.
“It gave me the confidence to make a business with the goal of empowering people,” said Adu-Poku.
The Reach Series is where Adu-Poku turned his real-life experiences into relatable lessons. From these lessons, he develops motivational workshops. His first goal was to run the workshops for four weeks in two formats: group settings and one-on-ones.
A benefit of the group workshops that Adu-Poku realized was that attendees could relate to each other and thus the workshop itself became more interactive. In terms of the one-on-ones, he believed that it would provide individuals with more time and space for reflection, with some personalized guidance.
“The big thing was that it was a constructive and organized way to uplift people through online workshops,” said Adu-Poku.
“The big thing was that it was a constructive and organized way to uplift people through online workshops,” said Adu-Poku.
Each workshop would be a safe space that was based on an experience of his own life. Although they are somewhat structured, Adu-Poku encourages all discussion within the space. For example, during the third week, his workshop dove into the issue of mental health, where he touched upon some of his own personal struggles during his past couple years of undergrad.
“It is ok to have these problems and I hope to provide them with various outlets and resources,’’ Adu-Poku emphasized.
As Adu-Poku explained, the premise of The Reach Series is to relate to what is going on in the world and help uplift people to the best of his ability. One such example is a charity drive Adu-Poku co-created, in which they were able to raise $360.
“Why not support these causes but help the world on a larger scale?” said Adu-Poku.
Despite working for his older brother’s business in the past, The Reach Series is the first entrepreneurial endeavour Adu-Poku has embarked on. As a student, he understands the need to manage his time while also staying on top of school responsibilities.
“When I started to make [The Reach Series], it was a four-week blitz before school got heavy. It takes up my time with extracurricular activities and graduate school applications . . . Time and stress management [have] been key,” said Adu-Poku.
“When I started to make [The Reach Series], it was a four-week blitz before school got heavy. It takes up my time with extracurricular activities and graduate school applications . . . Time and stress management [have] been key,” said Adu-Poku.
From a business perspective, he has not suffered like many other small businesses have due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since Adu-Poku is a student with career aspirations in the field of economic policy, his business likely will not be his main career when he graduates from McMaster. Yet, he continues The Reach Series in order to continue spreading messages of positivity.
“Even with the prices I was recommended to charge, I lowered it and made it more affordable for people to [attend] these workshops. From a financial point of view, I charge a bit to value my time but ensure it’s worth it and accessible for [the attendees],” said Adu-Poku.
“Even with the prices I was recommended to charge, I lowered it and made it more affordable for people to [attend] these workshops. From a financial point of view, I charge a bit to value my time but ensure it’s worth it and accessible for [the attendees],” said Adu-Poku.
He is currently looking at making his business a non-profit organization.
Despite running the workshops by himself, he has hosted guest speakers in the past. His first guest speaker, Mussa Gikineh, was the 2020 valedictorian for the DeGroote School of Business. They both participated in a panel after which they discussed a possible collaboration that surmounted in the charity drive, which was actually created by both Adu-Poku and Gikineh.
Just recently, Adu-Poku hosted the Hoopers Talk, an event where they looked at athletes from outside the court. The event acted as a space to support Ontario University Athletics basketball players after the cancellation of their season due to the pandemic.
As of now, the workshops only run virtually. Despite it being convenient due to no transportation, Adu-Poku says he would like to bring people close in person, but only when it is safe to do so. With that being said, the feedback he received has been exceptional, with attendees feeling a new sense of community.
As Adu-Poku plans to graduate in April 2021, The Reach Series is something he hopes to continue on the side.
“I feel like using this platform to genuinely uplift others and interact with them can not only get me some income but also provide me some sort of fulfillment,” says Adu-Poku.
“I feel like using this platform to genuinely uplift others and interact with them can not only get me some income but also provide me some sort of fulfillment,” says Adu-Poku.
COVID-19 inspired local potter to turn her hobby into a ceramics business
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to our everyday lives. School is now online, some of us are staying home with family, jobs are more difficult to find and more interactions are occurring virtually.
In the summer, many of us were stuck at home due to restrictions on activities we previously enjoyed. Many have found new ways to keep busy and stimulated, such as Kelsey Burns who created the business, Too Blue Ceramics, this year.
Burns started making pottery from her bedroom in the early months of the pandemic as a way to fill time after her workplace closed. In June, Burns launched the Too Blue Ceramics Instagram page where she posts and sells beautiful creations and custom pieces.
The first part of the name was inspired by one of Burns’ favourite songs Am I Too Blue by Lucinda Williams. As the name suggests, most of Burns’ work features blue and white designs, many of which are of women and flowers, painted on ceramic coasters, vases, teapots, cups and plates.
Burns always had an interest in painting and drawing but was uncertain about whether she wanted to pursue art. It wasn’t until last year when she started taking pottery classes at Dundas Valley School of Art, an independent not-for-profit art school where she discovered a passion for pottery making. When her classes were cancelled in the spring of this year due to COVID-19, she bought a pottery wheel for her home and turned pottery into a full-time project with the help of her friend who had a kiln.
“People just have always told stories through pottery and I was just drawn to it . . . I didn’t think that I would love it so much,” Burns said.
“People just have always told stories through pottery and I was just drawn to it . . . I didn’t think that I would love it so much,” Burns said.
Burns initially gifted her ceramics to her friends and family, but later began selling as a way to cover the cost of the materials and continue developing her pottery skills. Too Blue Ceramics has quickly garnered attention from the community. In September, she and some artist friends put together a Super Small Crawl on the weekend of Supercrawl to sell their creations. Many neighbours and community members came to the event to support their work.
Her personal favourite pieces to make are vases.
“I like it when [ceramic pieces] aren’t specific . . . because [the process is] a bit more freeing. I love when I put a piece of clay on the wheel and don’t know what it’s going to be,” Burns explained.
Burns also enjoys taking on challenging ceramic projects and commissions which help her to learn more techniques and develop her own style.
Although she started in her bedroom, she now has a studio space in the basement of her and her partner’s home. She is also part of Alchemy Clay Studios in Guelph which offers shared studio space for artists.
Ceramics has taught Burns about patience and appreciation for handmade everyday objects which are both functional and beautiful.
“When we think about consuming products, we’re really used to just having things available immediately. So I think it’s nice to remember that things take time . . . because somebody is putting energy into these pieces,” Burns said.
“When we think about consuming products, we’re really used to just having things available immediately. So I think it’s nice to remember that things take time . . . because somebody is putting energy into these pieces,” Burns said.
To Burns, pottery is an imprint of where we are in history and she hopes to continue telling stories through her work.
Mother-daughter duo’s travelling tea trailer continues to deliver tea and comfort during COVID-19
Autumn is the season of change. Leaves begin to change to brilliant, bright and beautiful colours and the warmer temperatures give way to cooler, wintery weather. This is also the season of good company. It is the time to sit down with a friend, share a pot of tea and enjoy good conversation. While gatherings may look different this year, taking place often over Zoom rather than in person, businesses like the mother-daughter-run Tea Amo are still finding ways to bring people together.
As part of a big Irish family, tea has always played an important role in Marian Peter’s life. This love of tea is something she passed down to her daughter, Heather Peter. In 2013, Heather purchased a vintage trailer with the intention of setting up a tea service. When Marian retired from her job as an English as a Second Langue teacher, the mother-daughter duo went into business together, selling tea out of the trailer at parks and private events.
“Having tea with people [is] a lot about [the] memories that you have around tea and making new memories. I think a lot of people have that nostalgia [towards tea] and they already love the memories around afternoon tea, so they want to bring that back,” said Heather.
“Having tea with people [is] a lot about [the] memories that you have around tea and making new memories. I think a lot of people have that nostalgia [towards tea] and they already love the memories around afternoon tea, so they want to bring that back,” said Heather.
Many of the loose leaf teas that they offer are made in-house. As their business continues to grow, the duo hopes to blend more of their teas themselves to create new flavours. Those not made in-house are sampled and then carefully selected from importers. All of their blends are free of artificial flavours, preservatives and added sweeteners.
Tea Amo sells their teas and a number of thoughtfully selected tea-related products on their website. These include traditional products such as teacups and teapots, as well as novelty items, such as perfume oil and teapot-shaped earrings. The latter they opted to include because they felt these items would make nice gifts for tea lovers. Many of these products are locally made.
[media-credit name="C/O Heather & Marian Peters" align="none" width="2048"]
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However, the pandemic has forced them to pivot their approach. Many of the events they would have attended are now on hold and they can no longer bring the trailer around to parks as they had previously done.
In conjunction with their online store, the duo is now offering afternoon tea boxes. Each afternoon tea box includes finger sandwiches, cookies, fruits and vegetables and two bags of loose leaf tea. These boxes are created in-house and delivered weekly in the trailer.
Especially during this time when many are having socially distant gatherings, the afternoon tea boxes are fitting because everyone can have their own box. As there is no need to share food, individuals are still able to gather safely. For those connecting via Zoom or other video platforms, the tea boxes are also convenient in that they can be ordered individually and then enjoyed together during the call.
[media-credit name="C/O Heather & Marian Peters" align="none" width="1944"]
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“[W]e're bringing happy to people. So many people have sent this afternoon [tea] box to a friend that's been depressed or a mother that’s sick . . . Or just to themselves with a couple of friends, distancing. So it was just a perfect idea for this time to do the afternoon tea box. So, we're doing quite well with that and enjoying it. It's like a feel-good kind of service for sure,” said Marian.
"So many people have sent this afternoon [tea] box to a friend that's been depressed or a mother that’s sick . . . Or just to themselves with a couple of friends, distancing."
In these trying times, Tea Amo continues to spread the warmth and comfort customary of tea. They are also bringing people together, reminding them of better times as well as providing them with the opportunity to create bright, happy memories that they will look back on fondly for years to come.
By Nisha Gill, Staff Writer
As technology continues to evolve and play an increasingly large role in our everyday lives, taking time away from it has never been more important. However, the temptations of technology are difficult to resist and, as a result, there are very few places where one is able to truly disconnect.
The Printed Word (69 King St. W.), is one of those few places where it is truly possible to disconnect. For owner James McDonald, opening the store was, in part, a reaction against the digital—this was also the inspiration for its name. The store is well-lit and open, perfect for exploring the line-up of floor to ceiling bookshelves, all of which house a carefully curated collection of both fiction and nonfiction works.
“I’ve had a lot of people come, in early days, and first of all, not even recognize that it’s a bookstore, it’s so idiosyncratic. Which is weird, because go back thirty years and this is what just bookstores looked like. They have books in and different subjects and here we are. But because it doesn’t look like Chapters . . . or the traditional chains that we have, it’s ‘What is this place? What do you do here?’” explained McDonald.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdku0Crh1HV/
For McDonald, reading and exploration go hand in hand; reading is an opportunity for a special kind of exploration. But this kind of exploration is becoming increasingly difficult to follow through on in our technology-driven world. Thanks to our devices and social media, we have almost all the information we could ever want at our fingertips. However, the kind of exploration we engage with on our devices, or while scrolling through social media, is often different from what we find in books. What we find in books is a slower, more experimental form of exploration that simply cannot be found in technology.
“Books are slower and imaginative. You enter them in a completely different way . . . What are books really are places of exploration and imagination and quiet wondering and all those great things,” said McDonald.
In particular though, McDonald recognizes the importance of this kind of exploration—and the conversation that it can provoke—for students, who are often the most tied to their technology.
“A lot of people come in and see that you have philosophy or you have university press titles and stuff, [they think we] must get a lot of students, [that] the McMaster community must be a huge supporter of [our] establishment and the fact is, not at all . . . It’s just people, just interested people who like books, reading, thinking, talking . . . The reason to have a bookstore is to explore, find the thing you didn’t know you were looking for, the thing you didn’t know existed and students should really be tapping into some of this. And there are conversations that happen here that are interesting, conversations that students can bring.”
The Printed Word is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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Recently, Hamilton has seen an influx of craft breweries establishing themselves around the city. With craft beer on the rise, MERIT Brewing Company is one of the industry leaders, brewing locally in their space on 107 James St. North.
Co-founder of MERIT and McMaster alumnus, Tej Sandhu, wanted to create a communal, welcoming space by combining a tap room, brewery, kitchen and bottle shop.
“Really what we hope it is, is a space for community around [MERIT]. So much of what we built this place to be is to facilitate conversation, facilitate our community, and facilitate a great experience for people around these things that we love producing . . . in a space that is easy to get to, that is accessible, that’s inclusive, that is open and that is friendly and warm. Those are things that we had as our goal for what we wanted the space to be but for what we keep as our goals for everything we do as well,” said Sandhu.
MERIT Brewing Company on James Street North.
On Oct. 1, the Ontario Craft Brewers, a membership trade association that represents local breweries in Ontario, participated in a government roundtable in the Niagara region. The OCB represents the voices of approximately 30 per cent of craft breweries around Ontario
“We participated in the roundtable to provide our perspective and make sure the voice of local brewers is heard on potential changes to the alcohol system, which are critical to our future growth and success,” said the OCB via their Twitter account.
(1/2) The Ontario Government is currently consulting on potential reforms to Ontario’s beverage alcohol sector. As Niagara is home to many craft producers, the govt hosted a series of roundtables this weekend w/ reps from craft wineries, distillers, cideries, and breweries.
— Ontario Craft Brewers (@OntCraftBrewers) September 29, 2019
(2/2) We participated in the roundtable to provide our perspective and make sure the voice of local brewers is heard on potential changes to the alcohol system, which are critical to our future growth and success.
— Ontario Craft Brewers (@OntCraftBrewers) September 29, 2019
The association also shared photos with Sam Oosterhoff, a Progressive Conservative member of provincial parliament from the Niagara-West riding. Oosterhoff has claimed that he wants to remove abortion rights. Additionally, he has actively opposed Bill 128 — the All Families Are Equal act, a piece of legislation that removes the words "mother" and "father" in favour of gender-neutral terms allowing all parents to be treated equally. He continues to defend his socio-political beliefs when confronted by the media. The tweets promoting Oosterhoff with the OCB were taken down after being posted.
The original tweets posted by Ontario Craft Brewers following an event with Sam Oosterhoof and Ontario breweries. This tweet has since been removed off of the OCB Twitter account.
Ontario Craft Brewers tweeted this photo with Sam Oosterhoff at a roundtable event. The photo has since been removed off of the OCB Twitter account.
Although not an OCB member, MERIT Brewing Company released a statement about the OCB’s event via their Facebook page on Oct. 1.
“MERIT was not part of this discussion, nor are we members of the OCB, but we would like to say that we are unequivocally against the views of MPP Oosterhoff and outraged over the OCB’s decision to promote their work with him as some sort of gain for the industry or brushed off as part of their responsibility to work with the government,” said the statement.
MERIT turned their attention to the community that was being affected by the OCB’s statement. The team reflected on their values of creating a welcoming, diverse space but found that the industry association that indirectly represents them was doing the opposite.
“While working together with the government is a good thing — when there's someone whose beliefs, outside of beer . . . are directly attacking not only owners of the businesses but staff members, people who are our guests and our consumers, that really strikes a chord as something that . . . the OCB did without thinking [about] what the implications are,” said Sandhu. “. . . We were angry because even if you're not an OCB member, the OCB indirectly represents our industry. They are the only association that we have. Their stance [on] promotion and their communication is reflective of our entire industry in Ontario.”
The OCB has issued an apology on Twitter.
— Ontario Craft Brewers (@OntCraftBrewers) October 1, 2019
Sandhu emphasized that MERIT, and all members of the OCB, had the responsibility to hold higher organizations accountable for their actions.
While MERIT had voiced their concerns on an industry level, Sandhu also reflected on local level concerns in Hamilton.
On Oct. 1, as a part of Hamilton’s “Fast 40” initiative, local and fast-growing businesses were recognized for contributing to the city’s economic development. MERIT Brewing Company was one business amongst many to receive the award given by mayor Fred Eisenberger. In light of tensions between Eisenberger and the LGBTQA2S+ community, while MERIT claimed their reward, they left shortly before a photo opportunity with Eisenberger.
Merit Brewing Company has recently been recognized by the City of Hamilton for contributing to the city’s economic development.
“There has been a ton of conversation internally about the handling of the LGBT community, the mayor’s response to the concerns that have been raised and the threat to our staff that are part of the community as well. [Our] action wasn’t meant to be a massive ‘F-U’ to the mayor, it was a way we could ask for accountability. It was something that was small that we thought would have, at the very least, an impact on showing our staff and our guests that we are standing up for them and not standing with someone who isn’t protecting them,” said Sandhu.
MERIT Brewing Company does not see themselves as a voice for marginalized communities, but rather as a microphone that allows their voices be heard. MERIT felt that their action was a step towards greater accountability among local leaders.
Regardless, you don't take a picture of brewery owners smiling and raising a glass with this guy. It's horrible PR. pic.twitter.com/W7njlY6jMu
— Robin LeBlanc, from work (@TheThirstyWench) September 30, 2019
Eisenberger has asked to sit down and meet with MERIT. While the company did not confirm a meeting before this article was released, Sandhu hopes to open a door for members of the community to start communicating with the mayor.
“Conversation is not enough; action needs to follow a conversation . . . You still need to have conversations to get to action . . . We’re trying to do our part. It’s inherent and embedded in what MERIT’s about, from why we are called “MERIT” to what we strive to do here and have be our experience. This is something that we feel is not only our responsibility, it’s our privilege to be able to speak out on these things and it’s something that we are doing because we’re passionate about it,” said Sandu.
Local businesses like MERIT Brewing Company are lending their voice to members of marginalized communities in hopes of not only starting a conversation but also demanding action.
The Silhouette has reached out via email to Ontario Craft Brewers and the office of MPP Sam Oosterhoff for comment; however, we have not received a response.
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King William Street is known throughout Hamilton for housing some of the finest restaurants the city has to offer. While the two blocks are great for a night out on the town, there is a lack of grab and go items. Husband and wife duo, Jason and Rachel Hofing, found what it would take to fill this gap. This led to the development of their own coffee/cafe brand.
Before creating one of Hamilton’s premiere coffee roasters, Jason and Rachel lived in Oshawa. While Jason was working full-time at FedEx, Rachel stayed at home to raise their two small children.
“What bothered me was how far away we were from our family and friends. We were on the wrong side of Toronto . . . it came down to quality of life. I wanted our kids to grow up with their cousins and grandparents, for us to feel connected because we are really close with our friends. How do I get my family into the Hamilton area? I saw that a transfer wasn’t happening [but] one of my pickups and deliveries was a coffee roaster in Kingston. So that’s where I started to understand the coffee,” said Jason.
Eventually, Rachel and Jason’s trains of thought intersected.
“The timing was really interesting . . . Around the same time, I’m in Oshawa with the babies and Oshawa Centre would turn their parking lot into a farmers’ market a few days a week. We started caring a lot as a family about “If I’m going to buy vegetables, why wouldn’t I just get it from the farmers at the farmer’s market.” If we’re going to get coffee, why don’t we get it from somewhere where they haven’t sprayed it and people got paid. What can we do that is wholesome, ethical and matters for quality of life for everyone — not just people we can see but right down to my kids — feeding them the right things,” said Rachel.
Jason and Rachel’s roasting brand began in 2008 as Red Hill Coffee Trade, bringing locally roasted, fair-trade, organic beans to cafés and restaurants across Hamilton. Through participation in monthly art crawls and festivals, they were able to develop relationships throughout the community. As a result, the Hofings were able open up a coffee bar in the Hamilton Farmers Market (35 York Blvd.) under a new name, Relay Coffee Roasters.
While the coffee bar was servicing the downtown area, the duo launched a larger coffee shop a couple years later on Concession Street that serviced the Hamilton mountain. Jason kept asking Rachel what was next for Relay, which ultimately led to the conception of their third location.
In comparison to the other establishments on King William Street, Jason and Rachel felt that they could use their third location to create a more casual setting, one that would be welcoming at all times of the day.
Nearly double the size of their previous location, the newest cafe has a large kitchen for salads and sandwiches, made on-site, as well as a coffee roaster tucked away in a small room towards the back of the space. To the Hofings, this space is more than just a coffee shop: it is an experience.
“A compliment I just received from someone was that the environment that has been created here has reduced some of their stress and anxiety because they know that they are cared about and they are encouraged to do their best and it’s not just in their job,” said Jason.
While all of their coffee has come from their roastery on the mountain, Jason’s hope is that he can start roasting small batches of coffee within the King William space as an exclusive.
Relay Coffee Roasters works with fair-trade and organic certified coffee, using coffee beans from approximately six different origins. Each different region gives the coffee a different flavour.
“We look for trusted companies and importers that share the same values that we do,” said Jason.
The process starts off with roasting green coffee beans at 400 degrees fahrenheit. Colours will change from green, yellow, crimson and finally, to brown. At the end of the cycle, the beans are put into an agitator to cool them as quickly as possible and prevent further roasting.
The Hofings have created a warm, inviting space for late night study sessions or small get togethers with friends.
“I think with McMaster, Relay can be a little bit of an escape or that it’s a sense of home,” said Jason. “We want to meet them, we want them to feel great about choosing McMaster and Hamilton and we’d love to get to know them.”
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Tucked away in the basement of the Hamilton Antique Mall (233 Ottawa St. North) is Dollywood Plus Vintage, a vibrant pink, Dolly Parton-bedecked, oasis of vintage fashion and body acceptance. It is owned and operated by Jessie Goyette, who is a vocal advocate for the plus size community. Last year, Goyette organized the Hamilton Plus Size Flea Market and received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
This past summer, Goyette applied for a booth in the Hamilton Antique Mall. She was accepted almost immediately, and she says the response has been incredible.
“I had people coming in and buying up everything. I had people messaging me, telling me how this is something that they’ve never seen before or been a part of and how there’s no spaces explicitly for plus size people that are run by independent folks in Hamilton, or even in the area in general. Especially focusing on vintage. That pushed me to keep doing it,” said Goyette.
While the body positive movement is slowly gaining traction, there are still many spaces that do not offer options for plus sized people. Having to choose from a tiny selection of ill-fitting clothing is all too common, particularly for anyone looking to express themselves through fun and innovative fashion. Additionally, having only plus-sized options reinforces the narrative that plus sized bodies should be hidden away. Dollywood Plus Vintage looks to battle that narrative through body acceptance and positivity.
“It isn’t just about clothes, and selling clothes. It’s about paying attention to a group of people that are just as deserving to express themselves the way they want to, and embody themselves in whatever way they choose,” said Goyette.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1RTIx3HZj3/
For Goyette, body positivity means celebrating plus-size bodies.
“I think fat bodies in particular are often devalued or seen as bad. It’s important to acknowledge that people with fat bodies are desirable and worthy of anything that anybody else with a body is. Regardless of their health, regardless of how you whether or not you perceive them to be living healthy or not, that doesn’t matter. I think it’s a human right to be able to express yourself and feel comfortable with who you are, and not be made to feel uncomfortable about the space you take up with your body,” said Goyette.
Going forward, Goyette plans to expand beyond clothing. Zines, buttons, patches and stickers are all in progress.
“I want to have different types of media, literature and art that explicitly speak to the experience of plus sized people in Hamilton,” said Goyette. She hopes that this will foster a sense of community and acceptance that isn’t always easy to find.
Dollywood Plus Vintage itself is bright and happy. Any spots not filled with unique clothes are covered with pictures of Dolly Parton, the Grammy award-winning country singer. The VHS copy of Steel Magnolias rests next to zines and patches. Goyette says that Parton’s song “Wildflowers” in particular speaks to her.
“Wildflowers are still really beautiful despite them not being the norm. They have the capacity to thrive and to overcome anything, regardless of where they are. That, to me, was something that carried over to the fat experience. Much like the wildflower, fat bodies are beautiful in their own way and are dynamic and able to bounce back from anything that society might throw at them,” said Goyette.
Dollywood Plus Vintage has only just begun, and if the initial response is anything to judge by, it will be around for a very long time. Goyette hopes that one day we will live in a world where there’s no need to have an article about a plus sized store because, hopefully by then, it will be so normal. Until then, Goyette’s store can be found in the basement of the Hamilton Antique Mall at stall 01L, and is well worth a look.
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