By Ethan Nella
Whether it is a tranquil and solitary nook to sit down and dip into a new read or simply a quick and efficient source for delving into a research topic, bookstores are generally understood as spaces that primarily serve our needs. As our consumption becomes more confined by the use of algorithms and massive online retailers, many are aghast at the idea of not having that convenience.
However, King West Books, located in the former space of Bryan Prince Bookseller at the corner of Sterling Street and King Street West, is not your typical bookstore. Dave Kuruc, who co-owns the store and its next-door space, Mixed Media, with his wife Terésa Devries, is not a fan of typicality.
[spacer height="20px"]A storied Hamiltonian, Kuruc found his footing on James Street North in 2005, creating the art supply shop Mixed Media, who along with galleries like You Me and Centre 3 for Print and Media Arts, revitalized the quiet North End into the populous, arts-driven cultural hub it is known for today.
After 13 years of downtown life, the duo decided to move business closer to home and family, and coincidentally, right into the former shop of another book store, whose legendary career Kuruc mentions frequently during our time together. Yet for those hoping King West Books will add a little James Street North character to Westdale, this is simply not the case.
“It’s just not possible. What we did there was at a different time, and this time around we’re bringing an established business to an already established neighbourhood. And for a lot of people, you’re only coming to Westdale if you’re a student or if you’re here for a reason, so it doesn’t have that same electricity that James Street had,” explained Kuruc.
Yet just by stepping through the pastel blue storefront, one can see that the same signature touch Kuruc brought to James is still very much alive. The warm and inviting space is filled from floor-to-ceiling with beautiful renditions of classic must-reads, local literature and selections on the history of Hamilton and Indigenous culture. The store also places an emphasis on displaying the books’ art, something Kuruc cultivated from his history in graphic design.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id="148" gal_title="King W. Books"]
“We stock a lot of things we like, and we also stock a lot of things that were part of our life on James Street. We do have fiction and non-fiction areas, but when you start to see the titles, you’ll see a classic next to something you’ve never heard of before. We also have a lot of books on cities and neighbourhoods, so not only the things we love but the things we want you to learn about, but also you’re going to find the weird quirky things you didn’t even know existed,” explained Kuruc.
Although King West Books accepts customer book requests as well, for Kuruc, bookstores should be about discovery. Influenced by older bookshops from his youth and travels around Europe, Kuruc says King West’s constantly changing stock will not always have what you’re looking for, but you’ll more than likely walk away with a new find; a unique experience you wouldn’t get at a popular provider.
Alike his residency at James Street North, Kuruc also believes the new location will connect with the town of Westdale and open up new avenues to foster community and culture. Kuruc mentions that with the eventual opening of the newly renovated Westdale Theatre, there will hopefully be more chances to create events between the two establishments and get people out into the streets.
In the meantime, Kuruc has already set up King West Book’s first literature reading. The space will be the scene of a book launch for esteemed Hamilton poet John Terpstra’s new collection Daylight in Chedoke, taking place on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. Kuruc is excited to expose more people to local artists, something he feels honoured to be able to mediate at his new space.
“I think we take Hamilton for granted and that there are stories here and writers who are sharing those stories with us, yet we don’t know them. I think when you know a bit more about your city, there’s more of a connection. Whether it’s in a book or face-to-face over the counter, I think that’s a big part of being in this role here,” said Kuruc.
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By Lilian Obeng
Two weeks ago, students and alumni gathered in the streets of Westdale and Ainslie Wood to celebrate McMaster’s Homecoming. After the incident known colloquially as “Dalewoodstock” took place in 2017, residents and university administration were keen to avoid repeating the levels property damage. The McMaster Students Union president also participated in the university’s promotional campaign dissuading students from partaking in the extremes of party culture.
Also two weeks ago, McMaster went viral. A clip of a girl being knocked down, and subsequently trampled by a mounted police officer began to make the rounds on social media. The video was so clear that news outlets such as CBC Hamilton picked it up. The immediate response to the video was to brush the incident off as a moment of drunken hilarity, but this occurrence sheds light on the evolving relationship between the MSU and law enforcement — specifically to the detriment of students.
We have arrived. #homecoming @McMasterU #makegooddecisions pic.twitter.com/VbO9AvUgnW
— HPS Mounted Patrol (@HPSMounted) September 15, 2018
In preparation of Homecoming, the university administration, McMaster Parking & Security Services and the MSU all meet to discuss and determine strategies for deterring improper conduct.
With this in mind, the increased policing of students appeared inevitable. Since St. Patrick’s Day of 2016 — at the very least — police officers have been contracted by the university for additional security. ACTION officers have been consistently and increasingly patrolling the Westdale area whenever celebratory, or potentially inflammatory, occasions take place, often with horses.
[spacer height="20px"]Initially, there was a half-hearted attempt by dispersed student groups to call attention to the increased policing going on at McMaster. In spite of the MSU’s purported dissatisfaction with the situation, this issue was shelved. Subsequent board of directors failed to recognize the danger this presented to all racialized people at McMaster.
The push towards policing was spurred on by our Ward 1 councillor Aidan Johnson.
Johnson, who is not seeking reelection in October, ran on a platform of deliberately increasing police presence on ‘student streets.’ He also expressed support for hiring Mohawk students to help patrol the Ainslie Woods and Westdale neighbourhoods — an idea that the city and McMaster are not in opposition to.
Why does any of this matter? Essentially, students are being used as an ‘easy’ source of revenue — a concerning fact when financial security is tenuous for many of us. Students are ticketed at such a disproportionate rate that the MSU must roll out multiple by-law education campaigns. We are also deliberately exposing vulnerable populations to uncritical surveillance.
The fact of the matter is that certain groups in our society have been historically disenfranchised by law enforcement. Heightened police presence is an inherent threat and a reminder of the power dynamics present in Hamilton.
It is plausible that our student leaders were unaware of this history, but ignorance is an insufficient excuse when police officers unnecessarily parade horses through students and cause bodily harm. We as students have forgotten our initial outrage, and allowed ourselves to uncritically parrot back the talking points of out-of-touch administrators. Our MSU president, however inadvertently, used her image to promote the policing of students and advance the university’s public relations campaign. This doubly highlights the need for the MSU to find ways to retain institutional memory. Our advocacy needs to be much stronger than this.
Ultimately, the response to Homecoming was overblown. We as students empathize with the desire the City of Hamilton, residents and the university has to contain rowdy, disruptive teenagers. We should wholeheartedly reject the notion that the solution lies in policing.
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In about a month, cities all over Ontario will hold their municipal election, elections which will dictate the political landscape for these cities for years to come. The results of this election can bring all sorts of changes to the neighbourhood and yet the city offers little to students to participate, further exemplifying that the city of Hamilton doesn’t care about McMaster students.
Voting stations are scattered all throughout Westdale and Ainslie Wood, mostly at churches and public schools. The voting station for McMaster University’s address, 1280 Main Street West, is at Binkley Church, which is 1570 Main Street West, far away from any major student residences.
For first-year students living in on-campus residence, putting a voting station on campus would not only allow them to vote with ease, but it would also help foster an interest in municipal politics and stress the importance of participating in the electoral process at all levels of government.
It’s not as if having a voting station on campus is unheard of; during the 2015 federal election, McMaster University had a voting station which allowed students to vote on campus. I was a first-year student at the time, and I distinctly remember my classmates excitedly voting for the first time because of the convenience.
There is also little evidence of any sort of outreach program by the city. There has not been any major social media campaigns promoting the election and outside of some postering in Westdale and Ainslie Wood, there is no trace of the election in these neighbourhoods outside of candidate campaigning. The McMaster Students Union has launched its usual voting campaigns, but the job of getting students invested in municipal politics should not fall on the student union.
The Municipal Election is Monday, October 22 - in addition, there are 5 ADVANCE poll dates available for voters. Full Election details: https://t.co/tt4eeHHe9x. #HamOnt #HamiltonVotes18 pic.twitter.com/4rcLntjLa1
— City of Hamilton (@cityofhamilton) September 20, 2018
McMaster students time and time again prove that they’re politically engaged; we consistently have one of the highest voter turnouts for our student union elections and have a multitude of candidates at every level of student politics. There are even two recent McMaster graduates running in the municipal election.
The city of Hamilton has a contentious relationship with McMaster students, as evidenced by their rather extreme reaction to last year’s Homecoming block party in Westdale. During the whole frenzy surrounding that event, the city seemed to have forgot that the party was immediately cleaned up the next day by a group of volunteers.
This year, the city of Hamilton increased policing in student neighbourhoods, despite there being little evidence of such a party happening again.
Compared to other universities, such as Queen’s University and the University of Western Ontario, McMaster students are downright boring. Could you imagine the number of volunteers that would be necessary to clean up Western’s FoCo or any other similar event? McMaster volunteers were able to clean up Dalewood Street in a single Sunday.
McMaster students are an important part of the Westdale and Ainslie Wood community, and yet they are blamed for issues like landlord negligence, made obvious through the city’s decision to increase by-law policing in Ward 1, despite multiple students pointing out that by-law maintenance usually falls under the landlord’s jurisdiction.
The city of Hamilton does little to limit the movement of talent away from their city, and instead antagonizes students. Putting voting stations on campus would not only allow more students to vote in this upcoming election, it would also act as an act of good faith; the city offering an olive branch in the form of the electoral process.
Like a lot of McMaster students, I enjoy living in Hamilton. It’s been my home for over three years now and I would prefer to stay here when I graduate. But the city’s failure to even attempt to engage young people in municipal politics only illustrates that our voices are not important to them. If the city expects students to stay in Hamilton, they’re going to have to completely revamp their approach to municipal elections.
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It seems that the break-ins that have plagued Westdale since early August have officially reached Ainslie Wood East. On Sept. 25, one group of students living in that neighbourhood woke up around 4:30 a.m. to find an intruder, who quickly escaped.
The affected students reached out to the Silhouette, hoping to share their story given the recent prowling incidents that have occurred sporadically over the last few weeks. They have asked to stay anonymous for their safety.
Be Aware #Hamont especially in #Westdale! Stay Safe!https://t.co/CumC5Wppnx @McMaster @cityofhamilton @VillageWestdale
— Paul Glendenning (@SilentHowls) September 1, 2018
CORRECTION: a previous version of this article erroneously stated that the break-in occurred in Ainslie Wood North, when it occurred in Ainslie Wood East.
[spacer height="20px"]Although no one was assaulted, slash marks were found on the bottom and sides of a few window screens on the house, which Hamilton Police indicated to the occupants as the M.O of the Westdale attacker. As of now, the occupants of the home have not noticed any major items missing, indicating no theft.
It should be noted that there is no clear link as of yet to the Westdale attacker outside the slash marks.
Police arrived on the scene within minutes of the initial 911 call but were not able to catch the perpetrator.
This story will be updated if any relevant information is made available. Please call 911 in the case of any emergency.
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By Daniella Mikanovsky
A string of prowling incidents and break-ins stretching from Aug. 2018 to Sept. 11 continues to rock Westdale. In the wake of these events, students and organizations on campus have been stepping up their advocacy for landlord accountability in the community.
The first incident occurred on Aug. 3, when an intruder broke into the second story window of McMaster Integrated Science student Connor MacLean’s home. After the incident, MacLean and his roommates called their landlords.
“We felt unsafe in that house, so the landlords agreed to put in motion lights. A month later, there was still nothing. We ended up buying our own motion lights, our own security camera, and we installed it ourselves,” MacLean explained. “Safety should not be the student’s responsibility alone. The landlords need to be the first people looking out for that.”
Shemar Hackett, associate vice president of municipal affairs on for the McMaster Students Union, is planning to tackle the issue of unaccountable landlords. The committee he leads is focused on improving off-campus life for students, including housing safety.
One initiative the committee hopes to implement is the Landlord Licencing System, a city-run program that would fund annual housing inspections and certify that any tenant complaints are taken seriously. This system would encourage landlord responsibility, with the goal being for students to have safety features in their homes, including functioning locks on all windows and doors.
An additional initiative that the committee has been undertaking is a Landlord Rating System, which will exist as an online forum for students to rate and report their housing units. Similar to the website Rate My Professor, this website could incentivize landlords to take responsibility when maintaining their houses.
“Once the website gains traction and students begin to report their experiences, irresponsible landlords will begin to see a decline in students seeking their properties. In return, students should see safer living conditions as landlords are now motivated to upkeep their rental units, which increases the quality of living for students and ensures their safety,” said Hackett.
With a host website confirmed, Hackett expects to have the program available for student use in the new year.
There are also programs on campus available for students who feel a lack of security. For instance, a skill students may want to acquire is self-defense. McMaster Athletics and Recreation is offering two 10-week classes for “Krav Maga Self-Defense” this fall.
It is worth noting that “Women’s Self-Defense” has not been scheduled this term. The Athletics and Recreation department is facing difficulty with locating a space for this class due to the renovations occuring in the David Braley Athletic Centre. Although classes may return in the winter term, in light of the Westdale break-ins, the lack of classes may be a significant issue.
For female students who are looking for a women’s-only class, the Equity and Inclusion Office may offer it. Pilar Michaud, director of human rights and dispute resolution at the EIO, explains that in the past, the EIO ran a women’s self-defense workshop.
Michaud also points to several other services available to students, including Meagan Ross, McMaster’s sexual violence response coordinator, the MSU’s Women and Gender Equity Network and Good2Talk, a free and confidential 24/7 helpline that offers professional support for university students in Ontario.
Just a friendly reminder that Good2Talk is a 24/7 Confidential Helpline for post-secondary students. Call 1-866-925-5454 or visit https://t.co/TERu6Z9JUe #MentalHealthMatters
— OUSA (@OUSAhome) February 1, 2018
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By Daniella Mikanovsky
*This article contains discussions of sexual assault*
Over the last few weeks, approximately 12 prowling incidents have occurred in the Westdale student neighborhood. In at least eight of the 12 cases, female students were directly targeted.
In the early hours of Aug. 3, fourth-year Integrated Science student Connor MacLean awoke to his roommate’s screams. An intruder entered their Sterling Street student house through a second story window, sexually assaulting MacLean’s roommate in her sleep. The intruder quickly escaped, marking the first incident in a series of break-ins and prowlers that have shaken Westdale since.
The following evening, just a few blocks away, McMaster alumna Nicole Clarke was relaxing in her basement room after a shower when she heard rustling in the hallway. She called out believing it was her mother. When the person ran up the stairs and out of their Haddon Avenue North family home, however, Clarke realized that that was not the case.
In both incidents, valuables were in clear sight, but nothing was stolen. At MacLean’s student house, the intruder reached over a laptop on the bed in order to assault the student. At Clarke’s home, the intruder walked past a television on his way to the basement.
The incidents did not stop there. Three weeks passed quietly, but on Aug. 28, a 21-year-old student woke up and saw a person standing in her bedroom. As soon as she screamed, the intruder ran down the stairs and out the front door.
Classes began. With them, another incident. On Sept. 4, a man attempted to enter a house at Paisley and Haddon. The girl living inside the house caught him prying a screen window off. She called the police.
The Hamilton Police have increased their presence in the area since. Nevertheless, as of yet, nobody has been caught in connection to the crimes, and it is too early for them to be connected.
On Sept. 7, McMaster Daily News released a statement reminding students to take precautions to protect themselves.
Given the recent incidents in the Westdale community, we wanted to provide @McMasterU @MSU_McMaster students with some important safety tips. Remember, don't wait to call police. If you see a crime in progress, call 911 immediately #HamOnt pic.twitter.com/rhQTHC1Zvc
— Hamilton Police (@HamiltonPolice) September 7, 2018
“McMaster University has shared alerts about some recent concerning incidents in Hamilton’s Westdale neigbourhood. As Hamilton Police Services continue their investigation, the McMaster community is reminded of some steps to take for safety and security, as well as some available support services and resources,” read part of the statement.
It should be noted that all the break-ins occurred through unlocked windows or doors.
“I think it is very important that students stay vigilant and look out for each other. When we come home, we lock all of our doors as soon as we get in. Lock all your windows. You can get pieces of wood and put them in the sliding track of your window so that even if it is unlocked, they can't open it from the outside,” said MacLean.
On campus, there are a number of resources available to students who feel unsafe or at risk. For instance, the McMaster Students’ Union Student Walk Home Attendant Team is available every night of the week from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Sowmya Karthikeyan, SWHAT Coordinator, suggests that students should utilize the service whenever they need it.
“If you're here with a couple of your friends, we can definitely walk in groups and drop people off individually,” said Karthikeyan. “In one walk we can drop all those people off, at that time we're connected directly to McMaster Security.”
Using SWHAT’s service in groups allows student volunteers to help more students reach their homes safely in shorter periods of time.
The university also has several support systems in place. In particular, students who have been affected by sexual violence or are worried for their safety during this time are encouraged to contact Meaghan Ross, the sexual violence response coordinator at the Equity and Inclusion Office.
Students living in the Westdale area should report any suspicious activity to the Hamilton Police and McMaster Security. They can provide anonymous information with Crime Stoppers Hamilton. In the cases of emergency, students should contact 911.
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If you’ve been to Kuma’s Candy at some point this year, you probably found your feet slowing down outside its new neighbour next door. One glance at the bright yellow door and big windows of Nannaa Persian Eatery could make almost anyone want to step inside.
The décor is a special element of the experience at the eatery. The modern, youthful vibe will surely attract hungry students and elements that celebrate Westdale will appeal to the community at large. Along one wall, there is artwork purchased from the Westdale Cinema’s fundraiser to get the theatre reopened.
Restaurant owner, Mohammad Emami, wants Nannaa Eatery to become a part of the community. He grew up in nearby Dundas and has several friends and family members who attended McMaster University.
“We wanted to be very close to McMaster. This is a fast-causal concept… so it's people who want good quality food, but not necessarily have a full sit-down meal and have to wait for service. And you know with students, with the hospital being there, with the movie theater being next door… Being here really fit,” he explained.
The most eye-catching details of the restaurant are those that reflect Persian culture. Along one wall, there is artwork from a Persian comedian, based off the work of famous Persian poet, Rumi. At the back of the restaurant, there is a graphic of a deconstructed Persian rug hanging from the wall to the floor.
However, some of the most impressive pieces are right when you walk into the restaurant. Along one wall, a series of plates are hanging and, on the other wall, there is a huge mural of an ancient Persian marketplace.
“Persians are very artistic. [These are] all hand-hammered plates that come from a city in Iran called Isfahan, where a lot of…creativity comes [from]. You have people in a marketplace that will hammer it in front of you. So we definitely wanted to have that authentic element in here,” explained Emami.
The culture is not only represented with the art, but also with the music and the staff uniform. The restaurant’s playlist will feature a variety of Persian music for customers to enjoy, alongside some English-language music. Phrases like “nooshe jan” are featured on the staff t-shirts, with the translation ‘bon appétit’ underneath.
All of this is simply the backdrop to the restaurant’s mission: to put Persian food on the map. Emami wants to see Persian food become more widely consumed.
“You'll see other types of Middle Eastern food, you'll see Chinese food, Indian food has grown. We are one of two or three Persian restaurants west of Toronto. So we want that exposure to happen. I think it's about time,” he said.
Customers from all backgrounds will be able to find something that they enjoy on the menu. A section of the menu is dedicated to twists combining Persian with non-Persian dishes, such as the koobideh poutine, olvieh baguette and pulled lamb tacos. There are also more traditional Persian menu items, such as bademjoon stew and dahl addas, a curry-like potato, cauliflower and lentil stew. Several gluten-free and vegetarian options are also available.
Emami’s passion for food stems from his mother’s cooking. It inspired him to open Burlington restaurant, Rayhoon Persian Eatery and now Nannaa. He realized when he was growing up that you don’t have to be Persian to enjoy Persian food.
“I was born in Iran, but I didn't grow up in Iran. So one of the major connections I have with Iran is the food because it was consistent in my life with my mom's cooking. [T]hen my friends who were non-Persian would come over, have the food, and they loved it.”
Emami’s mission also includes a desire for people to learn something about Persian culture. He believes that connecting through good food is one of the best ways to do that.
“[I]f you go to Iran to visit on vacation, everyone is very welcoming. You can't walk into a house where they won't offer you food constantly–you can't say no, it's rude to say no. So it's not only about the food, it's about the culture, it's about the hospitality as well,” he explained.
Whether you’ve grown up with Persian food or want to try it for the first time, Nannaa Persian Eatery has opened its doors to welcome all of Westdale and beyond.
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On Sept. 27, city council approved spending as much as $500,000 on a bid to host Amazon’s second headquarters. The city will contribute $250,000 and private donors will contribute $250,000.
This was already a pipedream given competition such as Toronto, Vancouver and major US cities are able to spend $2 million on their bids and Hamilton fails to satisfy such Amazon preferences as “[m]etropolitan areas with more than one million people.” Since announcing their intentions, the city has also managed to demonstrate failure when it comes to other aspects of the bid.
Following the events of homecoming and the related street wide party on Dalewood Avenue, city council, with only ward 3 councillor Matthew Green and ward 15 councillor Judi Partridge opposing, passed a motion for additional bylaw officers be added to the Westdale and Ainsile Wood areas. These two neighbourhoods surround McMaster University.
This motion was forward by ward 1 councillor Aidan Johnson, who is the current representative of the boundries where the university and neighbouring areas are located. He argued that the program is necessary to improve the hygiene of the area and the enforcement of law in the area.
This knee-jerk reaction continues to pull at a few much larger issues. Instead of working with the student union for a non-punitive, educational and restorative approach to bylaw management, as proposed by vice president (Education) Ryan Deshpande and associate vice president of municipal affairs Stephanie Bertolo, the city simply decided that lip service to get students to pay more fines was better than actively working towards solutions.
With the issues about student retention in Hamilton coming up every so often, you would think the city would at least try to improve on this when this is a core part of the Amazon bid.
It explicitly states that Amazon has a preference for, “Urban or suburban locations with the potential to attract and retain strong technical talent,” and that, “A highly educated labor pool is critical and a strong university system is required.” Hamilton has demonstrated their intention to do neither.
Green stated that the bylaw management program unfairly targets students, sends a bad message for the city wanting to retain graduates and stigmatizes the population. He is right.
While I respect the fact that something had to be done, this particular effort and the way it was conducted disrespected the student body. Though our student representatives had strong enough points for city councillors to concede to, they were ultimately fruitless in changing the vote or even delaying it to find better solutions.
Hamilton had an opportunity to move forward in their efforts to retain students by at least pretending to care about the perspectives of the McMaster population, and could barely be bothered to try. The city has a significant way to go to even hope to compete for Amazon.
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https://www.facebook.com/TheMcMasterSilhouette/videos/10155551102005987/
Full article is located here: https://www.thesil.ca/dog-joes-rebrand
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The Westdale community and feel remained consistent over most of the decade that My Dog Joe has been around for. A hotspot for students, locals and travelers alike, Westdale, and especially My Dog Joe, has served the people of Hamilton faithfully.
However, times are changing. The area has seen changes to its identity. Best represented by the crowdfunding initiative for revitalizing the local theatre, Westdale has had to adjust and adapt to the changing times.
“I’ve been a new owner here for about a year or so, and we’ve tried changing a couple things and gauging customer feedback and what people are really into and what kinds of things they might want.”
Jeff Groat
Owner-operator of My Dog Joe
My Dog Joe is the next candidate on the list to receive changes while respecting its historical significance. In this case, it is not changing for the sake of survival, but because the opportunity is there.
Jeff Groat, owner-operator of My Dog Joe, explained that the feedback of the community has been a driving factor when it comes to the rebrand.
“I’ve been a new owner here for about a year or so, and we’ve tried changing a couple things and gauging customer feedback and what people are really into and what kinds of things they might want.”
This feedback resulted in the idea of doing a complete overhaul. New equipment for the kitchen, adjustments to the interior and exterior and a new menu are all part of the efforts. It may look completely different by the next time you see it.
https://www.facebook.com/TheMcMasterSilhouette/videos/10155551102005987/
With all of these changes, My Dog Joe remains grounded in how important it has been for people. One of the recent promotions done to remind themselves of that was having members of the community write down responses to, “What does My Dog Joe mean to you?” on blank cups, and gaining even more feedback.
Groat’s interpretation of My Dog Joe is centered on the Westdale community.
“I think it’s taking pride in the Westdale community. It’s being a good neighbour.”
His drive forward and the renovations are not only about Westdale feedback, however. When asked about his experience and his personal motivations, he explained his history in British Columbia. His favourite memory working in a restaurant had to do with a truffle the head chef made at home with a friend and brought into the restaurant.
“Normally, I hate chocolate mint, but this truffle tasted fantastic. It was just this beautiful, fresh mint flavour and nice chocolate. Really well made. And I remembered tasting this thing and just being like, ‘Wow, this is so good. How can I do this?’”
What Groat hopes to bring to Westdale are not only adjustments based on feedback from the community and the overhaul to its visual design while respecting its history, but also unforgettable food to pass along that memory.
“I feel like that sort of experience is informing what we want to do here with My Dog Joe. ... Offering baked goods and food and stuff that you can’t get anywhere else. You remember that experience if it’s your first time coming. If it’s not, you come back specifically for that thing because you know it and love it.”
Groat hopes that the renovations will be completed by the end of the Provincial Day long weekend in August.
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