Paul Backewich recently relocated to Hastings County and built a new house near Madoc. In this episode of the I Left The City Show, Paul describes why he left the big city and chose Hastings County as his new home. I Left The City Show · Paul Backewich – Architect – Episode 36 Want …
Zach Reid returned to Hastings County after living elsewhere and decided to open a new business, Align Coffee. In this episode of the I Left The City Show, Zach describes his business and how fast he notices Hastings County is growing due to a better cost of living. I Left The City Show · Zach …
The Planning and Development Department of Hastings County is pleased to announce its new Small Business Coordinator, Christine McLean.
Entrepreneur Hannah Cowell turned the challenging experience of job loss into an opportunity to open a business related to a personal passion. My mental health is something that has always been an uphill battle for me. Anxiety is something that I deal with on a daily basis. My dad would always be able to tell …
After a long journey of self-discovery, Mozhdeh Nikmanesh sought a new home in Bancroft, inspired by the natural surroundings and the supportive community.
From a small office in Madoc, Theresa Bailey dreamed big. She is a homegrown entrepreneur of Hastings County in the true sense, having been raised in Madoc, now working her magic with her Hastings-based company, Starfish Synergies. Theresa is a well-established name in the community and beyond, for her skills in facilitating team engagement through …
Susan Lewis recently made the move to Hastings County from the big city and opened her new business, the Emerald Earring on September 16, 2021. In this episode of the I Left The City Show, Susan describes the authenticity of the people, and the friendly welcoming she has received, as just a couple of reasons …
At a roadside restaurant in Gilmour, about halfway between Bancroft and Madoc on Highway 62, there’s a sign above the cash that reads, “The secret ingredient is always love.” This statement is certainly true for entrepreneur Maggie Thrasher, co-owner of the newly opened Rustic Roadside Restaurant. The warmth a customer feels when entering her establishment …
Coffee, comfort food and good conversation at Rustic Roadside Restaurant Read More »
Headquartered in Marmora & Lake, Janice Chrysler started Mindful Journey to assist others in awakening spirituality in all aspects of their life. Having grown up in Hastings County she could live anywhere else in the world, but describes why Hastings is a great place to live and run her business as a Spiritual Growth Facilitator. …
Wendy Mortimer officially opened the newly renovated Coe Hill Grocery Store this past week. Mortimer is a local organic farmer who settled in Coe Hill in 2017. The community now has a bigger store with a different focus, more selection and more organic produce.
Sarah Skinner remembers the moment she knew Canada was meant to be her new home.She and her husband Rob had just finished a 12-date tour in 2015, performing as the Red Dirt Skinners, during an 18-day stint on Canadian soil. Between the warmth of the people, the gorgeous scenery, and what Sarah says were 12 …
Talented musical duo Red Dirt Skinners Love Life in Hastings County Read More »
In the quaint community of Madoc lies a boutique bakery that cherishes carefully crafted, old-fashioned baking. Hastings County’s Hidden Goldmine Bakery is a family-owned business that has mastered traditional, preservative-free dessert recipes. Hidden Goldmine Bakery is run by the Freeman family, and they have successfully translated their family’s passion for baking into a rapidly growing …
“What I’m building here feels like a calling. What I’m building is my dream, but it’s also a dream I want to share with people,” she said. “I think everyone is a creator, so it really is open to anyone who wants to think creatively.”
The joy and spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Tweed at a new holiday vendor market just opened for the season. Frost House, located on Jamieson Street in the village, welcomes customers with a vintage, old-fashioned Christmas vibe, with holiday music playing on a retro record player, antiques from Christmases of the past, and a vast array of local, handmade items.
A fourth-generation farming business, Enright Cattle Co. sits on a 95-acre parcel of land, where Kara, Darold and their children, Corben and Evelyn, take great pride in operating an environmentally-friendly operation where the well-being of the land and the animals that inhabit it is the priority.
Crafting a successful marketing and consulting business in a rural village has proven itself to be incredibly rewarding. After busy careers in the city, both Andrew and Katrina looked for a place to relocate where they could enjoy work-at-home careers and spend quality time with their children.
Off the beaten path in Tweed is a quiet vineyard, where rows and rows of sweet, dark grapes glisten in the autumn sun, ready for picking. Potter Settlement Winery, just north of the village, boasts 13 acres and 13 different varieties of grapes, all hand-grown and hand-cultivated by Sandor Johnson and his small team of staff, including his partner Erin Reitav.
Making the move from the city to a rural community has meant a change in scenery, but also a shift in clientele. Lucas says shoppers who pop into the store love that the product isn’t something to be found in a box store.
The sweet smell of old-fashioned candy lingers in the air at the Stirling General Mercantile. It’s a place you can’t help but feel nostalgic as you browse through dozens of different treats that bring back memories of childhood.
Limerick Lake is a unique body of water. Although it has 75 miles of shoreline, the entire lake has less than 160 cottages, many of which have been passed down through family generations since the 1920s and 1930s. The lake is quiet, pristine and mostly untouched, with no new builds since 1980. The reason? Limerick Lake is only accessible by boat.
“I love it. Honestly, it was always my dream to own retail,” she said, “And here I get to create the culture and environment of the business.”
A few years ago, Angie Smith found inspiration on a trip to New Brunswick. While visiting the rural community of St. Andrews, she stumbled upon an old-fashioned candy store. It reminded her of her childhood in Madoc when the community had a thriving bulk food store.
Located just south of Bancroft, Grail Springs Retreat is quietly hidden among the trees, known as a place where guests experience holistic wellness getaways in the serenity and calm of nature.
“It was never in my wildest dreams to ever create something like this,” said Grail Springs founder Madeleine Marentette, adding she originally attended college with an eye for design – a passion that is quite obvious in the unique architecture of the buildings at Grail Springs.
Over time, however, Marentette’s interest in wellness and holistic healing grew. She began a journey learning about yoga, meditation and self-awareness. It was from those experiences that her retreat was cultivated.
Ask Sandra Vanattan what she loves about living and working in a rural community and she’ll tell you in one word: “Everything.” It’s the personal relationships built with customers, the short commute to work, and the small-town ambiance that you can’t find in a larger city centre. Read more about why Sandra enjoys working and living in the rural community of Marmora & Lake, Ontario.
When they couldn’t bring the people to the barbecue, Barn and Country Catering decided to bring the barbecue to the people instead. The Stirling-based catering company was forced to cancel or reschedule more than 50 events in 2020 due to the pandemic. But, instead of calling the season a loss, the family put their heads …
The new Hastings Trailblazer Series celebrates our pioneers who excel in their industries, and who thrive on thinking outside of the box and being innovative. They have community as a deep-rooted value that lends to their success, and being authentic, yet anything but ordinary, is what they strive to achieve. Hastings is proud to be home to …
Meet RO and JO. Ro and Jo is Rosannah and Joseph Penner. They created their business in 2017 at their home located in Bancroft, ON. This young entrepreneurial and creative couple like to create art that is functional. Their bags are hand painted, screen printed and include genuine leather accents. Visit their website to see some …
Meet Ro and Jo, Entrepreneurial & Creative Couple Crafting Functional Art Read More »
What have you been working on lately? For this period of my life it’s more like, “What haven’t you been working on lately!” In addition to being a Shopify Partner and Expert, I build websites and manage marketing campaigns for corporate clients throughout North America. I’m also helping the Business Improvement Association (BIA) in Stirling …
Meet Dionne Baker, a Digital Professional Who Left The City for a Refreshed Pace of Life Read More »
There’s a new business in town! A large crowd gathered at the new 7/62 Craft Brewers in Madoc on Saturday, October 19, 2019 to celebrate their grand opening! 7/62 Brewery was founded by Scott Williams and Al Shaw. Together they are making “wildly authentic” and delicious craft beer right here in Hastings! To hear their story first-hand, you …
Tell me a little about yourself – where are you from originally and what do you do? Our names are Kees Morsink and Margaret Van Helvoort and we’ve been married for over 30 years. Kees is a Gemologist by trade and Margaret used to be a Nurse. Before moving to Stirling we had a couple …
Jess and Nate Rogers are yoga studio owners who left the city and created a more balanced life here in Hastings County. Here’s their story … Tell us a little about yourselves – where are you from originally and what do you do? Jess – I was born in Scarborough but spent most of my childhood in …
Meet Jessica & Nathan Rogers, Building a Balanced Flow as Owners of Creekside Yoga Read More »
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Visitors often ask about the building and it’s name, Quinn’s of Tweed. In fact, tradition dictates that we keep, with honour, the name Quinn’s of Tweed, the original name of the store and building. The Quinn’s of Tweed building is one of the town’s oldest and most beautiful historic stone structures, dating back to the 1880s. The twelve foot walls allow us to hang paintings in the traditional French salon style. You’ll marvel at the craftmanship of the ash and maple staircase, the old bookeeper’s office, and the stained glass that brings one back to an era when a handshake and promise were as good as gold – today, we still believe in those principles.
Charles Frederick McGowan sold the lot in 1907 to William James Lawrence for $600.00. Shortly thereafter Mr. Lawrence erected the building which still stands there today. He conducted a furniture business until 1912, when he sold the property to the Traders’ Bank of Canada, which within the year, was taken over by the Royal Bank of Canada. It operated out of the building until 1942, when the war forced consolidations and closures due to a lack of tellers (men). The property changed hands a couple more times before local Tweed family, Gaylord Forest Products secured the property in 2003. Since then, they have evolved every inch of the interior into an experience. Each room throughout the building is a real life ‘showroom’ from top to bottom; you simply have to see it to believe it. The stairwell in particular holds a lot of history!
Experience the charm of our 1906 mansion, nestled in the village of Marmora, Ontario, an historic town celebrating 200 years in 2021. The large and stately home was built by Ed Shannon for lumber baron Henry Reginald Pearce (known as “Reginald”) and his family, who purchased the lot for $200. It remained a private family dwelling for many decades and eventually was converted to a Bed and Breakfast by Chris and Lilly Boldly.
It now operates as Marmora And Lake Inn B&B and boasts beautiful, spacious bedrooms with quaint old-world craftsmanship for a luxurious stay. Onsite amenities include an exceptional indoor swimming pool, bubbler tub, infrared sauna, large screen SMART TV’s in each room, wireless internet access throughout, and generous sized gathering rooms. And being a small town, the pool is open to the community and friends for a nominal fee (pre-booking is required).
Our guests enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast including locally baked breads and pastries, yogurt and fresh fruit, an extensive beverage and tea/coffee bar featuring a wide variety of flavours and blends. Great outdoor patio area for fair-weather relaxation and large private events.
Whether planning a romantic weekend for two, a small wedding, a family reunion or a week-long visit to bask in the natural beauty of the region, the Marmora And Lake Inn B&B will help make it a time to remember. (Please note that all bedrooms are on the upper levels and we don’t yet have accessibility assist.)
