Your connection to business news in Orangeville
Love, Orangeville tourism brand launches
The Town of Orangeville has created a new way to engage with visitors. The tourism brand – Love, Orangeville – was launched on January 26, establishing a foundation for all communications and promotions related to tourism in Orangeville. The new brand will support the Town’s development as a tourism destination by creating a consistent and authentic way to attract visitors and engage with the community.

“Love, Orangeville was selected for its potential to create real conversations between Orangeville’s visitors and the community,” said Ruth Phillips, Manager of Economic Development and Culture. “Our research showed us that Orangeville’s tourism experience is hand-crafted by the people of Orangeville. This brand represents the Town’s genuine intention to provide visitors with a distinctly Orangeville experience -- one that is human, friendly, sincere, and filled with heart.”

The completion of a destination branding exercise was identified as a priority action in the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan adopted in January 2021. “Orangeville’s tourism sector is a vital contributor to our local economy and it needs our support, now more than ever,” said Councillor Joe Andrews, Chair of the Business and Economic Development Advisory Committee. “The “Love, Orangeville” brand is an important tool that will remind residents about our community’s many attributes while promoting our shops, restaurants, activities, and attractions to visitors.”

To see the new tourism brand, visitors and residents can visit www.loveorangeville.ca and follow @orangevilletourism on Facebook and Instagram.
Town announces revitalization of downtown through partnership with My Main Street
To support small businesses in the downtown, the Town of Orangeville has launched the Local Business Accelerator program through My Main Street and led by the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO). The program is a data-driven community economic development initiative focused on supporting main streets with a healthy retail mix while providing residents, new entrepreneurs, and existing businesses with economic opportunities in their main street community. Businesses and entrepreneurs in Orangeville’s downtown will have access to a dedicated Main Street Ambassador who will provide insight and support to downtown area ventures.

Christine Hann, the Main Street Ambassador, will be working over the next year to help grow existing businesses and welcome new entrepreneurs to the area. As a part of the Local Business Accelerator program, Orangeville business owners in the downtown may be eligible for detailed market research, data analysis, wrap-around business supports, and more. 
 
In addition to the services of a dedicated Main Street Ambassador, five existing businesses and five new businesses within Orangeville’s downtown will be eligible to apply for up to $10,000 in non-repayable contributions to assist them in starting or growing their businesses. The program will help to create a more robust downtown area. 
 
For more information on the Local Business Accelerator program, contact Christine at chann@orangeville.ca 519-939-8106 and visit www.mymainstreet.ca/accelerator-program.
Hear from hospitality industry expert Donald Burns on May 4
Businesses within the tourism industry, including the hospitality, arts, and retail sectors, have been hard-hit by the COVID pandemic and rebuilding efforts will require new business processes. From strengthening your business culture to improving profitability, creating the ideal customer experience will be key to future success.

Join us on Wednesday, May 4 as Donald Burns, The Restaurant Coach™ and leading authority in the hospitality industry talks about the secrets to thriving in a post-pandemic economy.

With over 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry as a restaurant owner, consultant, and executive chef for Wolfgang Puck, Donald Burns is a sought-after advisor in the areas of leadership, branding, social media marketing, culture, operations, team development, behavioral dynamics, productivity, and peak performance. His message can be applied to operators throughout the tourism industry.

The online event will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and there is no fee to register. A complimentary copy of one of Donald Burns’ informative books will be available for pick up following the event. Please register by Monday, May 2 to reserve your spot.
Summer Company applications now open
Summer Company is a youth entrepreneurial program that has helped dozens of area students get a start in small business. Offered by the Orangeville & Area SBEC in partnership with the Province of Ontario, Summer Company is open to eligible students wishing to start-up and run their own summer businesses.

The program provides:
  • training and business skills development to help youth create business plans and run their own summer ventures.
  • up to $1,500 in start-up funding to support the new business and up to $1,500 upon successful completion. of the program and the student’s return to school.
  • mentorship and guidance from local business professionals and consultants.

Students who are returning to school in the fall of 2022 and are between the ages of 15 and 29 are eligible to apply. Applications for the program will be accepted until May 31, 2022.
Call for Artists announced for 2022 public art installations
Local artists are invited to submit original designs for the 2022 Call for Artists. This year, up to three utility boxes will be added through the program. 

Artists residing in Dufferin County are invited to submit their original designs using direction provided in the Call for Artists. Successful artist submissions must:

  • be innovative in design
  • foster community pride
  • strive to counteract graffiti vandalism
  • contribute to a sense of identity for residents and businesses. 

Interested artists are encouraged to review all requirements in the Call for Artists before completing an online submission. The submission deadline is Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 12 p.m.   
Learn online with free webinars offered by Orangeville & Area SBEC

Visit our online event calendar to find a variety of webinars hosted by local experts and qualified partners. These free events offer valuable knowledge to help small business owners.
Starting a Small Business
Wednesday, April 27 | 12 to 1:30 p.m. | No cost
Ideal for all emerging entrepreneurs, this session will cover the requirements and considerations of starting a small business in Ontario. The webinar will review the key elements of a business plan and why this essential document is so important when starting or growing a business. It will also answer many start-up questions and provide participants with the tools needed to begin building their own businesses. 

Presented by Mark Jamieson of the Orangeville & Area SBEC.
Is TikTok Right for your Business?
Wednesday, May 18 | 12 to 1:30 p.m. | No cost
TikTok was the most downloaded app in 2021. It currently has over one billion users and has evolved from a millennial focused app to a recognized and monetized social media platform. TikTok provides content regarding many different topics, including financial advice, product information, shopping tips, and more!

But is TikTok the right platform for your business? In this interactive session, we examine this increasingly popular social media platform and look at use case scenarios for businesses. Attendees will learn how to determine if TikTok is a good option for their business, how to interact with their target audiences on it, and how to increase profitability through the app.

Presented by Liz Oke of Treefrog Inc.
Taphouse Craft Beer + Kitchen - Local beer, food, and music is on the menu
Mike Beattie is no stranger to the restaurant industry. For eight years he and his family owned the successful Mill Creek Pub where he served as the General Manager. When the business went up for sale in 2020, he knew it was time to branch out. Mike had always aspired to operate his own restaurant, and while opening one in the height of the pandemic wasn’t necessarily the plan, the location across the road at 34 Mill Street was too fitting to pass up.

Taphouse Craft Beer + Kitchen opened its doors in September 2020 with a mandate of bringing together the community with fresh local beer, great food, and live music. The restaurant is the passion project of owners Mike Beattie and Sarah Morrison, who had watched the growing popularity of craft breweries over the past decade and felt there was opportunity to fulfill a gap locally. Today, the restaurant and brewery serves its own house taps, which have been contract brewed in partnership with Stonehooker Brewing Company, while also offering a rotating selection of guest taps from across Southern Ontario. A casual dining menu complements the beer selection. A spirit of community is at the core of Taphouse Craft Beer + Kitchen, whose aim is to work hand-in-hand with local breweries, purveyors, and neighbours to bring a unique offering to Orangeville. “It is a place for people to laugh, break bread, be social, and learn new things about each other,” says Mike.

Starting a new business comes with challenges, but the COVID-19 pandemic created a whole new set of learning curves. An explosion in payment options, web technology, and online food delivery companies quickly taught Mike and Sarah that being adaptive to change and innovation would be key to their success.

 “We realized, for example, that food delivery companies are promotional tools,” says Mike. “They opened the restaurant up to new markets that may not have considered us before and take-out has become a significant component of our business. These companies are not going away, so we can either ignore them or embrace them.”

By using new marketing avenues to build brand awareness and loyalty, Mike is hopeful that the restaurant and brewery will continue to expand as in-person dining resumes. Building on this momentum, the return of live music and events, beer educational experiences, and collaboration with neighbouring establishments are all plans set to be unveiled this summer.

Even after the hurtles of the past two years, Mike’s passion for his business and commitment to supporting local is evident. “We really want people to get out and experience things,” says Mike. “It is incredibly important to me that we have a healthy food and hospitality industry – it is the heart of our community.”

To learn more about Taphouse Craft Beer + Kitchen visit www.taphousecraftbeer.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.
The Town of Orangeville extends a warm welcome to these new businesses:
Congratulations to local businesses celebrating milestones:
  • Auntie Joy's Spring Rolls and Catering is celebrating its 13th anniversary of business in Orangeville. Located at 75 First Street, the restaurant specializes in Thai, Vietnamese and Pilipino cuisine with menu items such as spring rolls, soups, noodles, and more. 

  • The Data Cable Co. Inc. in Orangeville named Sandra Starr as the organization’s next President, effective April 1, 2022. Ms. Starr is taking over from Paul Nelson, who served served as President of Data Cable since 2001.

  • VAM Computers Inc. celebrated its 25th anniversary of operation in Orangeville this past December. The local business builds and services computers as well as offers web hosting and web design.

  • BookLore celebrated 32 years of business in Orangeville in December. The independent bookstore, located at 121 First Street, offers a wide selections of books, puzzles, games, puppets, and more. Shopping is available in person as well as online.
For lease: 0 Monora Park Drive

New commercial retail/office building(s) with highway exposure. New construction on 3.5 acres of vacant land will be constructed to suit tenants’ needs. Wide variety of uses permitted. Potential for standalone building with drive-through. Located near the Town of Orangeville’s northern boundary.

Zoning is CH-4 Commercial

Please contact Darius Trohak, Senior Vice President, Sales Representative, Colliers International at 416-620-2821 or darius.trohak@colliers.com