“It’s great to be downtown.” That’s the consensus of a trio of business owners who have recently opened locations in Downtown Courtenay.
Games & Grounds Coffee House, Dragonfly Community Acupuncture and Impeccable Jewellery are the newest faces in Downtown Courtenay, each offering distinctive products and services that complement the downtown core.
“We spent almost a year researching downtown, watching all the activities, parades and various things that go on before we decided to set up here,” says Brad Leith, who just opened Impeccable Jewellery on the corner of Fifth and Duncan. “I think there’s a real trend toward community building. People are looking for a place where they can find something different and establish relationships with businesses – you don’t get that in a mall or at box stores.”
Leith, who owns a similar store in Duncan, specializes in silver jewellery but creates custom pieces in gold as well. “We do things a little differently, and that’s helped us succeed,” he says. “We create our own designs, pick our own stones, produce our own product, import our own product and sell our own product.”
“It’s always great to have new businesses join our downtown Courtenay family,” says Jenny Deters, vice-president of the Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association (DCBIA) and owner of Rattan Plus Home & Patio. “Their excitement rubs off on other businesses and re-ignites our own enthusiasm. The fact that the three newest businesses are all so unique makes it even better.”
As the Valley’s first and only computer and console gaming café, Games & Grounds Coffee House certainly qualifies as unique. The family-owned business has been around for five years but moved into the former Salvation Army location on Fourth Street mid-November.
“It’s like night and day from where we were before,” says owner Alex Greenwood. “We still have our home-made food and drinks, but we now have a much larger table-top gaming area, as well as air hockey and a pool table. There’s more room for hosting birthday parties and having Magic: The Gathering tournaments, and we’ve been able to add to our retail and collectibles.”
A central location was also key in Dr. Andrew Kerr’s decision to open Dragonfly Community Acupuncture on Sixth Street, near Atlas Café, in December. Originally from the Island, the doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine had been working in Vancouver for years but recently moved back for Courtenay’s small-town feel and sense of community.
In addition to offering regular private acupuncture sessions, as well as Chinese massage, ear massage and herbal medication, the clinic offers “Community Acupuncture” – treatment in a common area that seats four patients. Because it allows Kerr to treat a few people at a time, the rate for acupuncture is about one-third the price of regular sessions. The clinic also offers a sliding payment scale so patients pay what they can afford.
It’s been really well received,” says Dr. Kerr. “Once people see our welcoming, relaxing environment they feel very comfortable.”
