Bizz Buzz: A long slog for Duke’s Pub, The Glass Jar refills and more Hamilton business news
A long slog for Duke's
It's been a long, challenging slog for Duke's Pub Pasta and Pizzeria (301 Barton St. E.), which opened for takeout Oct. 22. The pub - a sister to One Duke, off James Street South - had been aiming for a March 17 launch after nearly 13 months working on renovations, permits, equipment and staff hiring, says Zig Misiak, the company's chief marketing officer.
Can you imagine - three days before we were scheduled to open, we were mandated to shut down," Misiak wrote in an email. This is a small business that had to endure seven more months of uncertainty, paying the lease and other expenses without any revenue at all."
The menu includes several creative pies, including the jalapeno sirloin burger pizza, the crispy chicken mac and cheese pizza and the cauliflower taco pizza, which is topped with deep-fried cauliflower, mango salsa alfredo sauce, mozzarella, shredded cabbage, sesame seeds and garlic. Patrons can pick up their orders inside, or through the restaurant's safe pickup window."
Put a brand on it
Another of several new businesses in Barton Village is Brooker Branded Workwear (480 Barton St. E.), a custom apparel shop that offers cut vinyl printing sublimation and direct-to-garment prints. Owner Sydni Brooker, 19, who launched the shop Aug. 1, says she can also print onto items such as hats and mugs.
The shop is located inside her father's longstanding business, Signaids, so Brooker is familiar with the area and says she's always found it welcoming. I decided to open during a pandemic since most of the sales would be moved to online and other businesses would need products to help their business as well," says Brooker.
Getting your fill
A new business on Concession Street is helping shoppers reduce their waste by offering personal care and household products in bulk. The Glass Jar Refillery (544 Concession St.) calls it the weigh and pay shopping experience": customers bring in their own clean containers and refill them with the items sold at the shop, which are priced by weight.
The Glass Jar has a range of Canadian-made personal care products and household needs - made from ingredients that are ethically and locally sourced, plant-based and safe for the whole family," states the store's website.
The shop opened on Concession Street on Oct. 1 after changing its initial plan to open inside Suru yoga studio in the Barton Village. COVID-19 definitely changed the path for The Glass Jar which led to a new place to call home," said owner Rosanna Ciulla.
Shopping is by appointment only. Time can be booked by visiting glassjarrefillery.ca. Ciulla says she will also be launching an online shop and curbside pickup in the coming weeks.
Crinkie swear
Ryan Gito had long daydreamed of his favourite childhood treat - the crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside crinkle cookies he first tried in the Philippines - and now he's making his own dreams come true.
Gito, 22, says he developed his recipes with the help of social media" and started out by selling to family and friends. He launched Crinkies more formally in December and is delivering cookies all over Canada, with a focus on the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Gito also operates out of the Hamilton Farmers Market on Saturdays, and takes orders through his website, crinkies.ca.
He started Crinkies after graduating from Brock University with a Bachelor of Business Administration because he did not see a clear path to paying off my education through regular job opportunities. Crinkies was born out of wanting more out of life, wanting to be more in control, wanting to do something that made me happy."
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