We were planning to publish this list when February reached it’s greyest... but this January’s been about as bleak as any we can remember, so we’ve decided to brighten your inboxes a little early.
Mind your rods and cones: here’s some of the city’s most colourful businesses, places and experiences!
🟥 Red Rhino
Red Rhino has been in the marketing/advertising business for 26 years now. In that time, they’ve created work for such notable brands as ASICS, Pelee Island Winery and London’s very own (fast and friendly) internet providers: Start.ca! 🦏
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🟨 The Yellow Brick Road
This 2012 article from food writer Lynn Ogryzlo is a trip down memory lane (RIP Kingsmills 🙏) and a great introduction to some of the city’s most famous examples of the region’s distinct yellow brick architecture. 🧱
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🟪 Purple Lips Bakery
Need we say more than Saskatoon Berry Pie? We’ll let Purple Lips Bakery’s online shop say the rest! 🥧
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🟦 BLUE Forest Realty Inc.
The recently re-branded BLUE Forest Realty Inc. have been helping clients buy/sell their homes for over 14 years and they’ve been proud sponsors of The Localist since issue 166!! 🏠
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🟩 Chelsea Green
Located between the river and Thompson Rd, the neighbourhood of Chelsea Green boasts access to the water, an indoor beach volleyball court, parks, and a nice mix of housing. Want to really dig into the area’s past? Check out the late Greg Curnoe’s work: Deeds/Abstracts—a dense read tracing the history of the land at 38 Weston Street as far back as 8,600 BC. 📖
🚨 CORRECTION ⬆️:
Curnoe’s old place and Spikes volleyball are just the other side of Chelsea Green in the Rowntree neighbourhood! Apologies to the proud Rowntree residents who alerted us to the error 😬.
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🟧 Orange Wheel Bike Club
Offering “social cycling for everyone,” Orange Wheel Bike Club has been hosting rides—and coffee outside—around the city since 2021. Although there’s nothing on the calendar for 2023 (yet 🤞), you can bet we’ll let you if/when they spin things up again! 🚲
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🟫 Brown & Dickson Bookstore
Sure, they’ve got a great selection of books for sale, but it’s the readings, concerts, their membership card, and the overall community support that makes Brown & Dickson such a treasured part of the city’s art scene. 🤗
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⬛️ Black Fly Beverage Co.
We’ve only just rung in the new year with a little something from Black Fly Beverage Co.(see the bottom of this list), but that doesn’t mean we can’t raise another glass to this colourful local distillery! 🍹
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👇 BONUS 👇
🍣 Salmonblaster
Remember music in the mid-90s? Right there in the middle of it was Salmonblaster, riding the popularity of their 1996 hit, Freeway all the way out west where they spent some time talking to TDM about “The London Pop Explosion!”
Sponsors:
📍CityMatch / 🌲 BLUE Forest Realty Inc.
Patrons: Sameer Vasta / Mike Donachie / Heenal Rajani / web.isod.es / Joan Sam / Black Coffee / Earmark / Rachel Berdan / Dan Hall / Paul Seale / London Bicycle Café / Alexis Dowell / Kelly Ziegner / Skylar Franke / Ellen Husk / Sidetrack: A Wortley Café / Arielle Kayabaga / Kevin May / Erin Naylor / Don Minato / Ethan Halko / Phronk / The McClenaghans / Alex Jaworiwsky / Pat Dryburgh Editors emeriti: Jon Clemens / Titus Ferguson / Steve MacDouell / Rebecca Minielly / Kevin Van Lierop / Kendra Perera Editor: James Kingsley
To ensure the ongoing development, growth, and delivery of this publication:
👉 Become a Patron and/or share with a friend 💌!