In response to the challenging times that we’re all experiencing together regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to spread love and levity across the community.
We brainstormed various ways we could do this and one of the things we landed on was highlighting some of the incredible local businesses who are stepping up and modifying their services to continue to serve the community through these tough times. These are local businesses who have local champions who are doing what they can to be leaders through this unprecedented historic time.
Moose Delaney’s Sports Bar & Grill is located at 3 Cann Street in Huntsville and typically offers fun for the whole family. Before COVID-19, Moose Delaney’s was a great place to meet before, during or after the big game. You could relax and enjoy your favourite draft and signature menu items while watching the game on one of their 10 large-screen televisions. They even have billiards tables, arcade games, lunch & dinner specials and kids could eat free every Tuesday.
Like practically everywhere else however, the pandemic forced Moose Delaney’s to adapt and they have really stepped up. They are currently offering a special menu for Curbside Pick-Up Wednesday to Saturday 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM so that you can continue to enjoy all of your favourite pub fare classics. We highly recommend the poutine!
It is also worth recognizing that not only have they stepped up during this difficult time, but also that they recently celebrated their 25th Anniversary. An incredible milestone for a hardworking, community-focused team and organization. Happy 25th Moose Delaney’s – and keep up the stellar work!! Way to go!
Located at 390 Ecclestone Drive in Bracebridge, Seasons in the Country offers a beautiful Garden Centre, Florist & Gift Shop and Landscaping Service. First opened in 1986, Seasons in the Country is entering their third season under new ownership with – Stacey & Winston Miller, Will Miller and Christine Alexander.
Early on during the COVID-19 closures, Seasons in the Country was forced to close their physical location but continued to serve our wonderful community through call-in orders, offering curbside pick-up and even local delivery. It was a tremendous amount of work taking photos of everything and finding new ways to allow people to choose the seeds and products they wanted, but Seasons in the Country rose to the challenge.
Today, now that the Province has allowed them to re-open, Seasons in the Country has again stepped up and put safety first with a long list of safety measures and procedures at their Garden Centre and Flower Shop. They offer hand sanitizer to patrons, have installed plexi-glass at the cash areas, put up signage indicating flow through the space, limited the number of patrons at a given time, opened a side entrance and more as they prioritize safety for visitors and their team. They have also re-opened their Landscaping service with several safety measures in place as well. Additionally, they still offer curbside pick-up and local delivery for those who request it.
It is truly inspiring to see the thoughtfulness and effort that Seasons in the Country has taken to allow our community access to the tools & supplies they need to tend to their gardens at home. For all your perennial and annual floral needs and so much more, we encourage you to connect with Seasons in the Country and applaud their remarkable effort to serve community through these tough times.
In 1959, Fritz and Ursula Rebelein and their family moved to Gravenhurst and purchased a small bakery business at 141 Brock Street. The original business came equipped with a small pizza oven for baking and an old bathtub for washing dishes. The business grew over the years and so did the family. Five children were raised playing and working in the back of the Bakery. In 1974 their oldest child Peter and his wife Judy purchased the business from Fritz and Ursula. Peter and Judy continued to use and increase the tried and true family recipes that had brought them so much success over the years. They too, raised their two children, Jay and Robyn playing and working in the back of the bakery and to this day they are both a very intricate part of the family business.
Like any good strong business, The Bakery has committed to hard work, dedication, quality control, and being versatile to change as trends come and go. Their secret is consistency, listening to their customers, and always being willing to go the extra mile.
In 2019, the Rebelein family celebrated their 60th year serving our wonderful community.
On May 7th, after having been closed due to the pandemic, The Bakery re-opened their doors, much to the delight of their dedicated patrons! They installed a Quick Service Express Window for quick, safe orders as well as installed plexi-glass screening and put signage in place to encourage social distancing and flow through their space. They are now open Thursday – Sunday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
We want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Rebelein family for their long-standing success and applaud them for their adaptability to update their service delivery during these tough times. They are ensuring that families throughout Muskoka can continue to enjoy all their favourite treats and sweets from The Bakery in Gravenhurst.
If you know a local business who deserves a shout out, send us a direct message with a photo and why they should be featured.
• And Remember • #StayHome #StayHealthy #StayComfy
We want you to know just how committed we are to the safety of our Staff, Community and Valued Customers. In light of the current situation in Ontario – and throughout the world – our doors are going to remain closed at all 5 physical locations throughout Muskoka.
We could not be more grateful that we have the ability to continue to serve our amazing Muskoka Bear Wear Family and beyond with our Online store at muskokabearwear.com. At this time we would also like to take the opportunity to thank you for your continued support of our Ontario Made brand.
We will enthusiastically carry on with Daily Giveaways on all of our social media channels, regular newsletters, online blogs and will continue to offer FREE SHIPPING on all orders within Canada over $49 before tax.
We have also begun to offer Curbside Pickup at our Online Order processing facility in Bracebridge. It’s now an option at checkout or visit the Contact Us page on our website for more info.
Everyone’s safety and well being is what is most important right now to all of us on the Muskoka Bear Wear team. We look forward to being able to re-open our doors and welcome you back into our stores, but for the time being, we felt this was the most thoughtful and responsible decision to make.
In response to the challenging times that we’re all experiencing together regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to spread love and levity across the community.
We brainstormed various ways we could do this and one of the things we landed on was highlighting some of the incredible local businesses who are stepping up and modifying their services to continue to serve the community through these tough times. These are local businesses who have local champions who are doing what they can to be leaders through this unprecedented historic time.
“Muskoka Furniture – Where the Customer Feels at Home.”
Located at 195 Wellington Street in Bracebridge, Muskoka Furniture boasts an 11,000-sq ft showroom that features solid wood furniture built by skilled craftsmen from all over Ontario. Each piece of furniture is heirloom quality radiating a feeling of warmth and comfort and it is no wonder why they have become a destination store, drawing visitors from across southern Ontario.
Like many businesses however, Muskoka Furniture was forced to close their showroom to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. They did not let that keep them down for long however as they made themselves available for phone orders for curbside pick-up and home delivery. Muskoka Furniture rose to the challenge and worked tremendously hard to adapt to the times by shooting video of their showroom, sharing it on their website & Facebook Page and continued to offer exceptional customer service to their patrons.
We would like to acknowledge Muskoka Furniture and their entire team for their hard work and dedication to serving our great community. It is incredible the things we can achieve when we work together and work towards the greater good of the community.
“It all starts with the layer closest to your skin.”
Situated right in the heart of downtown Bracebridge, Little Black Bow is a beautiful Lingerie & Bra Fitting Boutique. They also proudly carry a wide variety of bridal, maternity, activewear, sleepwear and loungewear.
Through the challenges presented by these difficult times, Little Black Bow has turned to digital innovation to adapt their business. They now offer Virtual Fittings as a whole new way of helping their clients and have paired that with online shopping, shipping and local, contactless porch drops.
We think this kind of innovation and commitment to serving our community is inspirational and we want to acknowledge Little Black Bow and their team for their incredible work. They take “support local” to a totally different level. Way to go guys!
Located in downtown Gravenhurst at 260 Muskoka Road South, The Butcher’s Daughters is a Café, Deli and General Store that specializes in gourmet grocery items, fresh and frozen take home meals, unique sandwiches, soups, salads and specialty coffee.
Though it has been a challenge with having to close their doors to the public through the pandemic, The Butcher’s Daughters has not only done a tremendous job serving community through their curbside pick-ups – AND allowing the public to order grocery items through their wholesaler – but they have also gone above and beyond with their support towards Gravenhurst Against Poverty (GAP). Through a collaboration with Well Fed, The Oar & Relish (all from Gravenhurst), these restauranteurs have been preparing boxed lunches for GAP and their food bank.
We think it is awesome to hear that The Butcher’s Daughters has been able to adapt their service delivery to continue to serve the community, but we are just blown away to hear that even through these tough times, that they are teaming up with other local businesses to support such a great charity like GAP. What an inspiration for the rest of us. Way to go guys!
With the added pressure of restricting travel and living the quarantine life, has there ever been a greater need to get outside and soak up some of that precious Vitamin D?
There are foods and supplements that can help us with Vitamin D, but the primary source comes directly from our skin when it is exposed to sunlight – hence why some refer to Vitamin D as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’. It assists with regulating the absorption of calcium & phosphorus, assists our immune system, the development of bones and teeth, as well as improving our resistance against certain diseases. Vitamin D has also been linked to regulating our mood and helping to ward off depression and anxiety.
While we encourage you to continue practicing your social distancing and staying safe, that should not stop you from getting outside into your backyard, hitting up a trail or even going for a nice drive with the windows down.
Smile.
Breathe in that fresh air.
Feel the sun against your skin as it washes away any of the stress and anxiety you might be carrying.
Remember that we are right there with you every step of the way. Whether you are rocking a comfy Quarter-Zip, a cozy Cabin Hoody or keeping it cool lounging in our brand new Lilac with White T-Shirt, Muskoka Bear Wear has your back!
Now hold that camera phone up and lets see those first beautiful selfies of Spring & Summer!
Be sure to check out this week’s #MBWShoutOuts Week 8 Round-Up for local businesses that are doing what they can through these tough times to continue to serve our awesome community.
In response to the challenging times that we’re all experiencing together regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to spread love and levity across the community.
We brainstormed various ways we could do this and one of the things we landed on was highlighting some of the incredible local businesses who are stepping up and modifying their services to continue to serve the community through these tough times. These are local businesses who have local champions who are doing what they can to be leaders through this unprecedented historic time.
“Homemade goodness on the go; it’s a labour of love.”
From a 100-year-old stable to comfort food on your table, Well Fed is one of Gravenhurst’s best food stops, offering a wide variety of authentic Muskoka fare. Owned & Operated by Annette Gillan, Annette’s recipes are from a 4-generation-old family cookbook that is ever expanding. Ready to heat or ready to eat, Well Fed offers food you can take home to pop in the oven, or food that is hot and ready to pop on the table.
COVID-19 has certainly affected us all and Well Fed is no different as they quickly adapted their services to remain, as they call it, ‘slightly open’ for curbside pick-up and local home delivery. Annette has even gone one step further as to allow her patrons to order wholesale from her suppliers to ensure locals have consistent access to the supplies they need to survive comfortably at home.
We want to take this opportunity to acknowledge all of the hard work and energy that Annette and her family have poured into operating and adapting to these tough times and say THANK YOU for all that they continue to do to serve our wonderful community.
If you are in Gravenhurst, be sure to follow Well Fed on Facebook as she often posts what fresh foods and family feasts are available in the days to follow. Keep up the great work Annette!
Christmas Tyme is a unique, year-round Christmas store located in historic downtown Huntsville. They carry personalized Christmas ornaments, Jim Shore figurines, s’mores, movie & tv memorabilia, nativities, home décor and much more.
And though these tough times have forced Christmas Tyme to close their physical store, they continue to offer their heart-warming, happiness-inducing line of products online for curbside pick-up. Most recently, they offered a wide range of beautiful gifts for Mother’s Day and committed to ensuring locals were able to spoil Mom.
We think it is amazing what they have continued to do and want to give them this special shout out to thank them for all they do to serve community. Be sure to follow them on Facebook for regular product updates and to visit their website to see what is available from their online store.
The building next to the Kee has been many things; from the original “Eldorado”, the “Bob Inn”, “Latern Loft” to the “Kee Café”. And now, in its current iteration, established in 2002, the Bala Falls Pub has been welcoming locals, cottagers and visitors alike to its relaxing family atmosphere for classic homemade pub fare and refreshing beverages.
Through these tough times, Bala Falls Pub, owned and operated by David Fisher & Jacinta Cowan, have risen to the challenge and remain open 7 days a week. They are currently offering take out and through a collaboration up with Bala Taxi, also offer home delivery Monday to Saturday. In addition to ensuring the Bala community has access to delicious pub fare, they also host Virtual Trivia every Sunday at 3:00 PM. To get involved, simply e-mail balafallspubinfo@gmail.com and they will send you log-in information and details on how to participate.
Today we salute David, Jacinta and the entire Bala Falls Pub team for their hard work and dedication to community. It is wonderful see local businesses that are stepping up to support others and helping everyone get through these tough times. Way to go guys!!
Normally the arrival of the Victoria Day Long Weekend (or May 2-4) is something to celebrate. Year-round residents and business owners prepare for the influx of visitors and for life on the water and on patios, while those who visit or live here seasonally gear up to open the cottage or search for somewhere fun or unique to stay. And while we hope to demonstrate that there is still plenty to celebrate this May 2-4, things will obviously look much different as we continue to maintain social distancing and restrict travel. That is why we are going to break down some of our favourite May 2-4 traditions… and how you can enjoy them from the comfort of home!
Prepping the BBQ! • Nothing screams SUMMER like a good ‘ole BBQ cookout. Slapping some burgers down, maybe some vegetable skewers, corn on the cob, some juicy steaks… we can practically smell it now. For tips on preparing your BBQ for the season, we found a helpful article from Napoleon. Now you just need some food to throw on and an ice-cold beverage in hand and you are all set. What are you cooking this weekend?
Kayla & Katie getting their BBQs ready!
Gardening • As Spring enters full-swing and we are on the verge of Summer, for many people throughout Muskoka, this is the time to get their green thumb on. For some, the focus is about planting vegetables or herbs that can be used for cooking. For others, it is about the floral decoration and being creative or for attracting particular kinds of birds or bugs. Some gardeners are into it just for the process and the journey towards finding that inner zen. But, you do not necessarily have to do this just at the cottage. Whether you have a full backyard, a balcony, or even just a window that gets some sunlight, you can find ways to flex your green thumb at home. Here is a great piece from The Spruce to help you get started. And don’t be shy, we would love to see some photos of your home gardens!
_leslie_dupuis_ showed us her littles doing some backyard gardening!
Tent Camping • May 2-4 is also typically the kick-off for camping season. Everything from RV’s & trailers to log cabins and sleeping bags. Well, if you are stuck at home this May 2-4, if you have a tent, you can still get your camp on! First step: clearing the space to set up. The backyard is the ideal space, but even if you live in an apartment, you can get creative by moving your dining room set and using the dining room, or maybe even your living room. Once the tent is set up, the next step is ambiance. Here is an 8-hour soundtrack of a campfire and night sounds that should help to set the mood. Now maybe a tiny spray of sunscreen or some bug spray to trick the senses and you are practically there! Get comfy, grab some snacks, turn off your phones and devices and just enjoy some down time… exactly like how you would if you were camping here in Muskoka. Read a book, do some stargazing, just keep it cozy in your Muskoka Bear Wear!
Emily set up her tent inside, while Amy and her littles went out to the backyard!
We know there is no replacement for coming to Muskoka and enjoying all that cottage country has to offer, but we hope you are able to unplug and relax a bit this Victoria Day Long Weekend and that with the help of some of the tips above, you’ll find cause to celebrate. Happy May 2-4 everyone, we cannot wait to welcome you all back in person one day very soon!
Be sure to check out this week’s #MBWShoutOuts Week 7 Round-Up for local businesses that are doing what they can through these tough times to continue to serve our awesome community.
Just remember… #StayHome #StayHealthy and #StayCozy
