Owned and operated by the same family since 1921, this famous General Store in Dorset has become a bit of a tourist attraction and a ‘must see’ for visitors to the Muskoka and Haliburton area. Having grown from the original 1,200-sq-ft store in 1921, Robinson’s has evolved over the years and now boasts over 15,000-sq-ft of retail space. Today the store is open 7 days a week, year-round, providing visitors with plenty to browse, including: gifts, souvenirs, housewares, clothing, footwear, a Foodland Supermarket, a Home Hardware, a Boutique shop and much more.
Of course, things got flipped upside down upon the arrival of the pandemic and Robinson’s was forced to adapt and adapt they did. Through April, May & June, Robinson’s provided a shopping service for locals who were unable to shop on their own or for those who were immunocompromised. Staff began wearing masks, certain services were temporarily suspended or modified, and Robinson’s stepped up in a big way to be there for their community.
We would like to take this opportunity to salute Robinson’s General Store for their hard work and dedication to the community. It took courage and careful planning to get through those tough months and continues to as we navigate this unique summer. Kudos to Robinson’s and their amazing team. Keep up the great work and making all of us in Muskoka proud!
In response to the challenging times that we are experiencing together regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to give props to some stellar local businesses who are stepping up to serve our great community. 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. #StayComfy
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.
“From poutine to steak on a bun, we have something for everyone in the family!”
Located in the heart of Historic Downtown Gravenhurst, just next to The Bike Shop and steps away from the Gravenhurst Opera House, is the famously PINK Shelby’s Chipwagon. But their love for all things pink isn’t all they’re famous for… Shelby’s is known for having some the best fresh cut fries & poutines you’ll ever find! And not only is Shelby’s famous for the quality of food, but they’re also known for the quantity… as Shelby’s promises you will NEVER leave hungry!
Owned and operated by Sherry for over 21 years, Shelby’s was featured in a live theatre production ‘Scenes From My Dock!‘; received a mention on the late Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café; and has even welcomed some pretty famous Canadians including Sarah McLachlan & Megan Fellows.
Of course, much like all small businesses, Shelby’s was also affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and they were forced to adapt to the unique challenges that presented themselves. From the evolving landscape of food suppliers, to acquiring the necessary PPE and modifying their service delivery, Shelby’s tackled these challenges head-on and worked hard to be able to open for the 2020 Summer. They’ve built a loyal, passionate fan base in Gravenhurst – and beyond – and they were committed to not letting anyone down.
“Not only do you guys put a smile in tummies, but I’ve got a huge one in my heart from you today.” – Review from a satisfied Shelby’s visitor.
When we see local businesses stepping up to face these unprecedented challenges AND are working hard to serve our community, we think that’s just awesome. Giving something for people to be excited about or look forward to during these tough times is vital. We’d like to acknowledge and congratulate Shelby’s on all of their hard work and dedication to that cause.
If you’ve got a craving for a poutine, burger, steak on a bun or just some incredible fresh cut fries, head down to Shelby’s Chipwagon immediately!
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.
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.
“A little boutique curating the prettiest things for the prettiest babes.”
Conveniently located in downtown Bracebridge at 48 Manitoba Street, Belle’s Boutique specializes in fashion forward retail exclusively for women. Owned and operated by Krystal Darling, Belle’s is a small boutique full of carefully curated collections.
While facing the unique challenges presented from quarantine-life, Belle’s doubled down on their digital presence and remained a beacon of positivity to the community. It has been wonderful to follow along with Krystal and her family; 2-year old Beau who is absolutely adorable, and a soon-to-arrive second baby boy who we are all anxiously awaiting!! Through blogging and posting to various social media channels, Belle’s has continued to grow their brand and online community at a time when people are craving connection.
We want to applaud Belle’s for all of their hard work and risk taking through these tough times. Giving the community something to be hopeful about and feel good about is awesome!
Belle’s is currently offering shopping-by-appointment, but has an online store that is open 24/7. For the remainder of this week and weekend, Belle’s will be closed for the arrival of baby boy #2… but they are having an online sale to make up for it, so be sure to check that out!
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.
Located in downtown Bracebridge, the Muskoka Natural Food Market has been a staple in the town for over 30 years. It began as a labor of love for a young woman who had an intense passion for holistic health and wellness. Her vision was to create a space where those looking for natural health products could not only come to shop, they could stay and enjoy a variety of delicious ready-to-eat whole food meals that cater to virtually all dietary restrictions. The health food store became quite a hit, so much so that a few eager local entrepreneurs took notice and expressed serious interest in keeping the health food store alive, once the current owner decided to embark on an incredibly deserved journey into retirement.
The young entrepreneurs worked tirelessly to find a new home for the old store for they had a huge vision and the refashioned Muskoka Natural Food Market was born. The new store is home to a massive living green wall that welcomes you into the space like a fresh hug from the great outdoors. Round the corner and the incredible smells of fresh baked goods and hearty home cooked meals will lead you straight to the Deli Lama and Buddha’s Bakery. The gift section is filled with beautiful creations from local artisans and the grocery section provides healthy options that cater to all dietary needs. The vitamin and supplement collection has been carefully selected and is made up of the highest quality products on the market.
Through the global pandemic, the Muskoka Natural Food Market has stepped up and constantly evolved their business to continue serving our amazing community. From modifying their hours, limiting numbers through their space, offering a sanitization station and more, they have worked hard to prioritize safety while still providing their patrons with all of their favourite and much-needed products.
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity, established in 1873. The Society and its network of animal welfare communities facilitate and provide for province-wide leadership on matters relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals and the promotion of animal well-being. Offering a variety of mission-based programs including community-based sheltering, animal wellness services, provincial animal transfers, shelter health & wellness, high-volume spay/neuter services, animal rescue, animal advocacy, Indigenous partnership programs and humane education, the Ontario SPCA is Ontario’s animal welfare charity.
We are proud to say that we have had a long relationship with the local OSPCA Muskoka Animal Centre here in Bracebridge. For many years, we have been donating $5 from every Doggie Bandana sold directly to their initiatives. With the help of our passionate supporters, we managed to donate over $13,000 in 2019.
Although the centre has been temporarily closed due to COVID-19, the animals in their care continue to receive excellent love and support. Providing additional exercise and activities to keep them engaged and comfortable is keeping both their staff and the animals busy.
We want to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible hard work that the OSPCA Muskoka Animal Centre and their team have been doing. We believe their work is vital to our community and we are grateful for all they do.
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.
“Celebrating over 70 years of quality products and services in Gravenhurst.”
Situated in beautiful downtown Gravenhurst for over 70 years, Knapp’s Gravenhurst Furniture is a family-run business and has been offering quality furniture and appliance products at reasonable prices, while also offering exceptional customer service. The 10,000 sq. ft. building is home to more than 125 quality appliances at any given time including brand names such as Kitchen Aid, Maytag, Whirlpool, Amana, La-Z Boy and Simmons. Knapp’s Furniture has been adapting to trends for the last 70 years but have never deviated from their passion for helping people.
When they were forced to close their retail store due to COVID-19, the Knapp’s family was concerned with how local families would cope without access to service for their essential home appliances. So, while they hit the pause button on selling things like couches and beds, they continued to offer service on fridges, stoves, washers & dryers. Knapp’s knew that families needed these appliances – and needed them working – to get through these tough times.
As of May 26th, Knapp’s Furniture has now re-opened the doors to their retail location and have done so in as responsibly as possible with several safety protocols in place to ensure the safety of their team and patrons. The installation of plex-glass at check-out, hand sanitizer at the entrance, signage to assist with the flow through the store and limiting the number of patrons is all measures included in their procedures.
We want to acknowledge and give a special shout out to Knapp’s Furniture for their dedication to the community, both for how they offered service through their store closure and in how responsibly they have handled their re-opening. It is not hard to see why they have been in business for 70 years and why they have such a loyal following of supporters. Keep up the great work!
With a focus on craft beer, this tiny pub in downtown Bracebridge, Muskoka has become the launching point for many great festivals, events & weddings. Bringing together great live music, hearty home-made food, VQA wines, and local spirits, the Griffin is a favourite for locals and visitors alike.
When the Griffin first closed their doors, they took to social media to continue spreading positivity and good vibes. They launched Jam Sessions and live music performances that brought people together digitally when the community was not able to in person. By late April they adapted once more by offering fresh beer delivered right to your door. And as mid-May rolled around, they opened their kitchen and launched their takeout menu – which is filled with mouth-watering creations like the Chicken Shawarma Bowl, the Nicholas Cajun and T.I.E. Fighters!
We would like to give this special shout out to the team behind the Griffin for their hard work, their ingenuity and, most of all, their commitment to our amazing community. Bringing joy and happiness to people during these tough times is inspiring and we are proud to share out community with such awesome people. Keep up the great work, guys!
“Blooming Muskoka, where the smells and smiles are free!”
Blooming Muskoka is a family-owned-and-operated florist located in the heart of downtown Gravenhurst, Muskoka and has been offering exceptional service for over 30 years. From large-scale weddings and events to Mother’s Day arrangements, prom corsages, bouquets, baskets and more, Blooming takes pride in offering only the highest quality of arrangements.
The creative, thoughtful, wonderful genius behind it all is Lana Lee Austin. Always eager to donate to a local fundraiser or jump in and be involved with one of the many annual events put on by Gravenhurst’s local service groups, Lana has a heart of gold and is inspiring in all she does.
When the pandemic first forced businesses to close their doors, so too did Blooming Muskoka. But as proms, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries – and eventually Mother’s Day – continued to roll on, Lana and Blooming Muskoka stepped up to modify their services and offer their beautiful products for curbside pick-up and delivery. Blooming did not want people to think that love or joy was cancelled and continued to bring people levity and support through these challenging times. They made several modifications to how they worked to ensure it happened in a responsible way. And through it all, Lana and Blooming’s generosity never waned as she would leave buckets of flowers outside her doors for people to take.
We are simply blown away by Blooming Muskoka’s capacity for thoughtfulness and generosity and want to give them this special shout out. Thank you for continuing to serve our amazing community and keep up the great work!
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
