Take a look at these 3 small shops in 3 distinct Ottawa neighbourhoods. They are enjoyable to walk to and meet different needs of local residents. Whether you stop by on the walk home to pick up your supper ingredients or visit on a Saturday afternoon outing with friends or family, these small shops serve as great examples of the enjoyment of walking to delightful small shops within your neighbourhood.
Marché Hintonburg is a family owned and operated butcher shop / grocery store, located in the heart of Hintonburg. They specialize in fresh cut meats with a butcher on site, fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade meals made in-house, specialty cheeses, deli meats and a variety of grocery products. It's a one-stop-shop for meeting basic grocery needs for those in the neighborhood, often also acting as a community hub such as carrying on the tradition of colouring contests throughout the year, giving it that charming family owned feel. The shop is intimate and well stocked and walkers particularly find it delightful to drop in for only minutes before leaving with daily groceries in hand after their long busy day.
"As neighbourhoods increase in density, they will attract small businesses and become neighbourhood shopping destinations."
The Beachconers Microcreamery is located at what used to be the entrance to the holiday town outside Ottawa, called Britannia Village. The city has since grown past Britannia and for many years the small shops here struggled to survive. But in 2016 The Beachconers opened it's doors, and is now a thriving business, serving 500 scoops on a summer Saturday at it's peak. The ice cream is arguably some of the best in town! Favourite flavours include Britannia Brownie, Lime Basil, and Peach-Raspberry Crumble. The café interior is funky and fun, and the outdoor seating captures the cottage feel of this community. Pedestrians and cyclists in the Britannia area now have a new favourite destination.
"Within neighbourhoods, some streets must be targeted to attract small shops, services and office space, best located where they are most likely to attract foot traffic."
Capital Home Hardware is a locally owned franchise store in the Glebe. Whether you need a tool for an emergency repair, that extra coat of paint for the kitchen, or handy advice on your latest home renovation, this would be your destination. The joy of walking down the street to a shop with a small town feel where you're known can be a coveted experience, especially if you can be back home within the hour. Shops like these serve practical needs otherwise met by getting in a car and driving several neighbourhoods away to shop at a store that takes longer to walk through than the drive there. More neighbourhood shops like this are needed to make neighbourhoods more walkable.
You can follow Capital Home Hardware on FACEBOOK.
In summary, these small shops are key ingredients to making neighbourhoods both delightfully and practically walkable. One of our next blogs will talk about the reason why there are so few of these little gems in our Ottawa neighbourhoods.