HI, IT’S JO:
A strong beginning for a new chapter on The Queensway
On October 23, 2025, we welcomed business owners, board members, and community partners for our very first Cheers to Local Businesses appreciation event at Great Lakes Brewery.
The goal was simple: bring our members together in a relaxed, meaningful way and shine a spotlight on the entrepreneurs who make The Queensway thrive day after day.
Not only did we get the chance to connect, we also launched something much bigger.
Now grab a virtual pint and come take a walk through our first Cheers to Local Businesses night with us.
Let’s Talk Shop: The Queensway officially begins
This event marked the public launch of our new business storytelling initiative: Let’s Talk Shop: The Queensway, a docu-series produced by Shop The Queensway BIA to highlight the people behind our local businesses.
Every business owner who attended signed up for the series, giving us a full season’s worth of filming in just one night. We officially kicked off production the following week on Halloween with our first feature:
City Sniffers, led by owner Miranda and team member Nick.
That momentum came directly from this night, and we couldn’t be more excited about the stories ahead.
Welcoming new Board members
During the event, we were thrilled to introduce four incoming members of our Board of Management, who will be formally joining at our next AGM:
Shahina Lila – Hair & Skin Laser Solutions
Nataliya Demchuk – ND Studio
Slava Lukan – DCC Group (represented by Ian, Yulia & Anna)
Todd Santos – Bamboo Tattoo Studio
We’re grateful for their leadership, their connection to the community, and their commitment to helping shape what comes next.
A special thank-you to Great Lakes Brewery
Huge appreciation to Great Lakes Brewery for hosting and supporting this event. They’ve opened their doors for future BIA gatherings, whether that’s casual networking nights, local business spotlights, or creative ideas like mini-markets and pop-ups.
This partnership truly represents neighbours supporting neighbours, and we’re excited for what’s possible together.
What’s next
Cheers to Local Businesses is only the beginning. We’re continuing to film Let’s Talk Shop throughout the coming months, and we’ll be rolling out future BIA get-togethers that spotlight the people, products, and stories shaping The Queensway.
Stay tuned! There’s much more on tap
Missed the event?
Don’t worry. We got you covered.
Our first Cheers to Local Businesses event at Great Lakes Brewery was a night filled with connection, collaboration, and a whole lot of local pride. If you were not able to join us, we still want you to feel part of the celebration.
We created a short event newsletter that includes highlights from the evening, a thank-you to our partners, and a first look at the new storytelling projects happening across our BIA, including Let’s Talk Shop: The Queensway.
You can view and download the handout below.
Click here to read the Shop The Queensway BIA’s first event newsletter edition.
Want more info on the docu-series?
Learn more about Let’s Talk Shop: The Queensway
We’re currently filming Season One of our Let’s Talk Shop: The Queensway series. Each feature highlights the entrepreneurs behind our member businesses through candid interviews, behind-the-scenes filming, and storytelling straight from The Queensway.
If you’d like to learn more, or if you’re interested in being featured in a future episode, click the link below:
Read more about Let’s Talk Shop: The Queensway + sign-up details
Want to get involved?
Have ideas or want to join a sub-committee?
We’re building new opportunities for collaboration, neighbourhood initiatives, and micro-events along the corridor — and we’d love your input.
Whether you’re interested in joining a sub-committee, suggesting an idea, or partnering on a project, feel free to reach out.
📧 info@shopthequeensway.com
Until next time
Thank you to everyone who came out, shared their story, and made our first Cheers to Local Businesses night such a meaningful success.
Here’s to local.
Here’s to community.
Here’s to The Queensway.
— Shop The Queensway BIA