We have partnered with some of Winnipeg’s best local joints for our Shop Local, Earn Credit campaign…and we want you to meet them!

Meet Sam, a Co-op Worker at Organic Planet Workers Co-op, located at 877 Westminister St:

Why is shopping locally in Winnipeg important?

Sam: Winnipeg and its surrounding area is home to a multitude of farmers, producers, artists, and peddlers of all varieties. This network of support contained within the city’s community, food-related or otherwise, is crucial to everyone involved, be they buyers or sellers. As consumers, purchasing local products keeps resources and opportunities in the hands of those actively contributing to the city’s economic well-being.

Now that we have moved into Winter, what kind of delicious foods can we expect at Organic Planet?

Sam: The winter months may present a challenge to the availability of some fresh produce, but never fear. Local mushrooms are always coming in, and root vegetables, such as our local varieties of beets and potatoes, are of superb quality. Cold weather also beckons the return of our deli’s famous soups. Hearty, fragrant and lovingly prepared every morning, they’re staples of a comforting Wolseley lunch.

Tell us a little about why Organic Planet decided to structure itself as a co-operative?

Sam: Organic Planet’s current location has been the site of a handful of similar grocery stores, but the current incarnation has been in place for ten years. The idea is simple: the folks who banded together to form OP wanted to support each other and create a workplace where respect and equality was held above all. This ideal has since remained at the forefront of the store’s dynamic. All workers are paid the same wage, decisions are made by consensus, tasks are not handed down from superiors but managed by members, according to strengths and interests. The benefits, both in the running of the store and in the lives of members, are immeasurable.

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Pick up your promocard at any of our participating partners, like Organic Planet, and get a stamp for each purchase you make. Once your promocard is full, redeem it with us for a $10 Driving Credit. For more info, click here

We have partnered with some of Winnipeg’s best local joints for our Shop Local, Earn Credit campaign…and we want you to meet them!

This week we caught up with Nils Vik, coffee veteran and owner of Parlour Coffee, located at 468 Main St:

Why is shopping locally in Winnipeg important?                                                                                                                             

Nils: Shopping locally is important because it contributes to the vibrancy of our great city.

From the onset, Parlour has created a space to showcase local art. Can you tell us about the artist and work featured this month?

Nils: Right now at Parlour we are showing the work of Kristin Nelson who is currently pursuing her MFA at Concordia in Montreal. Her latest work is a series of hand-woven cotton replicas of paper. Specifically, she has created fabric representations of graph paper, ruled paper, and legal paper. Although the graphic quality is visually minimal from a distance, the work is wildly intricate and incredibly smart.

Parlour was the first coffee house of its kind. What continues to be your favourite aspect of coffee culture in Winnipeg?

Nils: My favourite aspect of coffee culture in Winnipeg is the excitement surrounding this relatively new offering and the excellent people it brings together.

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Pick up your promocard at any of our participating partners, like Parlour, and get a stamp for each purchase you make. Once your promocard is full, redeem it with us for a $10 Driving Credit. For more info, click here!

We have partnered with some of Winnipeg’s best local joints for our Shop Local, Earn Credit campaign…and we want you to meet them!

Meet Graham Bargen, co-owner of Thom Bargen Coffee & Tea located at 64 Sherbrook St:

Hi Graham, why do you think shopping locally in Winnipeg is important?

Thom: Lifestyle! A high level of walkability is so important to building community. Being able to grab a coffee, groceries, or dinner in your neighbourhood means the survival of that area. I love living in and around West Broadway, as I can bike or walk to all my daily necessities, including beers with friends. Along with that, I love the idea of building relationships with small business owners and supporting them.

So… who is Thom Bargen exactly?

Thom: He’s a man who has seen it all, just look into those eyes. We have a fun life history for Thom Bargen that we’ve created, but in truth he is a fictitious character. We are asked this question daily, and the name came from the two owners of the coffee shop THOM Hiebert and Graham BARGEN. 

What is your favourite aspect of coffee culture in Winnipeg?

Thom: I love seeing new people in our shop taste fresh coffee that was crafted with care by their barista. It’s almost a completely different drink and experience then they could have had even a year ago in Winnipeg! The coffee culture in Winnipeg is growing fast and it’s so excited to have such accessibility to great coffee.

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Pick up your promocard at any of our participating partners, like Thom Bargen, and get a stamp for each purchase you make. Once your promocard is full, redeem it with us for a $10 Driving Credit. For more info, click here

Something very exciting happened on Friday evening, we added a ninth car to the fleet! This brand new Honda Fit is located at 511 River, near the corner with Nassau Street.

This car is important for a number of reasons. First, we just completed our member survey —  there was an overwhelming request for another vehicle in Osborne Village. Our membership has been rising steadily (240!) and demand has been increasing with it, so we we are pleased to provide a second option for members living in our busiest neighbourhood.

Second,  it marks our first agreement to sell carsharing as a service on-site for building developers. Agreements such as this allow developers to substantially reduce their parking requirements  for residents and encourage them to bike, walk, bus and sometimes drive as an integral part of where they live and what they do.  It also helps encourage density in established neighbourhoods — something we would like to see more of. We’ve been working on this agreement since 2009!  We expect this to be the first agreement of many.

One final note: we will be selling investment shares again this year!  We are officially only 2 cars away from our 2014 goal of 11 cars serving 350 members! Check back here in the next few weeks to learn more about how you can help us grow through investing, while earning a 30% tax credit from the Province.

We’ve partnered with some of Winnipeg’s best local joints for our Shop Local, Earn Credit campaign…and we want you to meet them!

We caught up with Erick Casselman, Manager at The Park Theatre, to ask him about upcoming shows and the importance of putting your money where your mouth is:

Tell us about some upcoming shows that Winnipeggers shouldn’t miss.

Erick: Two shows I really want to emphasize are Hollerado, November 23rd, playing with the Zolas and PUP, and Twin Forks on November 20th.  Both these shows are going to be fantastic.  And looking into December, we are about to Launch our New Years Campaign, which is going to be killer.  Big Shiny ’90s. We will have Paul Langlois of the Tragically Hip here for an intimate concert on December 4th.  Killer show.

 

 

Why is shopping locally in Winnipeg important to you?

 

 

Erick: You get to make your own decisions and not decisions that a corporation has decided for you.  But it is also important to shop locally to support local artisans and products that are environmentally sustainable.  The more we shop local, the more we support our local economy through wages and jobs. Which, in turn, are spent locally, allowing for a more sustainable community.

 

 How did The Park come to establish itself as one of Winnipeg’s leading sound venues?

Erick: As for how, in less then 6 years, we have become one of the best music venues around…  I have no idea.  But I know how to persevere. I am not an expert by any stretch, but I listen to what people want. And… don’t stay still, always be reinventing yourself and your company.  It does not mean you have to start doing something completely different, but don’t get stuck in a rut either.

 

 

Pick up your promocard at any of our participating partners, like The Park Theatre, and get a stamp for each purchase you make. Once your promocard is full, redeem it with us for a $10 Driving Credit. For more info, click here!

We have partnered with some of Winnipeg’s best local joints for our Shop Local, Earn Credit campaign…and we want you to meet them!

This week we met up with Vanessa Stachiw, co-owner of Little Sister Coffee Maker located in Osbourne Village:

Congrats on the opening of Winnipeg’s newest coffee house! Can you tell us how Little Sister started? What is the significance of the name?

Vanessa: Thank you so much! The idea of Little Sister entered our brains over a year ago. Nils and I had wanted to open a shop together and to contribute our vision of what we wanted to see in Osborne Village. The time seemed right, so we leapt into it. The name refers to both myself, because I am a little sister (to three lovely gals), and the shop being a little sister to Parlour Coffee (which Nils owns and where I worked since the day it opened). Also, referring to people and a shop as a coffee maker is funny.

It does have a ring to it. So, in your opinion, do you think coffee culture in Winnipeg has changed or evolved over the years?

Vanessa: Coffee culture is definitely growing and changing here in Winnipeg. What’s interesting is that the coffee culture seems to have made a shift to focusing on the importance of the region / sourcing of coffee and the way in which it is prepared versus the older coffeehouse model which simply had coffee on the menu. Coffee is also becoming not only a necessity but also a hobby which contributes greatly to coffee culture as it creates a dialogue surrounding not only what is in our cups but also what is happening in the coffee industry. It’s all very exciting!

And finally why is shopping locally in Winnipeg important?

Vanessa: Local shops make our city more unique and definitely more fun.

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Pick up your promocard at any of our participating partners, like Little Sister, and get a stamp for each purchase you make. Once your promocard is full, redeem it with us for a $10 Driving Credit. For more info, click here!