 Buck LaRoche has a new combined U-Haul dealership and auto detailing business on Leon Avenue called Downtown U-Haul and Auto Trim Line. |
LaRoche took the opportunity of moving his Auto Trim Line from West Kelowna to downtown Kelowna to incorporate a U-Haul dealership called Downtown U-Haul.
"You have to have another related business in order to get a U-Haul dealership," said LaRoche.
"It works well to have the two businesses together."
U-Haul is the well-known brand of rental trucks and trailers for residential and business moves and hauling.
As part of the U-Haul business, LaRoche also sells packing supplies.
Auto Trim Line is a full auto detailing firm that does washes and polishes, deep cleaning, paint repairs and vehicle lettering, signage and graphics.
The combined business is located at 264 Leon Ave. behind the former Mazda dealership.
Call 250-860-4130.
New Ric's location
Ric's Grill will have a restaurant in the Four Points by Sheraton hotel when it opens across from Kelowna Airport mid-June.
The Ric's will have a dining room, lounge and seasonal outdoor patio.
This will also be the fifth time Ric's has partnered with the hotel chain to open a restaurant in a Four Points.
The other four are near Calgary Airport, Calgary near Canada Olympic Park, Nelson and Kamloops Aberdeen.
Ric's has 26 upscale casual restaurants in B.C. and Alberta.
Besides feeding and watering people that stay at the hotel, the Ric's at the Four Points Kelowna Airport also expects to attract passing motorists (it's visible off busy Highway 97 on the north side of Airport Way) and diners from the nearby Airport Business Park, UBC Okanagan and Quail Ridge neighbourhood.
Four Points by Sheraton has 160 hotels across the world.
The Kelowna Airport property will have 120 rooms in six storeys, convention space, indoor pool and 24-hour fitness centre.
Manteo revamping
Speaking of restaurant openings, Manteo Resort has announced that its revamped restaurant and lounge will be called Smack Dab and will open mid-March.
The resort on Okanagan Lake closed its Wild Apple restaurant in early January to gut it and perform a transformation.
After spending $1.5 million, the result will be a casual place with 120 restaurant and lounge seats, a private dining room for up to 40 and the city's largest lakeside outdoor patio for 150.
"Whether a tourist looking to cleanse their palate between wineries or a local who just wants to grab a great pizza and a beer after work, we wanted to create a neighbourhood gathering place that locals can enjoy as much as our hotel guests," said Manteo general manager Heather Schroeter.
Because so many other restaurants are doing Okanagan wine country cuisine, Smack Dab will go the premium casual dining route with a serious focus on beer with
12 on tap and 20 by the bottle from craft brewers throughout B.C. and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
Don't worry, there will also be an extensive wine and cocktail list for enjoying in the lounge or matching with the wide range of appetizers, forno oven pizzas, salad, chicken, beef, pasta and fish dishes.
It's now Expressions
Rafters Home Store in Kelowna has changed name and direction to create Expressions: The Living and Giving Store.
"Over the years as Rafters franchise stores, we've really enjoyed tremendous success and developed a significant loyal following for both our Kelowna and Vernon locations," said owner Laura Barmentloo.
"But we just felt the Rafters brand didn't reflect the more modern stylish look we wanted to continue moving forward with. So we decided to consolidate, part ways with Rafters and create our own local brand."
That means a single Expressions store will be located in the same Kelowna building where Rafters was - in the Kelowna Crossing mall near Costco.
The new store has a more boutique look and feel, and carries unique and unusual home decor and gift items.
She makes top 10
Contemporary wedding and portrait photographer Michelle Stevenson of Kelowna has made the top 10 list of finalists for the Canadian Mompreneur Award of Excellence.
In all, 300 moms who are also entrepreneurs were nominated, but online voting by 65,000 determined who the top 10 are.
A panel of judges now takes over to determine who will win the prize package on March 2 worth $30,000, including cash, legal services, business coaching, website development and branding, mentoring and advertising.
Stevenson's business used to be called Contract Photography, but she's changed it to Stevenson Photography.
Upcoming...
- Syndicated country music radio and TV show host Casey Clark is the guest speaker at the Moving Forward Okanagan business networking and fundraising event Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Hotel Eldorado. While Clark will certainly talk country music, he'll also discuss being an entrepreneur and starting a new venture. Tickets are $20 at MovingForwardOK.ca.
High tech group Accelerate Okanagan will put on its first 10-day Start Up Week beginning Friday. Check out the calendar for this convergence of tech, business, entertainment, art, education and music at AccelerateOkanagan.com.
- Steve MacNaull is a business reporter and columnist. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
