Naomi and Ed Nicholson celebrated the re-branding and expansion of Chims Motel and Guest House with an open house on March 1, 2024.
The Nicholsons have invested $3 million to create a pocket of accommodation on an acre of land on Pacific Rim Highway in Tseshaht First Nation territory. They are situated approximately halfway between Port Alberni and Sproat Lake Provincial Park.
The Nicholsons started with one guesthouse behind their office building, and in the past few years have expanded to offer accommodation in five different units. They can house up to 20 guests at a time. The Nicholsons worked with Mint Tiny House Company and brought in three “park model” tiny homes that are 340 feet long.
Chims continues to win awards for their commercial enterprise.
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Welcome to Port Alberni, Adam Ballard. Adam is a financial advisor with Edward Jones—some of you may have met him while he was knocking on doors introducing himself earlier in the month. He has joined the Port Alberni office with another financial advisor, Suzanne Dube, who happens to be his mother. Adam can be reached by phone at 250-724-4439 or email at adam.ballard@edwardjones.com. The office is located at 2533 Port Alberni Highway, inside the Alberni Valley Visitors’ Centre.
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The Nuu-chah-nulth Employment and Training Program (NETP) will hold its annual career fair on Thursday, April 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Alberni Athletic Hall (3737 Roger St.). The facility will be filled with tables from various employers around the Alberni Valley and Vancouver Island. Learn more on NETP’s Facebook page.
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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Tricia Grobell and Ken Barlow are celebrating 30 years of partnership in Alberni Fitness this month. Grobell and Barlow, along with original employees Scott Beckett and Angela Sear, honoured some of their founding clients in March with a group photo at the gym. They are located at the corner of Gertrude Street and Arrowsmith Road.
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Rose DiRocco and her staff at Capelli Hair Design recently celebrated their 44th year in business in the Alberni Valley.
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Congratulations to Healthy Habits on 20 years in business in the Alberni Valley.
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Kathleen Bodaly, owner of Witchy Woman Supply Co., is celebrating her two-year anniversary with a storefront. Bodaly transitioned from farmers’ markets to a unit in Spirit Square at Harbour Quay in early 2022, then quickly found the need to expand her space. She opened a bigger store at the corner of Third and Argyle Street in summer 2022. She celebrated her second anniversary in March 2024.
READ: BIZ BEAT: Single candle sparks new small business on Port Alberni’s waterfront
@witchywomansupplyco on Instagram and Facebook.
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Owner Michael Moore recently celebrated the first anniversary for Alberni Valley Makerspace. After a long search for the ideal location, Moore opened the first week of March 2023 in a space above the Third Avenue Recycling Depot. The space hosts 3-D printers, a CNC machine, electronics room, Lego building and a space to hold classes, just to name a few. There are also other spaces that are used by outside businesses.
There are drop-in rates as well as monthly passes.
The Makerspace is located upstairs at 3620 Third Avenue. www.albernimakerspace.ca or Alberni Valley Makerspace on Facebook.
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Twin City Brewing, the Alberni Valley’s original craft brewery,celebrated its seventh anniversary on March 24. Alberni Brewing Co. (4630 Adelaide St. at Johnston Road), the third craft brewery to open in Port Alberni, celebrated its third anniversary on Monday, March 25. Not to be forgotten, Dog Mountain Brewing — you guessed it, the second craft brewery to open in Port Alberni—celebrated five years last December. Dog Mountain also has something else “brewing” and we’ll spill the “beans” in a future article.
All of Port Alberni’s breweries are part of the BC Ale Trail. bcaletrail.ca
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We’ve told you all about the craft breweries in town, but were you aware we also have a cidery? Cherry Creek Cidery has been quietly up and running for a while now. You can find out more about them at https://cherrycreekcidery.ca/.
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Have you seen the small sign up on a Margaret Street building for the new Bomber Boulders Climbing Centre? It will be the Valley’s first indoor rock climbing gym. Follow their progress online on Facebook or at www.bomberboulders.com.
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Two new places will be opening soon at Pacific Rim Shopping Centre. The Pita Pit is going into a corner unit by First Choice Haircutters. Meanwhile, The Shoe Company is planning a ribbon cutting and grand opening on Saturday, April 20 in the space vacated by Warehouse One.
Have you got a business tip you would like included in our bi-monthly Business Beat column? Contact journalists Susie Quinn or Elena Rardon at newsroom@albernivalleynews.com.