American clothing franchise Plato’s Closest will be coming to Brandon this winter at 1505 – 1st street (Tim Hortons mini mall location). What is Plato’s Closest, the best way to sum it up is this description: Plato's Closet buys and sells gently used clothes, shoes, and accessories, so you can recycle the items you no longer wear and get paid cash on the spot. Brianne Roblin (local franchise owner, pictured above with her family) knew that opening a clothing store like Plato’s Closest would be a great idea for Brandon but felt opening Once Upon A Child first was the smart move. She went back and forth in deciding what was correct for her family and this community.  "We have been fortunate with how Once Upon A Child has done so far, so we know Plato’s Closest will do fine" said Roblin. "The day we opened Once Upon A Child the Province shut us down due to Covid. Until a month ago we never had the chance to have 100 percent occupancy." added Roblin. Roblin told bdnmb.ca has shopped at Plato’s Closest for over 3 years in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Red Deer and Edmonton.  She said she never left disappointed and purchased a pair of brand new Manitoba Mukluks in Edmonton for 14 dollars.. “made my trip". "As I had mentioned in my first interview a year back for Once Upon A Child, I love thrifting!! Always have and always will, so going to work everyday is an absolute blast. Like they say, find your passion and you'll never work a day in your life." Plato’s Closest and Once Upon A Child are part of a company called Winmark. ”They are so helpful and are the experts in the resale business, not only do they have Once Upon A Child and Plato's Closet they are also home to Play it again Sports, Music Go Around and Style Encore.” commented Roblin. The store will be employing approximately 20-25 full and part time employees and anyone who is interested in working at the store can send their resume to platosclosetbrandon@gmail.com Attn: Hiring Manager.

Fusion Credit Union is proud to present “Community Infusion”, the business idea competition  that infuses economic growth and prosperity into our local communities. The event will take  place on December 6, 2021 at Countryfest Cinema, Dauphin Manitoba. “At Fusion, we are Here for Good, and to us, that means we are committed to our communities today and for the long term,” says Fusion CEO Darwin Johns. “We are thrilled to offer Community Infusion as a tangible means of sparking ongoing economic development in our communities across the province.” Entrepreneurs will submit an application for a new business idea, existing business looking to grow, or to purchase or improve an existing business, for a chance to win up to $30,000 in grant money. Selected applicants will move to the next phase of the competition which will require a business plan submission. Up to five finalists will be selected to pitch their idea to a panel on Monday, December 6, 2021. Mike Csversko, Business Development Manager for Fusion notes that, “Community Impact is a foundational pillar for our organization. As a locally based financial institution in the Parkland and  southwestern Manitoba, we consider community impact and contribution to be at the core of our DNA. The Community Infusion initiative is one more way in which Fusion will play a role in  supporting job creation, entrepreneurial support, community engagement, and business development in our trading area.” (submitted)

“Starting September 1st, HMS Insurance (Carberry & Shilo offices), Kenton Insurance, Guild Insurance (Brandon, Virden, & Wawanesa offices), and Wallis Agencies (Glenboro, Baldur, Holland) will operate together under the name Guild Insurance Group.” They have been working together as a group for several years and the partnership has enabled the group “to offer products from additional insurance companies” while keeping ownership local. updated signage, a new website, and advertising on social media will begin shortly. The Facebook announcement can be read here.

CoWorks Inc. is Brandon, Manitoba’s first and only coworking community! It offers local businesses, entrepreneurs, start-up teams and professionals of all kinds, the opportunity to keep overhead costs down by providing affordable and flexible workspaces as well as private offices. While the model of a shared workspace is not overly compatible with a pandemic that requires people to maintain a safe physical distance, CoWorks has been able to provide a work environment that is unique to coworking the industry. With a modified business design than initially intended, CoWorks has been able to offer the service that it promised when its doors opened on September 1st, 2020. And that is: To provide affordable and flexible office spaces in an inspirational and collaborative environment. One year later, with several revamped procedures and membership models, CoWorks Inc is happy to announce its 1st anniversary serving Brandon, Manitoba and the business community. With big plans for the upcoming year, CoWorks is excited to expand its member base and welcome new businesses into its space! Join them in celebrating their 1-year anniversary on Wednesday, September 1st from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. There will be spirits, coffee, individually wrapped treats, giveaways and more! Walk-ins are welcome to come and explore the space during the come-and-go celebration, but you are encouraged to RSVP to hello@coworks.ca. 1209 Richmond Ave Unit C, Brandon MB, R7A 1M5 www.coworks.ca • 204-717-1770

Weeks after the official announcement, Westman Communications Group (Westman) has already started planning and construction activities in preparation to launch their High-Speed Internet, Digital HD TV and Phone services in Onanole by the end of 2021. Westman has outlined the service area which they are able to bring services to and have published it for residents and businesses to reference. If your home or business falls within the map boundaries, Westman will be connecting fibre to your premises and you are eligible to receive Westman’s services, which includes internet packages with speeds up to 1 gigabit. In addition, Westman will be hosting two open houses in Onanole that will give residents the opportunity to learn more about Westman and the services they have to offer. Open House Dates: Friday, August 27 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, August 28 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Both open houses will be located at: Onanole & District Recreation Centre 389 Central Road, Onanole MB Additional open houses may be announced at a later date. “The ability to bring leading-edge fibre-optic technology to Onanole creates opportunities for families to stay connected and entertained as well as benefit from remote learning,” said Chief Customer Officer, John Quail. “You will be seeing our team in the area completing preliminary work and they may be in contact with you to start planning the required property construction as well. They will provide you with as much information as possible, and if you have any additional questions, feel free to give us a call.” Westman will also be expanding their services to under-served areas in Sandy Lake. While Westman currently offers their services in Sandy Lake, there is an area on the south-east side of the lake that has not been built to that they will serve as part of their Universal Broadband Funding (UBF) project. Sandy Lake residents are invited to attend the Onanole open houses as well for more information. If you have any additional questions about Westman or the services they will be bringing to Onanole and Sandy Lake later this year, please visit www.westmancom.com/new-community. You can also reach their team by email at info@westmancom.com or by phone at 1-800-665-3337. For more information on business services, call 1-888-759-2225.