A trio of diverse businesses recently opened a storefront to the public. Operating as Marvelous Designs & Gifts, shoppers will find a variety of items from three unique businesses including Iron Age Welding, Marvelous Bath and Beauty Items, and Glenn's Custom Fishing Tackle. Photo: Marvelous Designs & Gifts Marvelous Designs & Gifts is located just outside of Brandon. Directions: from the Petro Can on the north hill: go 1 mile east on No 1, turn north at the very first corner (if you see the white bull statue you drove too far), down a bit, house no 60088. Store is located to the north of the house. A roughly 2,000 square foot shed on the property was transformed into the retail storefront. The new retail space will also serve as a great place to meet with customers to discuss their custom orders. Current hours of operation: Tuesday & Thursday's - 9:30 am to 2:30 pm and then again from 5pm to 9pm in May/June. Additional days/times can be made by appointment. Follow then on Facebook for updates on hours and products. Iron Age Welding custom fabricates a number of indoor and outdoor household items including coffee tables, end tables, signs, fire pits, yard décor, rain gauges, and more. Rain gauge. Photo: Marvelous Designs & Gifts Photo: Marvelous Designs & Gifts Photo: Marvelous Designs & Gifts Marvelous Bath and Beauty Items items available for sale include a selection of bath bombs, lip balm, body scrubs, soaps, shower steamers, exfoliation shower bars and more. Photo: Marvelous Designs & Gifts Shower steamers Bath bomb with drizzle, donuts with drizzle, waffles with bubble frosting Lastly, a full selection of weights, hooks, spinners and pickerel rigs from Glenn's Custom Fishing Tackle is available. Photo: Marvelous Designs & Gifts Photo: Marvelous Designs & Gifts

The Livingstone Outdoor Garden Center grand opening is taking place May 5th to 11th, 2021. Located in the heart of Brandon at 1610 Byng Ave (beside the 18th Street bridge) you’ll find a one stop shop for all of your outdoor products needs. There is a large selection of high-quality tools, garden supplies, numerous plant varieties for both your outdoor garden and in-door needs. During the grand opening week, the Garden Center will be open Sunday to Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM and Saturday 8 AM  to 8PM, and the Greenhouse will be open Monday to Friday 10 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM with daily deals, giveaways, and more! You don’t want to miss out. Get ready for growing season! In the Garden Centre you’ll find a variety of tropics, annuals, perennials, fresh herbs, trees and many more plant varietals. Each day of the grand opening will feature sales on different products including planters, décor, pavers, hand tools and more. Follow Livingstone Outdoor on Facebook and Instagram for daily deals including an exclusive Echo Power Tools one-day sale on Saturday, May 8th, 2021. To access Livingstone Outdoor, follow the signs for parking and enter on the north side of the building. Road access is open from Stickney Ave, onto Byng Ave. Sanitizer stations will be set up at all entrances and exits, social distancing is required by all guests and the use of masks is mandatory in both indoor and outdoor spaces.(submitted)

J S Meats Souris will soon be opening a new retail store in the community of Melita (117 Ash St), J S Meats Souris was established in 1996 by John & Susan Janz and for the past 15 years their son Pat has been involved in the operation of the business as well. They are a government inspected facility offering custom cutting and wrapping of many different products including beef, pork, and chicken. In conversation with bdnmb.ca earlier today, Pat said they are hoping for a May 15th opening. Currently the retail space in Melita is undergoing some renovations, in preparation of the coolers and freezers. The store in Melita will be open from noon to 6pm, five days a week (Tuesday to Saturday).

Brandon's Velvet Dip recently made an announcement, on their Facebook page, that they would be opening a 2nd location in Clear Lake. The seasonal ice cream shop, dubbed "Velvet Dip Lakeside", will be located at 119 Wasagaming Drive. In conversation with bdnmb.ca earlier today, ownership said they had been looking for ways of expanding their business when this opportunity presented itself on Easter weekend. The last several weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind of activity and ownership is hopeful of opening in the next several weeks, as they tie up a few loose ends. Velvet Dip has been serving Brandon and area residents an array of soft/hard ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes and other novelty treats since 1965.

Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre has introduced a line of barbeque sauces to celebrate and spice up the 2021 camping season. “When COVID-19 forced the closure of borders it didn’t change our love of travel or our love for the rest of Canada. While we have been restricted, more and more people are grilling at home” says General Manager Ryan Main. “Spending time at home, we began to focus on slow food and cooking for taste again, not just convenience. We’ve long since had a signature BBQ sauce at Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre, but we were inspired to add to the lineup. That’s why we’ve introduced a tribute sauce for each of the fabulous Western Provinces for the 2021 camping season.” Saskatchewan’s flavour honours the farming community with its gentle mustard flavour and golden colour. It’s a delicious sauce on pork or chicken. We think it’s great for dipping chicken fingers too. Alberta’s flavour honours the farmers and ranchers that bring us some of the best beef in the world. This sauce is a bold and spicy steak sauce. Great on your favourite cut of steak or even a blue cheese burger. British Columbia’s sauce is reminiscent of the fresh Okanagan peaches you get in August each year. The sweet and sticky sauce will drip down your chin and you’ll love it! Try it on salmon for a fresh and fun twist on grilling. Main adds, “Here at home, you know what Manitoba’s about. We are hard-working, resilient and such a versatile, dynamic province. Our sauce reflects that. It’s a great chicken and rib sauce and fabulous on just about everything.” They are priced at $8 per bottle, or as a set of the 4 provincial flavours for $30. As a special promotion for readers of BDNMB.CA, for the month of May (or while quantities last) we will give you a FREE bottle of Poncho’s Pik BBQ sauce, when you buy the set of 4. Just mention the promo code BDNMB.CA. Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre is located a 320 Highland Avenue in Brandon, MB. They have been in business since 1962 in our community.