Brandon’s Brady Damsgaard (now Von Niessen) left Brandon in 2006 to move to B.C and now calls Salt Spring Island home. She is the Owner/Creator of West Von, a company that "offers a boutique collection of premium women’s hats made with 100% pure Australian wool and natural straw" which are designed in Canada. Brady tell us where you found your Entrepreneurial spirit? After taking Business Management in College in Vancouver, I ended up getting into sales and wasn’t really thinking about starting my own business. I really just stumbled upon it after having my daughter in 2014. In 2015 you started your first business, Macey & Co - tell us a bit about that business and how you started it.  I was having a hard time finding quality, modern hair bows and headwraps for my very bald baby girl when she was born. I decided to make my own (with the help of my mother in-laws sewing machine) and started to sell them online. Throughout my Maternity leave, I was able to build the business and not have to go back to my wine rep job, after my maternity leave was over. I grew the business over the course of 6 years, selling bows worldwide. The majority of the business was build through social media. I had a small team of seamstresses who sewed the bows and then I would assemble, pack and ship each order. I also had a virtual assistant who helped me online with launches, e-mails etc. It was extremely rewarding and allowed me work and still be at home with my two young children.  You started your new business, West Von in 2020 how did you come up with that business and how did you manage running both businesses?  Honestly, West Von started after a Saturday night online shopping with a glass of wine! I was searching for a quality, wool hat and wasn’t able to find one from a Canadian company. I figured there had to be a market here and immediately started getting to work on a new brand. After nine months of designing hats, custom boxes, samples and branding, I launched West Von at the peak of the pandemic in June 2020. The business took off right away and I was having a really hard time juggling both businesses. In August, an acquaintance of mine approached me about selling Macey + Co. It was a hard decision for me because it was something that I worked on for so long, but I knew it was time and that I wouldn’t be able to manage both businesses. I sold Macey + Co in September 2020 to pursue West Von full-time.  You have some really amazing logos and branding plus the photos are exceptional, is this all you or did you hire a marketing company. Everything from the website to social media, is all me! I learned so much when it came to marketing and branding over the 6 years of building my first business through social media. I had a clear vision of this brand, but I do have to give credit to my husband who helped come up with the final logo! We had a designer bring it to life after he drafted a quick drawing. In terms of the photography, I’m super fortunate to have worked with many talented photographers over the years. I collaborate with them to get the content for our social media and the website. I also receive so many images from customers and love sharing their pictures on our social media accounts.  On your website you state that you have to be a boutique or brick and mortar store to sell your hat, I assume you don’t want people flogging your hats on Amazon.com A lot of people want to be able to see, feel and try on the hats for themselves and because we are an online shop, that can be a bit difficult! I received a lot of wholesale inquires as soon as we launched and decided to expand that part of the business 3 months into launching. We are now in approximately 25 stores from BC to Ontario right now, with a long wait list of stores who are also wanting to carry them. Managing  online orders and wholesale orders over the past 7 months has been pretty crazy. I am slowly taking on more wholesale accounts, but hope to be in more stores over the next year.  What would you say is the best selling feature of your hats? I think ultimately the quality of the hats along with our sizing. Many struggle to find a quality made hat that fits well. We offer two sizes and all of our hats have a tab on the inner band to allow the hat to be tightened for the perfect fit.  Is your husband at all involved with this or is it you working 80 hours a week? Life is pretty crazy around here! My husband works full-time as a Captain for BC Ferries. I manage the majority of the business and we really just juggle kids, dinners, school pick ups as best we can and work together as a team. He has been extremely supportive with the whole transition of businesses and we are just learning as we go on how to manage it all. You mentioned that CBC show Dragon’s Den emailed you about considering applying to the show.  I was pretty surprised to receive an email from Dragon’s Den, to be honest! It wasn’t really something that I have ever seriously considered. I’m planning on applying for the upcoming season and hope to get on, so we can get help scaling and expanding the business. 

In today's society couples are looking for the perfect balance of good schools for their children, being close to modern conveniences, as well as quiet stress free living in the country.  Sheldon and Shelley Kokorudz feel they have created that environment with their rural community called KoKo Estates.  Located only a 7 minute drive from the Corral Centre down Grand Valley Road, turn on Hunter Road for roughly one kilometer and you will find 10 lots ranging in size from 2 - 5 acres.  Customers have a choice to choose whomever they wish for a contractor and KoKo Estates has some local builders to suggest on their website. After several years of planning and zoning this project is finally off the ground.  "We always had this vision to subdivide and presented it to the RM and then we had to wait for them to do their part and then we officially pursed it".  BDNMB asked Sheldon was this a difficult process?  " The process from hearings  - water drilling  -  hydro studies and civil engineers plus follow Brandon Area Planning at the time criteria to follow and two and a half years we are ready". For many people the transition from city to country living can be a daunting task but Shelley Kokorudz promises the process isn't at all difficult. She added that people want additional room for their dogs and horses and with a 5 acre lot you will have more than enough room. Click here to see the Promotional Video designed by Brett Meilleur from https://www.instagram.com/meilleurmedia/ www.kokoestates.comwww.facebook.com/kokoestates For further information contactDon Mitchell at Century 21204 724 2743https://don-mitchell.c21.ca/

Two new stores have recently opened in the Brandon Shoppers Mall. Mobile Klinik repairs all major brands of smartphones and tablets including Samsung, Apple, LG, BlackBerry, & more. Your equipment is repaired on-site (same day) by one of their skilled technicians using premium quality parts that are backed by a lifetime warranty. They also sell certified pre-owned phones. Mobile Klinik has 80+ locations across the country. T.Kettle "is a luxury brand experience that offers premium loose leaf teas, accessories, hardware, giftables, and your favorite hot-cold beverage". The tea blends are naturally sourced, certified vegan, kosher, and organic yielding rich flavours. The tea shop has locations scattered across Canada as well as the US.

A recent post on our Facebook page asked our followers to identify the best pizza they ever tasted. One reader responded "best pie I’ve had is at the Cromer C-Store". Several others seconded this motion which lead to us immediately completing a Google search for "Cromer Valley Store". Directions to Cromer, MB from Brandon.  (102.2 km) via Trans-Canada Hwy/MB-1 W and MB-255 W.After a quick trip Saturday morning to verify our reader's claim, we can confirm that the Cromer Valley Store (256 Main St, Cromer, MB) is a hidden gem for more than just the pizza they serve. A pizza order was placed for an 11:45am pickup and the first thing you notice upon arrival is the comforting smell of freshly baked goods that greats you as you pass through their doors. Upon entry, a quick glance around the 8,000 sq ft store makes you quickly realize that an article on the Cromer Valley Store will be about more than amazing pizza and a bakery. Pepperoni, Ham Mushroom, Onion, & Green Pepper BBQ Chicken Pizza Pizza Menu Kent Duncalfe and his wife are the current owners of the business, a business which has been in the same family for three generations. Kent tells bdnmb.ca they started selling pizza many years ago when they were an outlet for Vern's Pizza in Brandon. When Vern's closed, the family decided the demand was high enough so they extended their bakery operations to include their own pizza recipe. Their top selling pizza includes the meat lovers and BBQ chicken. Pizza is available by the slice or by the whole pie (15") for takeout. Made with tasty dough, plenty of toppings and smothered in cheese, the pizzas both large and filling. It is recommended you place your order ahead of time for pickup. Other popular items from their in-store bakery include cinnamon buns and sausage rolls. Sausage Rolls Cromer Valley Store also supplies quality goods and services to the surrounding farming community, industrial and oilfield sectors. They carry work boots, gloves and work wear from major manufactures like Red Wing, Helly Hansen, and Carhartt Clothing. While the majority of the daily clientele is from the neighboring oil patch employees, the store is also the local post office and general store for the approximately 40 residents of Cromer. The Cromer Valley Store is one of those throwback small-town general stores that carries everything from power tools to pepperoni and BBQ's to bubble gum. Image: Google

Despite the challenges of 2020 the Brandon Area Community Foundation granted a record breaking $1,052,065 throughout the year. The foundation supports all aspects of life in Brandon and southwestern Manitoba making grants to a wide variety of worthy causes. Laura Kempthorne, Executive Director BACF said “The annual grants provided by our funds and donors, have hopefully given our local charities room to breathe a little easier during this challenging time.  2020 was also the foundation’s 55th anniversary and although the year didn’t go as planned, BACF was able to provide more than $1 million in grants. This is a huge milestone for the foundation.” The Brandon Area Community Foundation has given support to a number of projects across Southwestern Manitoba. These grants covered areas of arts & culture, environment, education, health & wellness and community activities throughout the Westman region. "The BACF has always been there to help build and strengthen communities.  This year they helped the YMCA open Brandon's newest childcare center, Y Maryland Park.  The funding provided children's furnishings, cribs and cots to enable 114 children to be able to experience quality programming in a supportive and safe environment. Together BACF and the YMCA are making Brandon a better place for families. Thank you BACF!" said Lon Cullen, CEO YMCA of Brandon. In addition to the generous donations received, BACF took part in the provincial MB Build 150 and the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund granting initiatives that provided an extra $259,000 to community projects in our area. Brian Martineau with Friends of Lake Minnedosa said “The grant through the Brandon Area Community Foundation will allow us to have a local manufacturer build a trailer to haul the weed harvester to and from the lake. The $89,000 harvester is on order and is expected to be in use on the lake this summer.” BACF was also very pleased to be able to build relationships with other funders and strengthen our partnerships with other community organizations. The grants provided by BACF are possible thanks to generous gifts from local donors from all walks of life. Community foundations pool and endow (permanently invest) all gifts and the income earned supports a variety of projects within the foundation’s catchment area. The original contributions are never spent, ensuring a lasting legacy for donors and a permanent source of support for the community.For a full listing of all grants distributed, please visit our website at bacf.ca.