Fun Time Pottery (535 34th Street) is now offering paint and takes. This new service allows customers to select from a variety of packages to paint from the comfort of their own home. There are several options for both adults and children including Easter baskets, kids kits, or your own choice. Each box includes paint and a list of a instructions. Due to the popularity of the "To Go Kits" they are having to ask people to use their own brushes as they are currently sold out,. At the moment they are still open for people to come and choose preferred pieces ($4 studio fee!). Owner Milly McKenna tells bdnmb.ca that she can also take pictures of the options and email clients who would like to select their own pieces. Payment then can be made over the phone or via an etansfer. Once you have had an opportunity to paint your pieces, you can then return them to the store and they will proceed to glaze and fire them. This process means your plates/mugs will be food safe to eat and drink from. Fun Time Pottery recently celebrated 10-years in business. In addition to ceramics they also offer many additional services including a clay pottery wheel, clay hand-building, board art, canvas painting, paverpol classes and fused glass classes. You can visit their Facebook page here, to learn more about Fun Time Pottery.

Kam Lung Asian Cuisine opens tomorrow in Brandon at 1675 Park Avenue. To begin, the restaurant will feature original Kam Lung Chinese dishes, sushi, and Filipino cuisine. The all you can eat concept will allow diners to select from an extensive list of Chinese food dishes (chop suey, rice, noodles, seafood, beef, chicken, vegetable) and sushi. There will also be a host of new and exciting menu options including bubble tea and hot pot, "a Chinese cooking Chinese cooking process big pot is set in the center of the table containing boiling hot broth with a heating element underneath. Various raw ingredients are served around the pot, such as thinly sliced meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, dumplings, and noodles." They will open at 7am daily for traditional breakfast items like western omelettes, hot oatmeal, cinnamon rolls, bacon and eggs, or skillets. The restaurant will employee approximately 20 people including a chef with 20-years experience cooking the original and most popular Kam Lung recipes. Also on-board in the kitchen is a chef with extensive experience in Asian cuisine including time spent in highly rated restaurants in Singapore. Kam Lung Asian Cuisine hours of operation will be 7am-11pm daily.

A few weeks ago bdnmb.ca learned that popular restaurant Joe Beeverz (20 - 1300 18th) would be expanding their restaurant operation in Brandon and today we are pleased to share their exciting news with the public. Owner Chad Wallin tells bdnmb.ca that they will be renovating and expanding into the space next door currently being occupied by Sell-Off Vacations. This will add an additional 1200 square feet to their existing restaurant footprint. Sell-Off Vacations will relocate within the same strip mall to the space previously occupied by Quinznos. Joe Beevez first opened their doors in Brandon 9 years ago. Thanks to their unique Canadian style menu, exciting decor and premium service they expanded to Yorkton, SK and operate seasonally in Clear Lake, MB. For additional information on Joe Beeverz please visit their website. We recently had an opportunity to sit down with Chad to discuss the exciting news. BDNMB.CA: With all of the new restaurants over the last 3-5 years why was this expansion the right idea? Chad: Our business has changed and evolved over the years and we needed to find a solution that could accommodate those business needs. Our catering business has really expanded over this time to the point where we were booking a lot of events and meetings off site. Having said that, we also lost some business simply for the fact that we didn’t have the room or private area that our guests needed. Teams are also something we host a lot and this expansion allows us to have a separate, private space to accommodate teams, business meetings and private parties. The timing for us was perfect as it will be 9 years since we opened, and it coincided with a new lease renewal. It shows our dedication to Brandon and at the same time allows us to refresh our look and our brand…. And we have prided ourselves on bringing new ideas to the market for almost a decade. We are proud that we have been part of this community for the last 9 years and are one of the very few Non-National brands along the entire strip of 18th Street. I think it speaks volumes to the hard work, passion and creativity that our team has to stay relevant, current and still continue to grow in an over saturated marketplace. We are extremely proud to be local and independent and the support we have received over the years from our guests has enabled us to continue moving forward. BDBNB.CA: How many new jobs will this create? Chad: Great question. Our hope is that with the expansion and renovation it will be busy enough to create a bunch of jobs! I guess time will tell, but truthfully, we are only expanding 1200 square feet and some of that space will be used to make our kitchen area more efficient, so its not so much of a job creator as a much needed room creator. BDNMB.CA: I assume the travel agency will be moving to the old Quizno’s? Chad: You are correct. There were a lot of puzzle pieces to put together to make this deal come to a fruition, but with the help of awesome neighbors like Sell-Off Vacations and a forward thinking landlord, they both worked hard to make this happen for us. Towers Realty really helped us to make sure that we had the space that we needed to help us continue to grow our brand. BDNMB.CA: When do you expect to open? Chad: You will start seeing some activity for us next door in late April after Sell Off has shuffled over. Our plan would be early-midsummer if everything goes well. We want to be ready to host summer teams, and fully ready to go to host those summer parties and the business meetings when they fire back up in the early fall. BDBMB.CA: What changes can people expect to see? Chad: The addition will allow us to use that space as overflow to the restaurant on days when it is needed or can simply be closed off to private functions. The new space will include tv’s of course and a large 110” screen that will be accessible for big games but as well as functional for meetings and presentations. A separate portable bar is available for private parties as well as a separate washroom. In addition to the new space we will be doing some renovations in the existing space to bring it up a little more current standard. That’s all I’m going to tell you…… we have to keep some surprises! BDNMB.CA: Sounds like exciting times at Joe Beeverz…. Anything else we should know? Chad: Yes, there is always lots going on. I feel that equally as exciting as the expansion is the new menu that we have been working on which seems like forever, but we have taken our time with this one and have tried a million different ideas. We are about 95% of the way there and our customers can expect to see our old menu blown up and put back together. Of course, we are leaving the favorites, but there is A LOT of new items which include a lot of shareable apps, some new poutines and sandwiches and some healthier, lighter alternatives. It’s been a few years since we have really changed our menu and this one will be by far the most drastic change in 9 years. It will roll out at the start of May. Our seasonal Clear Lake location will open up the weekend before May Long. We’ve got some exciting new menu changes up there again this year.  It’s kind of cool operating a quick service restaurant as a different style…. Certainly, different then our other two locations style.  The Clear Lake location is not a sit-down restaurant per se with table service, it’s simply a patio, delivery and takeout spot…. To the beach, boat or your cabin! Other then that, we are busy with our wedding caterings all summer and our “Patty Wagon” food truck bookings that take us all over the place. This is the most exciting time there has been for all of us at work and for all of the Joe Beeverz fans.

PetSmart® is pleased to announce the opening of its newest store in Brandon, Manitoba located at 1350 18th Street, Unit E. To celebrate, PetSmart is having a grand opening event Saturday, March 14, starting with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. Media and pet parents are encouraged to attend and bring their four-legged friends to join in the fun!   The first 50 shoppers in store on Saturday and Sunday will receive a $25 gift card and free giveaways. Additionally, there will be two chances to win a $250 PetSmart gift card†. What: PetSmart Grand Opening Celebration When: Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 9 a.m. Where: PetSmart Brandon - 1350 18th Street, Unit E The new store features over 13,565 square feet of space, providing pet parents with a comprehensive line of pet products. The new store offers useful services such as pet training and a full-service grooming salon where dogs and cats receive hands-on care from academy-trained, safety-certified stylists dedicated to making pets look and feel their best.**  The new location will also feature self-service dog washing stations where pet parents can bond as they personally bathe their pups.    PetSmart stores are also pleased to offer pet adoption services in partnership with its registered Canadian charity, PetSmart Charities® of Canada, and more than 200 animal welfare organizations across the country. Since its inception, PetSmart has never sold cats or dogs in its stores. Instead, each store partners with local humane societies, SPCAs and pet rescue groups and invites them to bring adoptable pets into stores to help them find loving homes. Through National Adoption Weekend events hosted in February, June, September and November, as well as pet adoptions that take place every single day in PetSmart stores, the program has found homes for over 320,000 pets and counting. *All grand opening giveaways available while supplies last. (submitted)

BRANDON, MB – March 5, 2020 – Cando Rail Services has been honoured with the prestigious Gold Standard as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. First named to the award program in 2017, the Gold Standard means Cando has successfully maintained its Best Managed status for four consecutive years. Through a rigorous application process, the 2020 Best Managed program recognizes the best-in-class of Canadian-owned and managed companies that have an engaging strategy development process, strong corporate culture, continuous drive for growth and a sustainable competitive advantage. This year the winners list was reduced by almost half compared to 47 winners in 2019. This was done deliberately. The evolving Global program is increasing the competitive landscape and continues to push the Canadian program to showcase the very best of the best from Canada. Based in Brandon, Man., Cando has successfully grown from a small rail salvage company in 1978 to an international service provider of various rail services, optimizing the bulk material supply chain for industry and the Class 1 railways. Helping with that success, the company has a unique employee share purchase program that gives employees the opportunity to be part owners in the company. It is more than just an ownership structure; it is a company culture that breeds success from the ground up. Established in 1993, Canada’s Best Managed Companies is one of the country’s leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies for innovative, world-class business practices. Winners are an important engine of economic growth for being adaptable and sustainable in a global market. The Canada's Best Managed Companies award recognizes the entire company. It's uniquely Canadian, and it measures more than strong financial performance. The Best Managed program continues to grow internationally with presence in 21 countries and continued global expansion. 2020 winners of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies award will be honoured at the annual Canada’s Best Managed Companies gala in Toronto in April. The Best Managed program is sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, Canadian Business, Smith School of Business and TMX Group. (submitted)