The Chemainus Public Market is now under the sole ownership of Warren Goulding.
The Chemainus businessman, an original co-owner of the market on Willow Street, has purchased the shares of Tony van de Mortel and Patricia Berry.
“The opportunity was there for me to come back,” Goulding said. “I’m looking forward to bringing back some of the ideas we had in the beginning.”
Goulding and van de Mortel conceived the market concept in 2019 and it opened in June of 2020, “just as COVID had arrived,” Goulding noted.
Berry bought Goulding’s shares at the end of 2020 and began running the market alongside van de Mortel through 2021 and 2022 to the present.
“It has been a pleasure and honour to be a part of such an exciting project in Chemainus for the last three years,” Berry noted.
Van de Mortel and Berry added in a statement they’re branching out into other Cowichan Valley and Victoria projects along with continuing to focus on their successful restaurant, Osborne Bay Pub, and its live music scene.
Wanting to make sure the market continues to flourish, they thought it best to lay the care of the market to local individuals and having Goulding and Julie Stevens take over seemed like the perfect fit.
“They’ve got their hands full with a pub that’s doing really well, the entertainment centre of the Cowichan Valley, really,” pointed out Goulding. “Patricia’s instrumental in making that a hot spot for music.”
Both parties pointed out Stevens’ agreement to run the food establishments at the market was pivotal in the deal.
“She is such an important part of the Chemainus community and an amazing restaurateur,” praised Berry. “We are excited to see the market flourish with her culinary expertise.”
“Absolutely it wouldn’t have happened without Julie coming on board,” said Goulding. “I wouldn’t have done it. She’s a tremendous operator and has a great following.”
Several plans will be implemented over time, including moving his Books, Hobbies and More store over to the market as of Jan. 2, 2024.
In addition, “the meeting room that was at the back that was repurposed as retail will be brought back as a meeting room,” Goulding said.
The Chemainus Room will be decorated with art and photographs with an historical connotation.
“That’ll be space Julie can use for catering,” said Goulding. “We can do meetings, art classes, birthday parties.”
It will be available to rent by the hour.
‘That’s going to happen very quickly,” added Goulding. “I’m looking forward to that room.”
He said there are four businesses that will be locating in market space within the next two months.
And the atmosphere of the building is going to be overhauled on his watch.
“We’re going to get the jukebox fired up again,” Goulding indicated. “We might even have a sock hop. It meshes well with the Archie’s (Ice Cream Parlour & Diner) theme.”
Shawn Orza will continue to look after the pinball machines in the popular arcade area, with new additions and upgrades planned.
In the front entrance to the market, “we’re welcoming back the daily table vendors,” Goulding pointed out. “Whether they’re doing baking or knitting or jewelry or whatever they have to sell, they can come in for a day.”
The market offers 10,000 square feet of space and it was quite a project in the beginning to convert the former Chemainus Foods location.
“I sort of had it in my head what I wanted to create,” Goulding explained. “Tony was the genius in doing the work and the reno in what was a pretty rough building. He did a fantastic job. It exceeded my expectations in what he created.”
Related story: Things falling into place at Chemainus Public Market
With the Archie’s space, in particular, “he nailed it,” Goulding added. “He’s a good builder, a good developer.”
Berry and van de Mortel expressed their thanks to everyone who supported the project over the last few years and said they look forward to seeing it bloom in the future.