Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:11 This is before COVID. When I heard about these virtual kitchens and I was like, this is a genius idea. Um, and then, but it was something that's people are doing in like Toronto and Calgary and the big cities. And so now you guys have brought this concept to Fort McMurray. It's a crazy awesome. It's just an efficient concept. So can you explain to some of the people at home who might not know what that is? Like, what is the virtual concept?
Speaker 2 00:00:35 So of course it's, you're right. It was starting in all the big cities and I'm originally from Toronto. Um, and it excited me to know that there was an area, basically a commissary where multiple, um, concepts were being launched out of. And from a business perspective, it's very enticing because it really keeps your overhead down. And, um, it allows you to have multiple offerings for the community, right? So when we kind of dabbled with the idea, but didn't really, it wasn't at the forefront of what we were doing. So basically things happened with, uh, are very interesting times in our world and we needed to create something to keep our staff employed. And, um, that was really important to us. Um, so we thought, let's go test this out. So we basically came up with, um, first concept was pork and bones, um, which is barbecue and it is directly through, um, third-party delivery.
Speaker 2 00:01:40 Okay. Um, or if you order direct from us, um, either on our Facebook page or you can call it in whatever you like, and it just gives people a different offering and then, you know, they can, they can have an opportunity to try something new and support local. Um, and because we launched these two concepts, it actually not only allowed us to maintain our staff, what we were able to create more work for other local people here in Fort Mac. And that for us would sort of superseded what we originally wanted to do. Right, right. So we were pretty stoked about that.
Speaker 1 00:02:19 Now explain the two different menus that, uh, established themselves.
Speaker 2 00:02:22 Absolutely. So pork and bones, as I had mentioned is a barbecue concept. So, um, there's no other small local business doing that, right. So we thought let's do something different than what other small local businesses are doing here. It didn't want to have competition with anyone else. We just wanted to create another entity for the consumers. And then the other one is saver, which actually currently, um, we are tweaking, um, there is something big coming with saver, but if you are someone who has tried the saber concept, it was more global. And so it gave offerings from kind of all over. Um, and that was also something that small local wasn't doing. So, um, to be continued, but there's something really cool coming with savers. So we're excited to share that with you guys. Okay.
Speaker 1 00:03:17 And then you guys did something else, which I think I, I like companies and individuals who try different things just to diversify. And you guys did something really neat with your, um, the beer that you make. Uh, it's not there anymore because
Speaker 3 00:03:33 I think we drank it. Um, we used to have a tumbler, um,
Speaker 1 00:03:37 But you guys are not only making the beer for us here in Fort McMurray, but you guys are distributing it and you can get it in different places now, which is like amazing.
Speaker 2 00:03:47 Honestly, it was such a vision. We cast it, um, going into this cause we opened up just before the pandemic hit a few months before and brewery was something very new to us, but we knew we could create this incredible culture, not only for Fort McMurray, but for Alberta. And so we had all these ideas creating and to create, and now they're coming to fruition. Um, as you can hear my boys, I'm super giddy about it. Um, because not only are we creating these amazing craft beers and we are actually pairing with really beautiful organizations to help them raise money for different foundations. And that really, when I think about who we are and all the diversity, um, I think about giving back to the community that for me, is like top shelf important. And this is really allowing us to do that, which is really cool. It's really
Speaker 1 00:04:50 Neat that people can, uh, taste something that comes out of Fort McMurray, outside of Fort McMurray. And we had a gentleman on the show, um, a few days ago, uh, I forget the general, Keith Keith was his name. He is a big beer drinker and he couldn't stop bragging about how good the beer is. Yeah. So he was saying like, he gets a character from you guys almost on a monthly basis. And he, uh, he's a big supporter and he tells as many people as he can like, Hey, listen, you need to try this out. So yeah. So very cool. Now you were saying, you like to give back and there's a website on a new initiative that you guys were pushing what's
Speaker 2 00:05:30 That this is like so many beautiful things are coming. Um, loving on local 57 north has just launched that last week. And I remember it clear as day being in the living room at home talking about. Cause at this point we had already, um, started working with the heroes up foundation and created the code red heroic gal. And we were already in the works of creating other beers with other foundations and organizations, but I wanted something more. I said to my husband, I really well, we wanted something more to really give back to small businesses, small local businesses. So this includes, um, you know, people who are now starting businesses from home, um, organizations that are already here that really need the help of this because they've lost a lot of their funding, local artists, musicians, the list goes on. And even those in the social network marketing arena, I'm actually one of those people as well and have a health and wellness business and just creating a space for them to grow. And there really is room at the table for everyone to grow. And that's what this initiative is about. Loving on one, another supporting one another growing together as a small business community. Right. So that is really at the forefront of what loving on local is all about. We
Speaker 1 00:07:03 Will get involved with the concept or ecosystem that you've created for loving all. Yes.
Speaker 2 00:07:09 Thank you for asking that. So, um, this week, actually last week when we started, um, our features, so we change it every two weeks. Uh, we have Shantelle Davidson who is a local artist and a very dear friend. Um, she's first stop and we're featuring her talking about her and you can find the information you can, one reach out to me directly. Um, I, me and Nita Parker, Facebook, Instagram, um, you can also go to our website at 57 north. We have a whole section on loving on local. You can send us an email through there and we would love to, um, connect with you since we launched loving on local. We've had a lot of small businesses already that have asked to do collaborations with us. Um, even being at the farmer's market with 57 north, um, they're talking about collaborations and then I let them know about loving on local. So it's a win for all of us. Yeah. So yeah, so we basically cross promote with them. We promote them. We don't ask, we're not looking for money, right? We are only looking to help them, the awareness of what they're doing and grow them. And we have these really cool five by seven cards, postcards that are going on are, uh, takeout bags. So we have probably about five to 700 takeout bags going out a week. So it's advertising about them and I'm just really helping the initiative. Oh, that's so cool. That's exciting. Now
Speaker 1 00:08:36 You mentioned something early on in the show. You're from Toronto.
Speaker 2 00:08:39 I am from, sorry, what part of Toronto? Well, I will really more specific cause it's always easier to say to Toronto, to people. So if we want to get to the nitty gritty, I was born in Hamilton. Terrio Katz grew up in Stony Creek, which is right beside Hamilton and then moved to <inaudible>, which is considered Toronto now. And I've been in the Western part of Canada now for almost 16 years. 16 years. Yes.
Speaker 1 00:09:09 Yes. I love Toronto too. My parents are immigrants. Um, and they migrated in the seventies to immigrated, sorry to the, to Canada in the seventies. And they spent a few years in Toronto. Um, but most of my family that lives in Canada anyways, um, lives in Toronto. So I used to go there pretty much every summer as a child. And uh, I love Toronto.
Speaker 2 00:09:34 No, I know it's busy and it's the hustle and bustle, but I love the culture. Like I am just being immersed in that. Yeah. The feeling of that growing up with that has really given me the roots, I think, to be so diverse and be a person who is a cliff jumper who goes to try everything.
Speaker 1 00:09:55 That's awesome. So yeah, the one thing I like about Toronto, it's a, a city, a metropolis for that matter. Um, once you get into the neighborhoods though, it doesn't feel like a city. Like if you're in downtown Toronto. Yes. Obviously. And as soon as you hit the 4 0 1, you know, you're hearing a pretty big place, but when you're in your neighborhood, it does a great job of making it feel like a neighborhood in a city.
Speaker 2 00:10:20 Honestly, it really does. Um, the neighborhood that we were in just before we came out here, oh my gosh. It was like a very mature area. It really had a lot of heritage homes. It just had a real beautiful sense of community and watching out for one another. And that's a beautiful thing. And most people, when they think of Toronto, they, they think of disconnection, which is actually the exact opposite opposite. Pardon me? It's very connected. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:10:48 It really is. It's, it's an amazing city and like not all cities are like that. Like it's yeah. It's kind of a, it's a, it's a Canadian city. Like you get like just Canadians are nice. And I, I just find when you go to Toronto Canadians, just nice. So now you have a whole business and you're nice. And I find your, your businesses about positivity and niceness and like you do these cute videos and stories online about you making stuff, or like even I saw you cooking in an air popper for Andy and he came in and you fed him. And I was like, oh my God, that's the most adorable thing I've ever seen. So can you tell us a little bit, oh
Speaker 2 00:11:27 My gosh, it's called air air frying with the parkers. Um, you know, I, my heritage is Italian. My parents both immigrated from Italy. So food is how we love. It's one of our love languages. And, um, and the obviously being in that, um, Lego work for, um, all these years has really resonated. We have a lot of fun in the kitchen and an air fryer is not what you would think about when you think of Italian cuisine, but we're obsessed with our AirFryer air fryers <inaudible>,
Speaker 3 00:12:04 Um, and just like really honestly
Speaker 2 00:12:07 Demonstrating for our kids, the importance of having really delicious food and nourishing our bodies in a way that's going to obviously serve us from a physical and a mental standpoint. So I've just made it into something super fun. And yeah, my health and wellness business is very much about a holistic approach to mindset, to like movements such as exercise and to what we're putting in and on our bodies basically. So it's very empowering. I didn't know, going into that business, the self development that would come from it and it's been like really mind blowing and my children watching and my husband and friends and like yourself saying, Hey, it's like, it's, I just want to share good things with people.
Speaker 1 00:12:54 I follow you. And I look at the content that you put out more often than not. I have no idea what you're actually selling. Like, cause I don't feel like that's the main objective of what you're putting out there. Um, and I think that's the way that social media should be. You put some stuff out there, like you engage with you as an individual. And then every once in a while it's like, Hey, by the way, there's this product or you're watching you make something. And then you're like, oh, I wonder what that product is. But for the most part, it's just like, it's just entertaining, entertaining, and it's fun to watch.
Speaker 2 00:13:25 Well, thank you. I really, I really appreciate that. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 00:13:30 So I know I just got assigned from Tanner. I'm stealing his shine. He has a segment in the show called the Mac city minute. He's going to ask you five questions. I have no idea what he's going to ask you. So, uh, best of luck to you. Tanner hit her with the max 30 minutes.
Speaker 4 00:13:45 Question number one. What is your favorite part of working with local businesses in Fort McMurray?
Speaker 2 00:13:51 Oh, such a great question for those that don't know me. I honestly vibrate on connecting with people. That for me is like such a beautiful feeling of really understanding who the individual is and being a really generous listener to what their human needs are. So that is probably the biggest piece for me. Question
Speaker 4 00:14:15 Number two. What is one thing about Fort McMurray that keeps you coming back?
Speaker 2 00:14:20 Oh my gosh. I'll never forget. The first time I came to Fort Mac and thinking about what a hidden secret this place was. And it was my duty to share that with everybody. And I still feel that way. It's a big reason why I'm doing the loving on local. The people here, you, um, Tanner. Wow, you have my heart. Like you, the love that is in this community is what keeps me coming back because I want to be a part of growing that love
Speaker 4 00:14:53 Question number three. What is your favorite dish from each of the restaurants and concepts you work with?
Speaker 2 00:15:03 Tinder's on it. Okay. So from 57 north, I would say honestly, the best wings, um, the best wings and wow, they're amazing. Uh, from pork and bones, I would say the nachos are like layered, not chose. You can find everything with, on that nacho chip with every bite and from saver. It would be, I would say the pen a with, um, sausage and prawns. I'm actually juggling, I'm juggling between two other dishes, but yeah, that would be my favorite and there's gluten-free options with all. So it's really cool for those that are, you know, gluten intolerance. So,
Speaker 4 00:16:00 And your final question, what is one way for make Murray reminds you of Toronto or other big cities in Canada that you've been to
Speaker 2 00:16:10 Tan? Are you impressed me? So I was shocked to see the diversity here. When I came to Fort McMurray, I felt like I was coming back to Toronto. It was so beautiful to see all the different cultures that are here. And, um, yeah, it just reminded me of home. It felt so good. Yeah. And those have been your five questions.
Speaker 1 00:16:36 Yeah. It's kind of crazy. People like myself, Atlanta, we grew up here, so you kind of take it for granted. But I remember when I moved away from Fort McMurray, I went to post-secondary in Edmonton and not as diverse as Fort McMurray. Um, and when I say that, I like, I know there's a lot of diversity in Edmonton. However, in Fort MacMurray, everybody hung out with one another. I found when I moved to Edmonton, it was a, it was a culture shock for me because it was very cliquey, like, um, Guyanese. That's where my parents are from Guyanese. People hung out with Chinese people, Asian people hung out with Asian people and it was very, you, you stayed within your lane kind of deal. And growing up in Fort Mac, it was just like, you just hung out with everybody because that's just what you did. Um, I think it's because there wasn't a lot of people, but super diverse. Um, and it just continues to, to continue to go in that direction here.
Speaker 2 00:17:30 Yeah. It's a really beautiful thing. And you said it like I've I live in other, I've lived in other parts of Western Canada and that's what I found. Like it was a culture shock being so cliquey. It was just so not part of like where I came from. So that's that really beautiful sense of Fort McMurray is everyone just comes. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:17:50 Yeah. So you obviously like food, so I'm going to go down this rabbit hole with you, so you have your place and that's great, but I know you support a lot of other places in town. Cause that's kind of where I bumped into more often than not as different restaurants, other from your own. So let's go into fast food for a second. What's your favorite, fast food place to go to? Oh my gosh. We had Jeremy, he was saying and w is ADW yours? Did you got McDonald's burger king? Where are you thinking?
Speaker 2 00:18:18 I want to know what growing up. We didn't have fast food coming from like, um, an Italian family. It wasn't, we ate at home. My mom was still like that to this day. Um, so when I think about when I was a teenager, like branching out and like, oh my gosh, give me the pop and the candy and the fast food, honestly, back in the day it was taco bell for their chili cheese burrito. Like, especially after the high school dances that
Speaker 4 00:18:49 I don't know. I got a preference more to taco time. Oh, well, anywhere with a taco is good.
Speaker 1 00:18:56 Here's the thing about Fort McMurray. We never had a taco bell for years until like the two thousands. We finally got one Timberly. Yeah. And so as a kid, I used to like, love going to Edmonton. So I could go to taco bell. I love taco bell, but taco times, good to Tanner. I'm not going to bash taco time.
Speaker 2 00:19:16 We have taco time out east. So, um, and the fries Supreme was the other one. I haven't had taco bell honestly, since I was in post-secondary. Um, so yeah, so there you go. You're missing out taco
Speaker 1 00:19:27 Bell, the gordita crunch, fry Supreme. So good anyways. Um, we're done. That's it. I know we went over the time, so thank you very much for coming. Do appreciate it. Before you leave though, please shameless plug, tell everybody at home about everything that you have going on and how they can support and get involved.
Speaker 2 00:19:44 Okay. Well thank you for having me and yes. Please check out 57 Norris website. You can find out all about the loving all local. Please reach out, um, by Facebook messenger, Instagram, we're also on Instagram, 57 north saver and also pork and bones and Anita Parker. You can find me on social media. I love to connect with you. There we go. Okay.
Speaker 1 00:20:10 Well on that note, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world, that's been another episode of the Mac city morning show. Thank you very much for tuning in. I've been your host Elliot Pierre. And once again, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It does mean the world to me. So have a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
Speaker 4 00:20:44 Talk about quenching your ugly thirst.
