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Mrs. McGarrigle's adds second store |
07.10.2009
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By Anna Wolfe
WARKWORTH, Ontario-A "unique opportunity" led Janet Campbell to open a second Mrs. McGarrigle's gourmet store here last week.
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Campbell is leasing the 800-square-foot storefront here from Sprucewood Brands, which bought the former Masonic lodge here to relocate the shortbread company.
Mark Pollard, owner of Sprucewood Brands known for its savory and sweet shortbread cookies, said he first met Campbell three years ago on a sales call to her store in Merrickville. "She's been a very generous mentor," said Pollard. "And she sells a pile of our products."
Campbell, who also owns Mrs. McGarrigle's mustard, shared a booth with Pollard's company at the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows. And the two companies will share space again at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, Jan. 17-19, 2010. "Our products look good together and taste good together," Pollard said.
So when Pollard had space available in the Greek revival building he is renovating, he approached Campbell about leasing the space.
"She has a great sense of business," said Pollard. "It's about sharing similar values. We both have products that are all natural and made by hand."
Although she wasn't looking to add a second store-2.5 hours away from her store in Merrickville-"it was an easy decision to make," Campbell said because of her relationship with Pollard and Sprucewood.
Campbell's line of award-winning mustards and Sprucewood's shortbreads "anchor the store," she said. Plus, she's cherry-picked the best sellers from her 3,000-square-foot gourmet food and kitchenware shop to sell here.
The store, which opened July 1, is the first part of the building to open. In August Pollard is relocating his bakery operation to the 3,500-square-foot space here from the commercial kitchen in the inn he owns.
The area here, between the cities of Toronto and Kingston, is starting to attract tourists. Oak Heights Estate winery is here and Prince Edward County, home to dozens of wineries, is about a 30-minute drive, he said.
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