NOHFC - Success Stories
Entrepreneurial Couple Keep Things Fresh in Kenora
"NOHFC funding accelerated what we were able to do… the ability to buy the computers we needed to manage the business, and the equipment needed for production...."
When Audrey and Taras Manzie bought a small roadside motel six years ago in Keewatin on the west side of Kenora, they knew they wanted to offer the local community something new. Rather than merely fixing up what was already there, the couple tore down some existing cabins and constructed a 30-seat restaurant in its place. The rest of the lodging property was renovated, and the Southview Inn & Bistro was unveiled. Since opening, the Southview has become a popular dining destination for locals and visitors alike. Now, with a little help from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), these ambitious northerners are taking their business to the next level.
Complementary Backgrounds
Audrey, a Kenora native, met her husband in Ottawa while taking food preparation courses at Algonquin College. Taras, who’s lived all over North America and Europe, was co-owner of a technology company. An unlikely match? Not for these two entrepreneurs, who decided to combine his business acumen with her culinary skills, relocate to Kenora, and pursue their vision of a hospitality business with a high-end atmosphere and top-quality food.
“We knew we always wanted to work for ourselves. After we had our first daughter, Alyson who’s now seven, we decided to move to Kenora because that’s where my family is based,” said Audrey. “So with his business background and my culinary background, this just made sense.”
“Getting into the food service industry gives us a bit of an advantage because there isn’t a whole lot here,” Taras continues. “There are restaurants of course, but what we bring to the table is something different…a fresh perspective.”
“I wanted to be able to practice where I grew up, and to have my children raised in this environment…if people invest in the community, there’s nowhere to go but up.”
At a Glance:
WHERE
Kenora, Ontario
WHO
Audrey Manzie, co-owner of Southview Inn & Bistro
HOW NOHFC HELPED
Funding through the Northern Ontario Young Entrepreneur Program allowed Audrey to diversify the business and manufacture a signature line of condiments.
Preparing the Recipe for Success
In searching for ways to expand their business, they discovered that Audrey qualified for the NOHFC’s Young Entrepreneur Program, which provides young northerners with essential funding for their business start-up costs. The program contributed $25,000 to buy the equipment the couple needed to manufacture and sell homemade condiments to both wholesale and retail outlets. Their creations, a unique assortment of salad dressings, dips, salsas, and chutneys, are all made from scratch with premium ingredients.
The idea to increase their revenue stream by selling their condiments is indicative of the foresight, ambition, and creative thinking that has helped propel the couple’s business thus far.
“Seeing the NOHFC grant that Audrey was eligible for, the logical progression was to look at manufacturing, since we made all our own stuff from scratch anyway,” Taras explains.
“And [the NOHFC funding] accelerated what we were able to do. We eventually would’ve got there, but it accelerated the ability to buy the computers we needed to manage the business, and the equipment needed for production.”
Because of their hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance, Southview Inn & Bistro is steadily flourishing. Recently, the couple further expanded their operation to downtown Kenora where they’ve opened Southview on Second, an old-world-style bakery, deli, and café. The shop sells freshly prepared meals and sandwiches, desserts that are baked on-site and, of course, their signature condiments.
“Try something new, try something different, and keep the ball moving forward. Whether it’s a recipe, or just looking at your business in a different light, I think it needs to be done.”
“In the community, there’s nothing like what we do,” says Audrey. “I feel that it’s helping Kenora progress as a tourism destination, and more and more people are moving back to Kenora to raise their families and be close to aging parents. So it’s nice that when they come here, they can have a cappuccino!”
A Fresh Perspective
Audrey and Taras are proud of what they’ve accomplished and they are proud to have accomplished it in the North. They believe that fresh ideas are essential to the growth of communities like Kenora, and they encourage other entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to the table and take chances.
“Kenora’s been around for a hundred years,” Taras explains. “The building we have is 127 years old. When we bought it, it looked like a second-hand shop that should’ve been bulldozed. People who come in now can’t believe it’s the same building. So try something new, try something different, and keep the ball moving forward. Whether it’s a recipe, or just looking at your business in a different light, I think it just needs to be done.”
- Learn how the NOHFC can help you: Young Entrepreneur Program
