by Morri Mostow
New hot-lunch program…for
Knowlton merchants
Knowlton merchants no longer have to settle for cold bag lunches. Virgo Romano of the eponymous Virgo Catering now delivers hot, gourmet lunches to store-bound, downtown merchants. The price is a reasonable $4.95 (plus tax), with free delivery.
“This service is perfect for merchants who are all alone in their stores and can’t get out for lunch,” says Romano. The menu, which changes daily, offers such hearty fare as seafood quiche, pasta Alfredo with grilled vegetable brochette, pasta Florentine, chicken parmesan with noodles, chili with nachos and vegetable or meat lasagna, accompanied by a soup or salad and dessert.
Virgo also serves these same three-course lunches in his bright deli, from Monday to Friday. (They are also available for take-out.) If you have an epicure on your Christmas list, check out Virgo’s gift baskets, packed with such local delicacies as wild-boar sausage and duck pâté.
Traiteur Virgo Catering, at 255B Knowlton Road, is open seven days a
week. Telephone (450) 243-0834.
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Last week, three enterprising Knowlton women launched one of
Quebec’s first distributorships for The
Body Shop at Home™ . “This new initiative brings The Body Shop products
to rural areas that have no nearby store,” explained Nancy Plescia, Direct
Development Manager for The Body Shop at
Home, who came from Montreal to help Josée Laforest, Sue Moar and Sue O’Collin with their launch. Two
dozen invited guests attended two presentations at Knowlton’s Marina Quai 7 and
sampled the company’s holiday
products and gift baskets. The Body Shop, which sells a huge range of beauty
products, is known for its support of environmental, ecological and community
causes.
“We were
really pleased with the turnout,” said Moar. “People who came were happy to
have such a convenient outlet for these products in their area.”
Laforest, Moar and O’Collin are also delighted that their new home-based business allows them to continue with their other jobs: Laforest, a graphic artist, is the owner/manager of Hip Graphique; Moar is a co-owner of the Marina Quai 7; and O’Collin is the manager of Hubbard Fabrics in Granby. The three friends will be organizing frequent parties where guests will be able to try the products before they buy. In the new year, they plan to organize special theme parties — face care, foot care, Valentine gift-giving, etc.
To enquire about the
next Body Shop at Home party or to host one, call Josée laforest at (450) 243-5444 or Sue O’Collin at (450) 243-6511.
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The vernissage on Saturday, November
3, at the Rose Window Gallery in Knowlton was packed to the rafters, as guests
admired an eclectic display of paintings, sculpture and photography. Dubbed La
tournée des Tournesols à Knowlton, this not-to-be-missed exhibit features the work of 11
accomplished artists attached to Sutton’s Deux Tournesols art gallery, which
is closed during the month of November.
BizBeat was intrigued by Morrie
Bakerman’s photographic landscapes, Thérèse Huard’s bucolic country paintings,
Hélène Plourde’s mixed-media tableaus created from photos, Mario Cardin’s
ghouls, André Prudhomme’s hand-carved marriage figurines, and Guy Borremans’
erotic photographs … to mention just a few.
Priced for holiday gift-giving,
original works range from $100 to $800; numbered photographic prints, from $200
to $425. Greeting cards and small reproductions go for $10 and under.
La tournée
des Tournesols à Knowlton continues
until November 25 at the Rose Window Art Gallery, 91 Lakeside, Knowlton. Open 7
days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone (450) 243-0123.
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your business? BizBeat wants to know! phone: (450) 242-2323. fax: (514) 221-2102.
E-mail: bizbeat@morrimostow.com.