A partnership bringing together three women-owned businesses in Thunder Bay could create a new experience for market-goers.
Crush Coffee Co., Sleeping Giant Brewing Company and Superior Bakes are opening a shared space at Thunder Bay Country Market today.
Abby Sherlock, business and advisory services coordinator for the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, said this is a great opportunity to go out to the market and meet the women behind these businesses and learn about their products and missions. This initiative could set a trend for other companies to come together in a market space setting and expand their business.
“Especially in a small community like Thunder Bay, it’s really important for business owners to support each other and work together as much as possible,” Sherlock said.
“Having entrepreneurs supporting each other, especially women entrepreneurs, is so important to the growth of these businesses in our local communities.”
Superior Bakes owner Jenny Ritchie started her business in Country Market, and up until two months ago, she said, she was sharing the space with people who weren’t interested in continuing.
“But I was really passionate about country markets and I’m really interested in sustainability and supporting local farmers, so I wanted to be a part of it,” Ritchie said. “I work a lot with Andrea Mulligan, the owner of Sleeping Giant Brewing Company, and she suggested we do it together, which I thought was a great idea. Then Romy Marlo Ellis, the owner of Crush Coffee Company, got involved and that’s how the shared space came about.”
Ritchie, whose main business is Goods & Co., said there was “a good chance” the company could set trends.
Marlo Ellis said because Crush Coffee is a start-up, the initiative will help raise the company’s profile.
“And this is a company that is woman-owned, that empowers women, that employs women, so that will be highlighted as well,” she said.
