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Welcoming to the new

Charisma Emporium has undergone a makeover with a new name, larger space and evening entertainment.

By Nicole Fitzgerald

“We’ve got simple, good food with large portions,” owner Garth Riess said. “We are planning to host evening events on a regular basis in the new loungy, restaurant side.”

The Pemberton hangout, located across from the Pemberton liquor store, was recently dubbed the Local’s Livingroom Emporium and Eatery.

The four-year-old business has expanded its floor space to include a new lounge area where morning coffee drinkers and afternoon soup sippers can chill out or catch up on local gossip. The coffee shop, selling everything from homemade breakfast burritos to sandwiches and soups, also hosts a book and gift store along with a makeshift art gallery in the lounge where works by local artists, such as Karen Love, are exhibited.

To celebrate opening week, every night from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 starting at 8 p.m. the Pemberton hangout hosts an event for the price of a smoothie or alpine chipmunk cookie.

The new Indoor Busking series, where local musicians perform and a hat is passed around for entertainers at the end of the evening, begins with acoustics from Creekside Phil, lead guitar player for A Whole Lotta Led, on Monday, Sept. 25. G Willy takes over Tuesday, Sept. 26. Local author Bob Switzer will talk about blood-type dieting, drawing from his book Quantum Fitness: The Lazy Guide to Perfect Health on Wednesday, Sept. 27. Psychic Night invites everyone with spiritual gifts, ranging from psychic readings to tarot cards, to share their gifts with like-minded people on Thursday, Sept. 28. Movie Night screens Riess’s favourite flick Evil Roy Slade, a television western comedy starring John Astin (who later starred in The Addams Family) on Friday, Sept. 29. Open Mike Jam host Nathalie invites musicians to bring their instruments for a group jam Saturday, Sept. 30. DJs Lennie and Ricochet close out the week celebrations with chill spinnings Sunday, Oct. 1.

“We will be open all night long,” Riess said. “We’ve got leather chairs and sofas to mix and mingle on. We plan on doing events on a regular basis.”