In tough economic times, Whistler gets on with business. At least that’s how it looks this week, with both some good and bad news hitting town.
Good: Aritzia
Popular clothing line Aritzia is opening a retail outlet in Whistler Village, sandwiched between the Body Shop and the Savage Beagle. It’s a company that produces clothes for young females.
Aritzia has eight locations throughout Greater Vancouver and has a whole bunch of brands under its own name, including (but not limited to) Talula, Talula Babaton and Community. But the store also carries lots of other brands.
The company already has a toe-hold in Whistler with the TNA outlet, which is owned by the parent company Aritzia. With the new store, which opens in December, it’s looking to gain a foot-hold.
A location next to the Savage Beagle could provide a quick-stop for anyone who still needs something to wear just before heading to the bar — that is, if you’re off to the bar while the store’s still open.
Bad: WERC closing
The Whistler Employment Resource Centre is closing Dec. 12, citing a “strategic decision.” Employment services, says a press release from the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, are already offered by the Howe Sound Employment Resource Centre in Function Junction.
The press release describes WERC as a “successful partnership” between Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) and the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, and says that workers, whether employers or employees, can still access resources and tools from the chamber website.
Fiona Famulak, president of the Whistler Chamber, said in the release that she’s exploring options to ensure “best use” of the former WERC space.
WERC’s job fair went ahead as planned yesterday.
Good: Government using Ziptrek to promote tourism
The Canadian Tourism Commission, the national marketing organization for Canadian tourism, recently unveiled its 2009 global marketing strategy at London, England’s “World Travel Market,” one of the world’s biggest showcases of travel trade and media.
The campaign includes 15-second videos showing the experiences of visitors to Canada. One of them shows a man screaming as he flies down a Ziptrek line in the vast space between two mountains, a river roaring beneath him. He almost needs to take a breath to keep on screaming. While the video doesn’t identify Whistler, the CTC confirms the video is from Ziptrek in Whistler.
The strategy comes as FutureBrand of New York announced that Canada is the world’s second-ranked “country brand,” just behind Australia.
Rina Plapler, who wrote the Country Brand Index report for FutureBrand, told Marketing Magazine Canada is a “well-run country, people see it as safe, they see it as a strong business destination, they see it as an attractive leisure destination.”
Canada was ranked well ahead of the United States, which came eighth.
Canada was ranked ninth as the place people would most like to return to or visit. Australia was ranked number one for the third year in a row. The CTC’s Greg Klassen credited Australia’s strong showing to Sydney hosting the Summer Olympics in 2000.
Meanwhile, the Lonely Planet recently named Canada one of the top 10 countries for 2009, describing it as a place of “life-changing experiences, festivals and events, and cosmopolitan, cultured and foodie-filled cities.”
Good: Howe Sound releases Bailout Bitter
In response to the economic crisis, Squamish-based Howe Sound Brewery has released a new brand, Bailout Bitter, which depicts a stock market page and chart on the label. The slogan is “A bitter ale for bitter times.”
Howe Sound Brewery sells beer at more than 350 liquor stores in B.C. and Alberta, as well as at their pub in Squamish.
And that’s not the only way that Howe Sound Brewery is responding to the economic crisis. The brew pub and restaurant are heralding back to the depression days with a variety of “Blue Plate” specials, meals like meat and potatoes at an affordable price but with no substitutions.
The brewery will be playing music from the 1930s, and hosting a monthly movie night with a film from the depression era.
“We are trying to inject a little bit of humour into this dire economic situation, while still responding in a serious way to these tough times,” said brewery co-owner Leslie Fenn.
Good: Whistler companies lauded at landscape awards
The BC Landscape and Nursery Association at the 2008 Landscape Awards of Excellence are honouring Heike Stippler of Heike Designs on November 14 at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler.
Stippler, who has a degree in architecture from Germany, has created “site-specific” landscapes aimed at suiting a specific client’s requirements.
Leslie Garbutt of SoundGarden Landscape and Design Ltd., meanwhile, is being honoured for her work running a company with people that “pride themselves on expert knowledge and dedication to their clients.”
But that’s not the only good news for Garbutt. She recently passed the Certified Landscape Professional (CLP) Designation and is now a certified landscaper.
The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) and the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) administer the test in order to give professional recognition to people involved in horticulture.
The designation is meant for people who have a combination of five years of education or experience in the horticultural industry, according to a CNLA news release.
