Kelowna businesses just keep coming, have you seen this?
Good morning from the Okanagan — the lake is calm, the vines are growing, and we have things to discuss.
Okay, but here's the thing nobody talks about enough: the sheer energy of new businesses in Kelowna. We talk about the housing crunch, the traffic on the floating bridge, and the fire season, but people are still setting up shop here, big time.
### New Energy on Bernard Avenue
We've got 20 new business licences just issued in the last week alone, and a lot of them are right where you'd expect — or hope — to see them. According to the latest business licence report from City Hall, a new "Café & Dessert Bar" is opening up shop at 540 Bernard Avenue, which is fantastic news for that stretch of downtown. You know, you can never have enough good coffee and baklava, right? This is going to add some real life to the street, especially if they have outdoor seating. We’re still waiting on the exact opening date, but that’s a space that's seen a few things come and go, so hopefully, this one sticks.
* **Retail Store** at 1000 Harvey Avenue
* **Hair Salon** setting up shop on Lakeshore Road
* **Professional Services** taking over a unit on Richter Street
It’s not just Bernard either; there’s a new hair salon on Lakeshore Road and a couple of professional services firms popping up around Richter Street. This steady stream of new businesses tells me that despite all the talk, people still see a future here, still believe in building something in Kelowna. It makes you wonder how City Hall is going to support this growth without overwhelming our infrastructure.
That's your Morning Wire from Kelowna.
My guys on the morning show are always on top of these local stories — you can hear them daily at mornings.live.