Small businesses featured in this issue focus on providing practical and enjoyable gifts for the holiday season. Birds and Beans café offers gift baskets with coffee, tea, chocolate and mugs to relieve holiday stresses. Tatsu's Bread bakery creates handcrafted artisan goods daily in a warm atmosphere, ranging from savory items to student favorites like Brie bread. The Village Butcher greets customers with local, organic meats and takes pride in its fresh products and community support during the busy holidays.

1. SMALL BUSINESS FOCUS
This issue’s small business features are provided by the second year students in the
Public Relations Advanced Diploma program at Humber College
By Amy Hicks and Jessica Delaney
The Christmas season is an endless whirl of dinner parties, family gatherings, and work func-
tions. Finding practical and enjoyable gifts can relieve at least some of the stresses that the sea-
son brings.
Alliance chocolate bars, and a festive mug.
Since opening the café eight years ago, it has been important for Birds and Beans owners, David and
part of people’s lives, I always believed if you can change something you do every day then that’s a
-
fort that brings people together. The holiday season is meant to be enjoyed, even if it’s the simple joy of
Tatsu’s Bread creates an aroma to excite your appetite
By Donna Tran and Vanessa Lopez
It is easy to miss the small bakery at the corner of Lakeshore and Kipling, but it is a discovery you’ll be
pleased you made.You’re warmly greeted by kind smiles and words of welcome.The wooden tables and
chairs create a simple, yet cozy atmosphere that adds to the warm feeling of devouring freshly baked
goods. The café’s menu consists of handcrafted, Artisan goods that are baked daily. The menu ranges
the student favourite, Brie served on ancient grain bread with basil pesto spread, tomatoes and mixed
greens.
-
manship put into each and every loaf is a testimony to the values instilled in me by my masters,” said
Tatsunobu Sato, master baker at Tatsu’s Bread.
An attribute that givesTatsu’s Bakery a modern edge over other bakeries is its use of organic ingredients
has to be the granola bars. They’re sweet and soft; the bars do not contain milk, eggs or nuts. Next time
and wholesome taste experience. Wi-Fi is free.
The Village Butcher is a cut above the rest
By Graeme Morrison
The counters are lined with the freshest local meats. The freezers are loaded with succulent tourtière.
Behind the counter, the Village Butcher greets his customers with a warm welcome.
Mark Ali, owner of the Village Butcher, takes a genuine interest in his customers and shows an inherited
passion for his work. “I’m a fourth generation butcher,” he said, while adding jokingly, “It’s one of those
things I couldn’t get out of.” For nearly eight years in the Lakeshore area, the business has provided a
fresh take on organic meats. It has put an emphasis on getting its supplies from local farms. It is this
sense of loyalty that has endeared the store to its local clientele.
“The people in your community make you who you are,”says Ali,“It’s good to give back.”
the ice wine cranberry sauce and the homemade turkey gravy. What is the key to delivering the best
product during such a busy time of the year? “You can’t prepare all the food in advance,” Ali said, “We
have hundreds of customers coming in over the holidays, so we have to put in the extra work every day
to ensure the product is as fresh as possible.”
Whether it be preparing the holiday turkey, or assembling gift baskets, it is clear that freshness and
friendliness are the Village Butcher’s mantras.
8