Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

By Jill Sperling

New Businesses

Kamloops entrepreneurs not shying away from opening up businesses amid pandemic

Jan 15, 2021 | 4:45 PM

KAMLOOPS — The COVID-19 pandemic made 2020 a difficult year for many businesses in Kamloops as companies made the difficult decision to shut their doors either temporarily or for good.

It was also a year of opportunity for others.

“For a full year, normally Venture Kamloops will field somewhere in the neighbourhood of 35-to-40 new business inquiries that are bonafide business inquiries where entrepreneurs are actually going ahead with a new business and then all of a sudden in 2020 that number jumped to 70,” said Venture Kamloops Executive Director Jim Anderson.

Anderson doesn’t have an explanation for this trend, but says it’s happening across all sectors.

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“Everything from dog massagers to manufacturers. There is no sector trend, I can tell you that.”

Venture Kamloops adds up the total number of new business licenses issued in the city every month. Since 2013, the highest number recorded was in October 2020.

“There is certainly something to be said about that entrepreneurial spirit that we’ve always seen here in Kamloops and I’ve seen in my nearly decade on this job,” Anderson said. “It’s coming through and it’s really supporting the local economy.”

Pizza Now on Hillside Drive just opened on Monday. Owner Rocky Hunter says his business plan was one that didn’t require much altering when the pandemic arrived.

“Last summer I started to look for locations, and when I found this one would be available I started to build out the Pizza Now with the drive thru and the pickup windows,” Hunter said.

Hunter has plans to make Pizza Now into a chain and says the biggest challenge he’s faced opening a business during the pandemic is with supplies.

“Getting certain products in because factories closed down,” he said. “For example, my walk-in cooler, they had a COVID case there so they had to close down for two weeks. So that was a delay of two weeks. Other than that, pretty smooth.”

Other businesses have expanded during the pandemic.

Passek’s Classics recently moved into their new location on Victoria Street and added a bakery.

“We heard that it was going to become available,” said owner Harry Passek. “So, that’s when I said, ‘Okay, now it’s time to take the concept I’ve had in my head for a couple of years of adding a bakery and a grab-and-go concept to this restaurant. The timing was actually quite perfect because with COVID and everything, grab-and-go was what everyone was going for and wanting more of an interest in.”

The restaurant is dealing with smaller numbers and spacing requirements, but the Passek says they consider themselves fortunate.

“The clientele that we have are very supportive and have followed us for a long time.”