Walkabout Community

By Ken Hirter

 

This month’s Walkabout finds me at my favorite Convenience/Variety store and my gardening Center once again this year. Located on the James Street North strip and located at 227 James Street North you will find:

Mave Variety; a love established staple serving Hamilton & Hamilton’s North End since the 1970’s.  It is a mom, pop and daughter trio operation that makes up our neighbourhood shopkeepers offering essentials and much much more.

 

l sat and chatted with mom & daughter as pop was managing the shop. Mom is the wonderful Ling Zhang and her enchanting daughter Susan Yu and her pop’s the happy Steve Zhao.

This year’s plants & flowers were in full bloom and flanked the sidewalk and created a curbside appeal with the sweet scent of Spring & Summer. Absolutely beautiful!! Their gardening Center is a curbside of brightness & color. Susan has a love for gardening and always works hard….”if you want something go for it. Think creatively and out of the box.” Her parents instilled instilled those principles and taught her to apply everything to life & living.

 

Motto for the shop: “Bring the neighborhood what it needs….. especially at this time.”

 

I asked Susan what is her favorite flower is. The Sun Impatience perfectly reflects Susan’s personality bright, dramatic with a sunny personality. Happiness, hope in the flowers that bloom. Those April showers did bring forth those May flowers for our June gardens, patio, decks and windowsill planters.

 

Please check out Susan’s gardening page on Instagram @mavesvarity or to place an order please call 905-522-6825. In keeping and supporting community this year’s Flowers & Plants and purchasing through independent greenhouse gardens. Special thanks to Susan Starfield of Sunnyrise Greenhouses in the town of Lincoln.

 

Steve, Ling & Susan would like to thank their neighbors, the 5 Star Bar & Grill for allowing use of their sidewalk curb for the extended garden Center this year. A special thanks from me Ling for your gardening tips for my rooftop garden once again for this year.

 

Especially this year shop & support your local small businesses as they slowly start to soft open once again along the James Street North strip. They will sure be happy that you did.

 

Thanks Steve, Ling and Susan. Till next month take care of you and those around you.

Cheers