Signs of the Season in Riverside

Walk up and down the BIA and you’ll see signs of the season popping up everywhere! Here are just a few of the highlights:

Bergström Originals’ stylish Bond-girl inspired 2015 Holiday Collection of clothing and accessories is on display and ready to go. Little Peeps is all decked out in holiday attire and has enrolled the help of a furry friend to help welcome customers 🙂Empire by Bullet is fully stocked for the season with all manner of seasonal treats and delights.  Irish Design House has its beautiful and unique handcrafted wintery clothes and gifts. Switchback Cyclery has got its Seasonal Sale on the go! Oso Viejois going deep red with a 35% off sale on all products until Cyber Monday. Mary Macleod’s has their seasonal cookie collectionup for grabs.  Beautiful poinsettias are on for great prices at Riverside Market.

Other signs of the season…Riverside BIA office staff and volunteers have been hard at work this week enlivening the office and the streets with a seasonal planter decor developed by the Streetscape Committee for the BIA’s 40+ planters. We hope everyone is enjoying the new look!

So why not join your neighbours by getting in the spirit – every little bit of sparkle and shine is a welcome sight to customers and visitors to Riverside, and helps sets us apart from the rest!!

IT’S ON: Queen Street East’s Window Wonderland Contest!

Oma Chiropractic’s Beautiful Art ‘Window Wonderland’!

All Riverside BIA businesses are invited to enliven their shop window in the theme of  ‘Window Wonderland’ and compete for best window. The BIA will buy a $100 gift certificate from the winning Riverside shop for the winning customer to spend!

This contest is also happening all along Queen Street East from Leslieville to The Beach BIAs – let’s make Queen Street East shine this holiday season!!

Contest rules:

  • Please have your ‘Window Wonderland’ scene installed the week of Nov 16
  • Up until Dec 7th, encourage your customers to share photos of your window on Instagram/Twitter, using hashtags #WindowWonderland and #QueenStEast.
  • By Dec. 11, the Winning Window for Riverside will be announced, based on the photo with most likes/retweets – and the phototaker will get a $100 gift certificate to  spend at that business for their holiday shopping! (courtesy of the BIA)
  • Dec. 11-20  BIA will feature the winners!
Check out some bright ideas for winter windows on Pinterest!

To take part in any of these opportunities please contact Jennifer Lay at marketing@riverside-to.com 416-466-8167

Nov 28th: Light Up Riverside & Shop the Neighbourhood  
Sponsored again this year by Matt & Ben RE/MAX, Light up Riverside will celebrate the spirit of the holidays and promote shopping locally. By now you’ve received the postcards and posters – please help spread the word of this community celebration!

Join the 4th annual Light Up Riverside on Saturday, November 28th from 5:00pm-6:30pm. Enjoy warm refreshments from Matt & Ben RE/MAX. Experience musical performances from The Beach Chorale, Taste the famous Guinness Stew served from An Sibin Pub, as well as tasty treats from The Riverside BIA, and light up our holiday tree. Plus, Indulge in all day shopping and in-store specials inRiverside‘s shops as part of Shop the Neighbourhood (#ShopTheHood.)

Light Up Riverside 2015 Programme

5:00- 6:30pm Toronto Beach Choral performing. Warm refreshments available courtesy of Matt & Ben’s Re/Max and the Riverside BIA, and An Sibin Pub will be serving up their famous Guinness Stew
5:30pm Tree Lighting
6:30pm-8:30pm Join the afterparty (location TBC!)

Let us know you’re coming:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/light-up-riverside-tickets-19119236150

Let’s get Riverside neighbourhood excited to support you, our local businesses. By now you’ve received your Shop the Neighbourhood package (‘Yellow Swag’) – so go ahead and put up your window decal and, if you haven’t already, let us know what store special you’ll have waiting for customers on November 28!(email: Jennifer, marketing@riverside-to.com)

Tips for using your Yellow Swag:
Decorate your store, take photos and videos on November 28th and share them using #shopthehood!, The more creative you are in creating a buzz in your neighbourhood, the more successful Shop The Neighbourhood will be for your business!

Check out the specials on offer so far in Riverside!!


Help Spread the Word of Riverside RTC SundayNight Date Night

On Sundays, the Ralph Thornton Centre is making “Date Night” a reality for parents in Riverdale
By purchasing a weekly “Date Night Passport”, parents can leave their children at the Ralph Thornton Centre on Sundayevenings.  From 4:30 to 8:30 PM, RTC will provide “dinner and a movie” and other activities for the children in a safe, supervised environment.  In addition, the “passport” will entitle parents to a 20% discount – only valid on that particular “Date Night” – to a number of local restaurants and other services.  Passports will cost $20 for each child age 6-12, and $30 for each child 2-6. (Every additional child per family will be “discounted” by $5 off the one child price!)

Your “Date Night” Passport gets you an evening with safe, affordable childcare, and a 20% discount at some great local restaurants and businesses.
It’s a win-win-win proposition!

  • Parents get a ‘night out’ knowing their children are in a safe, supervised, fun environment.
  • Children get a ‘night out’ with a range of fun activities, a movie, and nutritious, fun food.
  • Restaurants and businesses increase sales on a ‘slow’ night and get new local customers.
  • The Ralph Thornton Centre and our local BIA is able to better support our community.
How to get in on “Date Night”
Restaurants and Businesses can:
  • Sign a simple agreement to participate, by agreeing to offer a 20% discount to “passport holders” between 4:30 and 8:30 on Sunday evenings
  • Provide a copy of their current menu so they can be posted on the “Date Night” bulletin board
  • Promote this opportunity through flyers (provided by RTC) and their social media and other advertising .
Parents can:
  • Reserve for “Date Night” by 4 PM on the previous Friday, by calling or dropping into the Centre
  • Purchase their “Passport”
  • Fill out a simple emergency contact/medical information form and waiver
  • Agree to stay within the local area
  • Drop off and pick up their children during “Date Night” hours!
This initiative is sponsored by the Ralph Thornton Centre and the Riverside BIA. For more information, contactinfo@ralphthornton.org.
Welcome Riverside BIA Marketing Volunteer: Debbie Horovitch

The Riverside BIA office welcomed Debbie Horovitch this week as a volunteer assisting with day to day marketing and events within the BIA. Debbie has a long history of working with traditional media channels, and marketing campaigns and events – that lead her to launch her own marketing services firm Social Sparkle & Shine. She started as a social media consultant for ad agencies in 2009 and now helps business owners, experts, and professionals leverage media exposure to position them as the authority in media interviews and publicity, and in new democratized media channels ranging from book publishing and promotions, to livestreaming YouTube video productions.

Please welcome Debbie!

Oma Chiropractic Workshops

Donation Request for Rivertowne Holiday Celebration & Volunteer Recognition

The Rivertowne Safety 1st Group is a resident collective that coordinates community programs like the Rivertowne Breakfast Program, annual Community BBQ, Community Clean ups, and Black heritage celebration events.

They would like community support and donations for their Annual Holiday Celebration.   

They are looking for:

  • Gift Certificates for prizes,
  • supplies,
  • food,
  • financial donations

Contact Javan Courtney for more information:
416-797-2869
javan.courtney@torontohousing.ca

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Leslieville/Riverside News: #RiversideTO BIA Weekly Update

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Ben Ferguson
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