Get the founders of 4 Degrees Brewing Company, Nick Ritchie and Andrew Howard, talking about beer and it’s easy to see where their passion lies – with the cold, frothy, hoppy brew that’s taken the Ontario food and drink industry by storm, and is set to do the same in Smiths Falls. With breweries popping up in virtually every community in Eastern Ontario, you’d think people would tire of hearing about yet another opening, but it seems there’s no end in sight for the craft brewery trend, least of all in Smiths Falls. Here, the local community has rallied around 4 Degrees, and waited patiently for more than five years for its arrival.

The Beking family likes to put smiles on the faces of their customers by providing great tasting eggs. This third-generation farm uses natural farming methods feeding their 23,000 free-roaming hens a vegetarian, all-grain, diet free from animal by-products, hormones and antibiotics. Their slogans are 'Direct from farm to you' and ‘Eggs the way they are supposed to taste.'

Already an in-demand custom metal fabrication business, Odessa-based Willis Manufacturing has added a second facility and new services to help the company develop, enhance and diversify it’s burgeoning Eastern Ontario customer base. Once it’s fully operational by the end of fall of 2017, the new 7,000-sqare-foot space will mean the solving of some growth-related logistical and storage issues. It also presents the opportunity to add a dimension to the suite of services the company can offer, making it a veritable one-stop shop for those looking for fabrication solutions that are fast and of superior quality and workmanship.

Under the able stewardship of Tanya Meszaros since 2007, the Lakeview Tavern has become a hub of activity in Stone Mills Township. Always a popular ‘watering hole’ for many generations, the Lakeview has been more of a meeting place and restaurant than ‘tavern’ these days, catering to families, couples and community groups. Located ideally along County Road 41 in Erinsville, the Lakeview is a full-service establishment that has cultivated a truly down-home, welcoming atmosphere.

In a corporate climate that is increasingly dominated by giant corporations gobbling up their smaller competitors, The Lindsay Paper Box Co. Ltd. stands apart as a successful, independent family oriented business that can still compete with the ‘big boys’ by offering specialized products and superior service to clients throughout North America.

Ryan Reynolds, who is from Napanee, and his business partner Eric Grypa, of Saskatoon, are unlikely entrepreneurs. They met because they were both working as water fowl guides, and not surprisingly they share a similar story. They were both introduced to waterfowling as very young children, and grew up loving everything about the sport, “the setting, the camaraderie, the challenge, the high success opportunities, just everything ...” said Ryan Reynolds in a phone interview...

In 1945, G.H. Wills began with two small trucks owned by a hard-working, community-oriented family. The business was created to ship items in and around Smiths Falls and surrounding communities, quickly building a reputation for excellence, efficiency and affordability. From those humble beginnings the firm, which is now known as Wills Transfer Ltd., now boasts 160 employees working out of six warehousing facilities, operating a fleet of more than 40 tractors and 150 trailers delivering cargo throughout Eastern Ontario.  The Company is still based out of Smiths Falls and is now owned and operated by Terry and Heather Wills and their son, Jordi, who is the fourth generation of this family business.

There is always something new to experience at The Cove Country Inn. It could be a night out at the popular Blues on the Rideau, a concert series benefitting local causes, Wings 'n Tunes Wednesdays, Jazz Night or a special menu event like the March 9th Thai Food and Wine Dinner. The Cove, winner of the 2016 South Eastern Ontario Wedding Awards Best Accommodation prize, is keeping true to being a community hub and a fun destination. 

When Lauren Gamble returned to her home and native land of Canada after working in Australia for a number of years, she brought back a wealth of wonderful friendships and life-affirming experiences – and a deep and abiding appreciation for the café culture that was embedded in everyday life for most Aussies. Blessed with an prodigious work ethic and an entrepreneurial mind, Gamble decided she wanted to open and run her own coffee shop somewhere in L&A County – a place with a unique style and tone. It would be a welcoming place, with great coffee, home-made eats and a true gathering spot for the community.

Nestled in the lush, lake strewn landscape of the City of Kawartha Lakes, Eganridge Resort, Country Club and Spa is an upscale boutique resort that offers some of the finest dining experiences, wedding extravaganzas, corporate outings and accommodations in the region, and is also an example of a business that has adapted to changing times and tastes.