As we are into Step 3 of the Province’s re-opening plan I eagerly set up a day outing with a close friend to re-acquaint ourselves with Newmarket and all the unique charm that it offers.

We began our day with a visit to a locally owned coffee shop. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have tried to do my part to support some of the smaller local businesses. I’ll admit it has taken a significant effort to expand my coffee horizons past the regular drive-thru chains and it’s a whole new world out there! I recently discovered an iced London fog latte at a sweet local coffee shop and thought that a shopping day with a friend was a great reason to treat myself to it.

After grabbing our coffees we went to a couple of stores before going to Main St. It’s easy to use downtown Main St. as a one-stop-shop and not venture off the main strip but there are so many great businesses outside of downtown that a day of shopping would be incomplete if we didn’t visit them. With no specific list of items that we were looking for my friend and I were able to take our time in each store and look at businesses we might not normally go into. I picked up my favourite hair products from a hair salon and my shopping companion was able to score some decor items for her new home. We were eager to take our goodies home and get a photo of them to enter the Choose Local contest.  My friend shared a photo on Instagram and is hoping to win one of the really great prizes which include, one of three $500 vouchers to be spent at any of the businesses found in the "Featured Gifts" section of the Choose Local Directory, a "Beer for a Year" prize pack from Market Brewing Company or a $250 Gift Card to My Lil' Gem.

As we came to the end of our shopping day we decided to grab something to eat and drink. We used the Choose Local Directory to find a restaurant that had what we were looking for. 

We’ve already planned our next afternoon in Newmarket. Manicures and pedicures here we come!