The commercial scene in Knowlton receives a welcome shot in the arm with the arrival of two new establishments in April.  The eclectic craft and gift store Le Loom had been up and running since the beginning of the month.  Café Bolt should have opened its doors by the time these words are read. Both are on Lakeside and both are bent on offering local goods and produce. 

As the name might suggest, Le Loom features the work of the owner, weaver Laura Carpentier, and much more besides. The theme runs to the spiritual, with candles, meditation guides, yoga and chakra aids, plants, yarn and macramé art. 

“We want to have a little bit of everything” she says, with yoga classes and craft lessons in the works. 

Café Bolt is further up Lakeside, beside England Hill, in the completely re-imagined space that was the late, lamented Café Floral.  The place was a blur of activity at the beginning of the month, with scraping and painting, the banging of boards and the installation of cabinets and seating for a central bar.  Owners Véronique Lacoursière and partner Pierre Étienne hope to highlight local food prepared locally, as well as wine from vineyards in the region and beer brewed in the Townships. 

“We want to offer local products as much as we can,” says the vibrant Lacoursière. “We are offering food to take home or to eat here, with tables and banquettes inside or on terraces in front or out back. It is going to be the best place!”