THRILL AND CHILL
Escape into cool world of virtual reality or kick back with a tasty ice cream treat
Jason Maher knows a thing or two about 3D animation and visual effects.
After spending a decade working on visual effects for the film industry as a 3D animator and graphic designer in Toronto and Vancouver, he’s brought his knowledge home to Saskatoon.
“My goal was to come back and start a company here,” says Maher, who opened the doors to his new “reality” at the end of July. “(Virtual reality) has only been around this community in the last year or so.”
Maher spent the last three years researching virtual reality and looking for a way to bring the very cool product to Saskatoon and let people in on his virtual reality secret.
“I love what I do. I can’t wait to get back at it every day.”
While video games allow players to get a look at an environment, virtual reality games give them a chance to get right inside that environment. Players experience it from the perspective of the characters they see, says Maher.
“It’s such a neat experience.” He offers six games for one or two players to choose from. His most popular is called Arizona Sunshine and puts players into a zombie-like environment, similar to The Walking Dead.
On his website, Maher allows people to book one-hour sessions on an easy-to-operate scheduler.
“Prices are very reasonable. I’m not trying to be expensive because I want people to come and see this cool technology,” Maher says.
He also sees virtual reality being used in the classroom some day, as it provides people an indepth experience of a subject.
VR ARCADE
Owner: Jason Maher
Address: #205 - 135 Robin Crescent Phone: 306-952-0495 Hours: Monday through Sunday 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Email: jay@cavemanmedia.ca Website: www.cavemanmedia.ca Follow on Facebook
FABLE ICE CREAM
Quill isn’t the only baby Jordan and Lauren Ethridge are taking care of these days.
The Saskatoon couple is also taking care of a new business, Fable Ice Cream, which opened at the beginning of June.
While travelling, the couple always made a point of searching out the best ice cream they could find and enjoy. They soon realized they were becoming experts in the field and decided opening an ice cream shop might be the best use of their passions and talents.
“It’s not something we really intended on doing,” says Jordan. “It seems people have found out about us pretty quickly. The response has been very good.”
They studied and researched the best methods of making ice cream for a couple of years before opening their doors.
“We have a really good machine to make it with the best texture possible,” says Jordan.
Fable is not just your standard vanilla-and-nothing-but-vanilla ice cream shop. It produces highquality ice cream with unique flavouring, which is something they are proud of being able to accomplish.
For instance, as we transition into fall, one of the new flavours the shop offers is pumpkin spice. The Ethridges are not afraid to try something new for their customers.
Jordan and Lauren are also very aware of some people’s dietary concerns, offering a vegan-friendly option made with coconut milk.
As residents of the Riversdale area, they saw this as a great chance to work in the community where they live and feel a sense of belonging.
“We are getting to know our neighbours here and building relationships with them,” says Jordan.
Fable also has a program called Community Cones; all the tip money helps pay for neighbourhood kids who stop in to enjoy some ice cream on the house.
Despite opening an ice cream shop in a city and province with a defined winter, Jordan expects they will keep their doors open year-round. They will probably curtail their operating hours during winter, but will still be there for people who want to get their ice cream fix.
FABLE ICE CREAM
Owner: Jordan and Lauren Ethridge Address: 816 16th St.
Hours: Noon to 9 p.m. every day (subject to change in winter) Follow on Facebook and Instagram John Grainger is managing editor of The Star-Phoenix. If you have started, expanded or moved a small business in Saskatoon within the last few months, contact him at jgrainger@postmedia.com. Homebased and temporary businesses, as well as those without physical locations, will not be considered for publication. Follow John on Twitter @Real1John