Supporting local
Home by Caley Joy among Summerside Business Excellence Awards winners
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – For Caley Aylward, winning the New Business of the Year award is not just the culmination of all her hard work, but a sign the community has supported her in every step.
“I wouldn't want to do this anywhere else,” said Aylward, owner of Home by Caley Joy.
“I think that speaks volumes to how great our community is. We're small but we're supportive of our own businesses and what we have here.”
Aylward opened the doors of her shop in the early days of the pandemic, though she doesn't think COVID-19 hindered her endeavour. Rather, during restrictions, she observed more people turning to local shopping, as opposed to leaving the province or buying things online.
“Just being able to find that niche and thrive where we are, in our own community, it's meant so much to us,” said Aylward.
Home by Caley Joy in downtown Summerside, carries everything from apparel to bath items to home decor. Ultimately, each item is representative of her own personal, unique tastes – many of which are made in the Maritimes, but some come from around the world.
Hearing about her nomination for the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce 2022 Business Excellence Awards, she said, was “really great” and unexpected.
She is equally happy for her fellow nominees and winners alike.
The awards ceremony was held Thursday, Feb. 2.
“We work so hard, as small businesses, every day to kind of put ourselves out there and make something of our own communities,” said Aylward. “Just to be recognized by other people, it does feel really good.”
Kaley O'Brien, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, said the high turnout was gratifying.
Voting for the awards was opened to the public for the first time this year. As a result, around 3,500 ballots were cast – three times what the chamber has received in years past. “It was awesome,” said O'Brien. “It just mustered up a lot of enthusiasm here in the community.”
The awards themselves – the first post-Covid – also had a higher turnout than usual.
“This was our first big event that we've been able to host,” said O'Brien.
“It was a sold-out event. We actually had too many people, which was exciting, and we made it work.”
For O'Brien, it's amazing to see not just the support for local businesses, but the number of new businesses that have cropped up during and following a pandemic.
“It's a love-hate scenario for me, I guess. I love all the businesses, I wish that they all could win awards,” she said.
“But just that they got nominated, they're getting recognition, the public notices what they're doing and is calling them out for the amazing work that they're doing here in Summerside.”