This is part of a year-long ‘Love for Local’ series called NB365: portraits of New Brunswick entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations. Huddle is a media partner with Love for Local. Today, we feature Janie Landry of ALOHA Café-boutique in Lamèque.

I WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSPECTOR FOR HEALTH CANADA FOR SEVERAL YEARS BUT, BEING A VERY CREATIVE PERSON WITH LOTS OF IDEAS, I ALWAYS KNEW THAT I BELONGED SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Every time I travelled abroad, I imagined having a little store and café in one of those often heavenly places. I decided to return to my roots on my maternity leave to be closer to my parents and in the meantime, I made the decision to make my dream a reality.

I wanted to raise my children in the country, to have animals and to be near the sea is essential since we are passionate about sailing. My little piece of paradise was finally much closer than I had imagined! Being in a small community, the competition is less fierce and people are very supportive.

Our little store is full of treasures from many local artisans. Buying local is becoming more and more popular and we hope to set an example by supporting local products ourselves. Supporting local businesses has a real impact because it helps to bring the economy back to the region, maintain and create jobs and most importantly, maintain an exceptional quality of life. It’s great how local businesses help each other and work together.