Something about donuts. There are line ups at the Tim Hortons here for coffee and donuts. So you can imagine the line up here in St. Catharines at Beechwood doughnuts. Well, I can show you the line up and show you the donuts. Fragrance fills the air around the donut shop, and people spill out the front door waiting to place their orders.
Here's the website and Facebook page for this VEGAN Donut Shop. And if you are in the area they are located at 5 James Street. However, if you are in the area, you likely already know about Beechwood and have checked it out.
St. Catharines has evolved since its settlement at the end of the 1700s when it started as a farming community with fertile soils and permanent streams (it was originally known as "The Twelve" after the major creek). The Welland Canal runs through St. Catharines so shipping and ship building have been a significant part of its history. Manufacturing became important in the 1900s with GM and other automotive companies moving in. However, those days have finished and GM is closed.
The historical buildings and vibrant downtown St. Catharines that I remember from my childhood fell into disrepair and poor redevelopment. Recently, Brock University set sights on the downtown and built its large school of fine arts and performing arts in the old haircloth factory. We went to the opening in the fall 2015. Things are picking up and there are many restaurants for young people. It seems there is a large vegan crowd at the university as there was a street vendor selling vegan hot dogs yesterday.
