| Dec 02, 2010


Photo: L-R: Gary McLeod (East Central Ontario Training Board); Chris and Melissa Evans, owners of Addison's Restaurant; Helen Yanch of Addington Highlands Council

The north did pretty well at the annual Lennox and Addington Awards ceremony last week in Napanee.

Addison's Restaurant on Northbrook, which opened its doors 18 months ago in a location that had seen several restaurants come and go, has been a success from the get go thanks to the hard work and experience of owners Chris and Melissa Evans.

And now they have received a prestigious award to underscore that success. “We were very surprised to be nominated and even more surprised, even overwhelmed, to win the award,” said Melissa Evans.

Addison's Restaurant is open 6 days a week in the summer and 5 days a week in the winter months, and they have established a catering business for local functions as well. While the summer is the most profitable season for any tourism-related business, Chris and Melissa knew from the start that they had to attract the local trade all year round if they were hoping to make their business profitable.

“We hold our own in the winter, she said, “and the summer time is where you make up ground. Our formula is simple: good food at reasonable prices, professional service, and hard work is what it’s all about. Everything that has happened since we opened has been better than we could have imagined, and this award is an added bonus.”

Addison’s recently added a vestibule in the front of the restaurant. In the future they might expand the restaurant to the upstairs where they could put in some private dining rooms. But for now, Chris, Melissa and their son Addison have an apartment upstairs, so expansion plans are contingent on them moving somewhere nearby.

Andy Anderson wins lifetime achievement award

Ken Hook of the Land O’ Lakes Tourist Association, Andy Anderson, Dennis Larocque (TD Bank Financial Group)

Andy Anderson won the Community Builder Award in Addington Highlands three years ago, and he had no expectation that he would win any more awards.

Because of his involvement in a vast number of township and county-wide committees over many years, he received the lifetime achievement award last week. “I guess whenever they needed someone from the north to sit on a committee, I was the one who went,” said Andy.

Andy was involved in the bicycle path project for the county as well as an economic development coalition several years ago. His involvement goes back to the time the Lennox and Addington Hospital was facing closure and a local committee was formed to lobby for it to stay open. ”You get involved in these efforts because you are interested, not for any other reason. But I was amazed at the awards dinner when they ran through the list of things I was mixed up in.”

One other business that won an award is well known to people in L & A and Frontenac County.

The Wilton Cheese Factory, which is located just down the road from Harrowsmith and delivers cheese to schools and grocery stores throughout the region, was named Manufacturer of the Year.

 

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