| Dec 13, 2017


Christine Lavallee opened Lavallee’s Inverary store last January 1. The store is located in the centre of Inverary in the location of the former Inverary store. It carries what you would expect to find in a convenience store, but over the last year it has also brought in dozens of local products, and has become an enthusiastic supporter of the Infrontenac branding initiative.

“We have found that there is a market for excellent local products, such as the salsa that T&A Condiments make, Hanna meat pies, and other products both from Frontenac County and nearby,” Christine Lavallee said, when interviewed the store last week.

While running the store, she has also noticed there is a market for fresh baking as well as quality take home food. And that is where the idea for a new, complementary business came in.

“We can’t keep up with the demand for baked goods, and I thought if we could have a kitchen to work out of it would be good for us and the community.”

Not one to wait too long for the dust to settle, Lavallee, who ran a restaurant in Kingston between 2003 and 2008, jumped at the opportunity to be an anchor tenant in a new commercial building that has been completed just south of the hamlet, on the Campbell property, which is located next door to the Northway Home Hardware/LCBO store and includes the 24 hour gas pumps. The building is also set to house a pharmacy in the new year.

The Cookery includes a retail space of about 1,000 square feet as well as two commercial kitchens, one for the cookery and a second for other commercial food businesses in the area who need to use shared, approved facilities to make their products.

“This new building is a tremendous space. There is lots of parking, lots of light,” she said, showing off the still to be renovated space (a building permit from SF township is pending) on a sunny day last week.

The Cookery will be open early in the morning with coffee, baked goods, breakfast sandwiches and take out lunch items for large commuter traffic on Perth Road/Division street as they head into Kingston for work. It will also be open when those same commuters head home.

“These are busy people that work full time. Everybody that I talk to, seems to be in the same boat. The are driving home, wanting to cook a good meal for their family. We will be offering good quality, well prepared meals for people to bring home and serve,” she said. “and we won’t stand still. The Cookery will change what it offers to keep things fresh, and to bring new products on the market.”

Look for the Cookery to open early in 2018.

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