Tender Foot
Foot health is something that many people take for granted. Our feet hold us up and take us where we need to go, but what happens when we experience a foot-related health issue? That’s where Pam Cote and her team at Tender Foot, located at 1328B Pitt St, come in.
Tender Foot opened five months ago and offers mobile and in-clinic services.
Pam became a nurse in her forties, starting in eye care and community nursing after graduation. When in community nursing, Cote had the opportunity to do foot care and found her niche.
“Tender Foot came about 9 years ago,” she said, “We started in Ottawa as mobile, then I had an opportunity to brick and mortar so I thought – let’s do that. Cornwall wasn’t on my radar, but the building is very nice, and the owners are phenomenal. I understand it’s a needed service here, so it all just seemed to fit.”
When asked what attracted her to foot care, Pam explained, “It’s immediate gratitude. People are excited to get their feet done because they know they’re going to feel better. I love the social aspect of it. Especially since I do work for myself, I can spend the time talking to clients.”
Because she’s a nurse, Pam said that people do ask questions unrelated to foot care and she enjoys being able to help in any way she can. She also offers flexibility to clients if they want to come to the clinic during the warmer months and have home visits in the winter when getting out is more difficult.
Clients who go to the clinic access extra perks like hot towel service and a brief foot massage with lotion after their treatment. They also offer non-thermal laser therapy for fungal nails and an ionic foot soak that draws toxins out of the body in-clinic only.
“Foot health is so important,” Cote shared, “We do diabetic care too, which is a more involved assessment. We’re checking for sensation, we’re checking for circulation, and we’re educating too.”
Tickle Your Fancy
If you’re searching for a unique gift, check out Tickle Your Fancy, a gift shop that opened at 225 Pitt Street on June 9, 2022.
The owner, Martin Buser, is a retired paralegal who wanted to bring something unique to Cornwall’s downtown core. His favorite part of running the business is meeting and talking with different people.
“I was a paralegal for 11 years and then I decided to do something else,” he told Seaway News, “I thought that this was not an overly difficult task, but something to keep me busy. I didn’t want to just sit at home.”
Buser shared that in addition to being a paralegal, he worked for 30 years in the hotel industry, commuting to Ottawa from Cornwall. He was purchaser at the Sheridan Ottawa hotel for 11 years, a semi-retail background that gave him the confidence to open his own store.
“The items I carry are about 30% local, 20% regional, and 50% from everywhere else,” Buser explained, “I want to be an asset to the community. I think the downtown core is good for the city. It’s good for tourism and it’s good for the people of the town to have something localized rather than more big box stores.”
If you take a walk around, you might notice items from local makers including Little Dove Boutique and Amethyst Claire Handcrafted. Buser also carries niche products, including Swiss food goods (an acknowledgment to his Swiss heritage) and handmade pine furniture made in Ontario near Simcoe County.
Rush Hour Escapes
The Campbell family opened Rush Hour Escapes upstairs at 52 Pitt Street almost six years ago, introducing the escape room craze to many Cornwall and SDG residents. Rush Hour Escapes has two themes: a jungle Expedition and Code Red which is set at a Cold War military base.
“My daughters, both in their early 20s, were trying to get my husband [Jordan] and I to go do an escape room. I thought ‘Ugh, I don’t like puzzles and that kind of thing,’ but they finally convinced us. We went, and we were hooked right away. It’s just so much fun,” Colleen Campbell told Seaway News.
Colleen is an entrepreneur who enjoys bringing good things to Cornwall. She was the original owner of Echo Trends when it opened on Third Street in 2002 and briefly owned a nurse’s uniform store where Rush Hour Escapes is now.
“You know what happens with an escape room? Life is so hectic, and stressful. There’s a lot of no-so-great things going on in the world right now,” she said, “When you go into an escape room with your friends, your focus is on solving the puzzles and getting to the end. Whether you win or lose, just being in there for that hour is as relaxing as a spa. It’s stressful, but it’s a really good kind of stress.”
The Campbell family was one of several recipients of the 2022 My Main Street grant. The grant allowed them to revamp their website, create promotional videos, and hire a company to help with social media.
While about 80% of their clientele are from Cornwall and SDG, Colleen shared that many people travel and do escape rooms (herself included). Rush Hour Escapes draws in tourists from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, New York State, as well as families traveling to Canada internationally.
