Brook Village Grocery

Brook Village Grocery had been on the market for 7 years when Karen Allen bought the Cape Breton business and began to bring it back to life. A 145-year-old enterprise, the general store stocks everything from animal feed to everyday grocery items, and has added a bakery and kitchen to serve their community a small menu of local-forward items. Brook Village Grocery also boasts the largest cheese selection in all of Cape Breton, and the third largest in Nova Scotia. They remain true to their general store roots and are committed to keeping that authenticity intact. 

Karen has always been passionate about supporting local producers and building a strong local economy, but was not always business-minded. She got involved in her local chamber after meeting its Executive Director, who’d made the hourlong commute from their office in Port Hawkesbury to introduce herself. After sharing their mutual passion for building up local businesses, Karen decided to join the local chamber, and soon enrolled in a number of the courses they offer their members.  

“I found the courses super beneficial," Allen said. “I took five courses over a couple of years and now my assistant manager is taking them and finds them extremely useful.” 

Allen was able to hire extra help for the summer after learning about a student employment program from the chamber’s weekly newsletter, which provides information on programs and funding available to business owners in the area. A separate grant allowed her to grow Brook Village Grocery’s online business presence.  

Local chamber networking events have also allowed Karen to meet and connect with other members, including neighboring businesses like Quincy Street Market. These events have been invaluable, as she’s worked to form and solidify relationships, allowing for collaborations within their business community.  

“It can be overwhelming starting a business," she said. “The chamber has the community and safety net to go and ask those questions and find those answers."  

When the time came to expand Brook Village Grocery from a solo enterprise, Karen had a lot of questions around payroll and benefits for her new team. She called the chamber to ask for any resources they might have, and they provided everything she needed to onboard her new staff members.  

Since that first call, Karen has gotten in touch many times for assistance, and her local chamber has been excellent in pointing her in right direction. Her advice to businessowners is to join your local chamber of commerce. It is well worth the membership fee, especially with the courses offered multiple times a year, networking opportunities, and support from the chamber.  

“Anytime I had any question, they have always been very helpful. They are great at truly supporting businesses.”