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News and stories from across Rural Oxford

Business features, program updates, and straight talk about what’s happening in the five townships.

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Business Spotlight

Stopping to Smell the Flowers: A Healing & Resource Centre

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Business Spotlight

Wild Comfort Body Care joyfully crafting hand-made soaps and personal experience...

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Business Spotlight

The Oxford Hills turning a golf course into a year-round Oxford County destinati...

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Business Spotlight

Krug's Meat Market keeping recipes true since 1936 in Tavistock

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Business Spotlight

Pharmasave Thamesford serving the village with accessible healthcare

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Business Spotlight

A Sweet Spot in the Heart of Tavistock

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Business Spotlight

Irv's Ice Cream Shop proving it takes a village in Mount Elgin

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Business Spotlight

Quehl's Restaurant & Catering keeping nearly a century of Tavistock history...

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Business Spotlight

Deep Purple Lavender Farm cultivating community in Embro

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Business Spotlight

Schep's Bakeries growing a family stroopwafel legacy across Norwich and Tillsonb...

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Business Spotlight

Terra Nova Nordic Spa & Cafe keeping hot, cold and personal in Hickson

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Business Spotlight

CommYOUnity Counselling & Family Support helping kids and parents discover there...

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Sheri Bell didn't set out to create just another place to grab an ice cream cone. She wanted to create the kind of place she wished had been there when her own kids were young: somewhere in Tavistock where families could slow down, share a treat, and make a memory without having to leave town. Tavi Chill opened in September 2022, fittingly on Fall Fair weekend, as an ice cream parlour and deli serving Kawartha Dairy ice cream alongside made-to-order sandwiches, salads, and soups. Hand-rolled waffle cones made in-house were non-negotiable. "I've always believed that memories correlate with many senses," Sheri says. There are board games and Ms. Pac-Man for families, and each December, 24-flavour ice cream advent calendars. Now Sheri is eyeing slushies, soft-serve, dairy-free and sugar-free options, and grab-and-go treats. Read Sheri's full story https://ruraloxford.ca/tavi-chill-a-sweet-spot-in-the-heart-of-tavistock/ #RuralOxford #EastZorraTavistock #Tavistock #BusinessSpotlight #IceCreamSeason #ShopLocalOxford #FamilyFriendly
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Sheri Bell didn't set out to create just another place to grab an ice cream...

We are sharing an opportunity to participate in the 2026 Workforce Survey. The survey is open to people aged 16 and older who work or are seeking work in Elgin Middlesex Oxford. It asks about people’s experiences, needs and challenges in the workforce. Your feedback will help local organizations identify workforce trends and inform the development of programs, services and strategies that better support workers, job seekers, employers and communities. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and will remain open until October 31st. Complete the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LER_Emp Participation is voluntary, confidential, and responses will be analyzed collectively.
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We are sharing an opportunity to participate in the 2026 Workforce Survey.

The ...

Big possibilities await in Burgessville, ON! This 114.28± acre property sells February 9 by unreserved auction. Featuring a spacious country home, a 10,200± sq ft shop with office and apartment space, and extensive outbuildings, this property offers more than just farmland. Whether you’re growing an agricultural business or looking for a property with room to expand, this could be your next opportunity. 👉 Explore the property: https://ow.ly/sa4F5100Rn8
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Big possibilities await in Burgessville, ON! This 114.28± acre property sells February 9 by unreserved...

Opportunity in Norwich! This turnkey commercial property at the corner of West Street and Main Street in Springford, just minutes from Tillsonburg, offers a gas station and convenience store operation with a solid income stream. The business generates strong net income annually from both store and gas sales, with rental income from U-Haul, Canada Post, and food truck sale providing multiple revenue streams. Financial statements and a recent environmental report are available for review. With strong business performance and significant growth potential, this property is well positioned to deliver long-term value for the right owner-operator. https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/29980742/3-west-street-n-norwich-springford #RuralOxford #Norwich #Springford
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Opportunity in Norwich! This turnkey commercial property at the corner of West Street and Main...

It started with a pile of cash on the kitchen table and a family wondering what on earth had just happened. Stephanie Malo hadn't set out to build a business. She'd just written a book. In 2012 she brought the first title in her Stopping to Smell the Flowers series to the Thamesford library, and the response surprised her. Two more books followed, but the business didn't take shape until a counsellor pointed out that her nightly habit of lighting a candle and watching her thoughts pass was meditation. It changed her life, and her kids noticed before she did. She started a meditation group about a decade ago that outgrew the library, a church, and a rented space before she built a meditation hut of her own. Today she offers group sessions, the Light Circle, and one-to-one work, with a new membership program, a podcast, and speaking engagements on the horizon. What she's proudest of is hearing people leave the hut and ask, "Does everything look different to you?" Read Stephanie's full story https://ruraloxford.ca/stopping-to-smell-the-flowers-a-healing-resource-centre/ #RuralOxford #ZorraTownship #Thamesford #BusinessSpotlight #MindfulnessMatters #SmallBusiness #WomenInBusiness
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It started with a pile of cash on the kitchen table and a family wondering...

Congratulations to Jade and family on your grand opening of Hometown Beauty Salon in downtown Norwich. You’ve created such a beautiful and welcoming space, and a much needed asset for the community. https://hometownbeauty.ca #ruraloxford #hometownbeauty #smallbusiness #grandopening #norwichontario
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Congratulations to Jade and family on your grand opening of Hometown Beauty Salon in downtown...

Got a product crossing provincial or international borders? Bioenterprise Canada wants to hear from you. Bioenterprise is exploring how to better support Ontario's agri-food, agri-tech, and food-tech companies as they expand into new Canadian and international markets beyond the U.S. They're gathering input on where businesses are in that journey, the barriers they're running into, and what kind of support would actually move the needle. Rural Oxford is home to a growing base of agri-food and agri-tech innovators across Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, South-West Oxford, and Zorra, and this is a direct line to shape the programming built to support that growth. If you're an innovator in this space, share your perspective. If you're not, pass this along to someone in your network who is. Complete the survey: https://agritechcentre.wufoo.com/forms/zh3w7ic0oihvt5/ #RuralOxford #AgriFood #AgriTech #MarketExpansion #OxfordCounty
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Got a product crossing provincial or international borders? Bioenterprise Canada wants to hear from you....

Opportunity in South-West Oxford! This unique commercial/residential investment property on 1.25 acres in Woodstock offers two income streams in one package. The commercial component is a vacant automotive sales/service facility with office, 3-bay garage, and a two-bedroom apartment, a building adaptable to many uses, with good frontage on Beachville Road for vehicle display or parking. The residential component is a long-standing 11-unit trailer park, fully tenanted, with land leases providing consistent monthly income. A genuine opportunity for a business owner-operator or an investor looking for diversified, steady income. https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/30088383/585009-beachville-road-south-west-oxford-rural-south-west-oxford #RuralOxford #SouthWestOxford #Woodstock
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Opportunity in South-West Oxford! This unique commercial/residential investment property on 1.25 acres in Woodstock offers...

Long before Katie Prouse ever scooped a cone in Mount Elgin, another family member already had. Irv's Ice Cream Shop takes its name from Irvin Prouse, the great-grandfather of Katie's husband, Matt, who once sold Silverwood ice cream at this exact spot. Opening in June 2025 was a chance to revive that family legacy and to create part-time jobs for local young people, including the couple's own sons, in a village with few options for youth employment. The shop has become something closer to an experience than a typical ice cream stand: a community hub where local businesses sell their wares, milkshakes are made with milk from New Galma Dairy, and a height-measuring photo board turns the line-up into part of the fun. Katie's advice is to get to know the businesses around you, collaborate, and shop locally. Next up: stretching the season, because ice cream isn't just a summer thing. Read Katie's full story https://ruraloxford.ca/irvs-ice-cream-shop-proving-it-takes-a-village-in-mount-elgin/ #RuralOxford #SouthWestOxford #MountElgin #BusinessSpotlight #ShopLocalOxford #FamilyBusiness #IceCreamSeason
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Long before Katie Prouse ever scooped a cone in Mount Elgin, another family member already...

Opportunity in Zorra! This rare 3.91-acre Highway Commercial zoned vacant land in Thamesford has endless potential, with site plan approval already in place for a 33,000 sq. ft. retail plaza, gas station, free standing car wash, and drive-through. Develop as per the existing site plan or amend it to suit your own vision. The property is serviced with municipal sanitary and sewers, sits on a main busy highway for excellent exposure, and is a corner property offering multiple entrances. With significant residential development planned on the west side and the area undergoing strong population growth, this is a genuine opportunity for developers and investors looking ahead. https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/29757644/682810-road-road-zorra-thamesford #RuralOxford #Zorra #Thamesford
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Opportunity in Zorra! This rare 3.91-acre Highway Commercial zoned vacant land in Thamesford has endless...

Almost every account of when Quehl's Restaurant & Catering began comes with an asterisk, and Cindy Larsen has finally sorted out why. A recent deep dive into the building's history revealed that the original restaurant opened in 1931 next door before moving into its current Tavistock home in 1936, a space that had been a car and implement dealership. Cindy and her husband Brian took ownership in 1996. What began as a "U" shaped lunch counter is now a 250-seat family restaurant with a gift shop, catering, and a growing focus on takeout and delivery. Ask Cindy what she's proudest of and she points to the history, and to buying local, supporting local, and hiring people who live in the area. Succession is already underway with the Larsens' eldest daughter set to take over, and a second daughter, a dairy farmer, supplying Angus beef. Read Cindy's full story https://ruraloxford.ca/quehls-restaurant-catering-keeping-nearly-a-century-of-tavistock-history-on-the-menu/ #RuralOxford #EastZorraTavistock #Tavistock #BusinessSpotlight #FamilyBusiness #ShopLocalOxford #RuralOxfordHistory
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Almost every account of when Quehl's Restaurant & Catering began comes with an asterisk, and...

Lavender has a way of marking time. For Donna and Chris Schurman of Deep Purple Lavender Farm in Embro, it started with inherited family land and a small plot at the bottom of the field. After testing the soil, the choice came down to bamboo or lavender. They chose lavender, planting about 300 plants to start and adding 3,000 more once the first crop did so well. It wasn't all smooth: 800 finicky French lavender plants that needed covering taught them a lesson the hard way. What began as a you-pick flower farm has bloomed into a genuine agri-tourism draw, with visitors from as far as Bethlehem and the Yukon signing the guest book. Donna's advice for anyone starting out is to take a chance, but don't quit your day job right away. Next up is steady over sprawling, with opening day next summer on June 29, 2027. Read Donna's full story https://ruraloxford.ca/deep-purple-lavender-farm-cultivating-community-in-embro/ #RuralOxford #ZorraTownship #Embro #BusinessSpotlight #AgriTourism #ShopLocalOxford #FarmLife
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Lavender has a way of marking time.

For Donna and Chris Schurman of Deep Purple...

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