Seeing a need for affordable repair shops targeted at foreign and older cars, Matthew Lee recently opened St. Albert Auto Care in Riel Business Park.
The 38-year-old car mechanic moved to Canada in 2010 after more than 20 years of working in the automotive service industry in London, England. He now hopes to benefit Canadian customers who “don’t want to spend their mortgage money on getting an oil change” at their car’s dealership, he said.
“I just wanted to own a little independent garage, which is much of what I did (in London),” he said. “I think there’s a need for that.”
Lee added that his shop is licensed to work on everything from foreign cars, to the Dodge Ram-type trucks and small campers and recreation vehicles. St. Albert Auto Care is located at 16 Renault Crescent in Riel Business Park and can be contacted at 780-458-8566.
Located in the same spot as its predecessor, Taco del Mar has returned to St. Albert for a fresh start. Owner Barry Buchkowsky said the Seattle-based franchise went bankrupt a few years ago before Subway bought the chain and re-opened locations across Canada.
The restaurant offers Mexican fast-food favourites such as burritos, tacos and quesadilla with meat and healthy side options, as well as vegan and vegetarian friendly dishes, he said.
“Taco del Mar has a lot of healthy ingredients. And there are lots of options for kids and families,” he said. “It is a little more upscale than some of our competitors so time will tell whether it catches on.”
Buchkowsky added that customers may pay a little extra for a meal– burritos and tacos are in the $5 to $7 range – but would also get more product for their money. Taco del Mar is located at 140 St. Albert Trail in the Village Landing Shopping Centre.
After three moves in just over five years, Amy Harris, co-owner of Hayabusa Training Centre, hopes she can take a break from changing locations for a while.
The local martial arts facility recently moved across the street from its old home in Campbell Business Park, adding 2,000 square feet of extra space and new, daily martial arts classes for women and children, she said.
“We now have a private personal training studio as well so we are offering a lot of personal training, strength and conditioning for lots of our athletes plus any kind of clientele,” Harris added.
Harris added the studio also provides a comfortable training area for people struggling with their weight and women's-only groups, she said. Private personal training encompasses everything from small group training to one-on-one lessons. Hayabusa Training Centre is located at #105, 125 Carleton Dr. and can be contacted at 780-419-7177.
