Jason Winter, an experienced nightclub owner, and his wife Margo, a culinary arts graduate from Lambton College, felt their talents and experience complimented each other, and would be a perfect fit for the restaurant business. “We opened Bad Dog Corunna in 2004,” shares Winter. “Our budget was pretty minimal, so initially a lot of the previous restaurant’s footprint remained.” Business grew steadily, and six years later Bad Dog transitioned from a bar and grill to a restaurant. “We still offer a great drink menu, but we intentionally became more food-oriented, which has led to our continued growth.” The Bad Dog menu offers appetizers, salads, burgers, wings, and a long list of favorites, including their signature perogies served with onions, bacon, and melted cheese.
Bad Dog Sarnia opened in the summer of 2017, after a slow but steady search. “We had been looking in Sarnia for a few years, but we weren’t in a rush. When the building at 229 Christina Street North came up, we fell in love with it, and we were excited to become part of everything that is happening downtown.” This time they didn’t want any of the previous restaurant’s footprint to remain, so the renovations were extensive. “We moved the exterior wall in several feet to accommodate the 32-seat patio, and then built a huge sliding glass window. We wanted to stay on brand but also add some ‘wow factor.’”
In 2019, Bad Dog Corunna closed for six weeks and underwent a major interior and exterior renovation. “The interior now has that unique ‘Bad Dog’ feel. We also listened to what our customers wanted and we added a screened-in patio with built-in gas heaters, two fireplaces, and televisions. We really went all out, and the results are awesome.” The covered patio provides an additional 40 seats, and customers can enjoy it rain or shine.
While both Bad Dog locations have the same menu, each restaurant has its own unique atmosphere. “In Corunna, we have a lot of regulars. 80% of our customers come in three times a week. In Sarnia, we see a variety of people coming downtown for the theatre, art gallery, or special events.” Bad Dog employs over 60 people, and 75% of their staff work at both locations. “Our staff is amazing and we have some of the best employees in the business. They are the key to our success.” Jason and Margo both know every aspect of their business and spend time in both locations in front of house and in the kitchen to ensure consistency and quality.
Instead of paying for advertising, they choose to support a variety of local charities, sports teams, fundraisers, and events. “We take all the money we would have spent on advertising and invest it back into the community. That’s always been a fundamental piece of our ethos. We love this community and are so happy to be able to give back.”
Heather Smith never takes the comforts and opportunities she has living in Sarnia for granted. That's because as the executive director for Rayjon Share Care she has seen the extreme poverty people living in Haiti endure. The charity was started by John Barnfield and Ray Wyrzykowski in 1986. In
In 2020, Mainframe Picture Framing is celebrating its 42nd anniversary and is still going strong. Specializing in quality custom picture framing, Mainframe is located in the plaza at 1249 London Road. In 2017, Joanne Dunn purchased the business after working for the previous owner for 16 years.
The ability to help people and give back to the community acts as a foundation for Christine Yurchuk, owner of Lilith Boutique. Yurchuk purchased the eleven-year-old business in 2016. "I had already been running the Fitting Room for two years, which was for mastectomy clients, and this opportunity"
In 1989, David and Olga Williams purchased interest in a small company named Advanced Building Materials and in 1991, they purchased the remaining shares. We were originally located on Tecumseh Street in Sarnia. Three moves later, we are at our current location at 591 Gladwish Drive. We needed mo
As he approaches his 50th birthday, Jason Blais is not even close to retirement. Instead, Jason continues to look to the future for ways he can fine-tune his business, Atlas Technologies, and continue to service Sarnia-Lambton. A lot has changed since I started this business nearly nine years ago
Adam Veen's lifelong hobby has turned out to be one of the hottest new businesses in Lambton County. The 36-year-old owner of Oil Town Brewing Co. has been growing vegetables and using them to make various dishes since he was a child and now his hot sauce is the talk of the town. Our family has
Sylvan Learning was founded in 1979 in Portland, Oregon to provide supplemental instruction in reading, writing, math and study skills. The Sarnia location began in 1984 and has been located at the same address all these years, 10...
Born and raised in Sarnia, Julie Jenkins, the owner and Broker of Record, has deep roots in our community. Julie is passionate about making Sarnia-Lambton a great place to live, work and play. She built her successful career on getting involved and giving back at every opportunity. When she purchas