Two entrepreneur’s dreams became a reality seven months ago, when Strange Exotics opened in Medicine Hat.

Justin Martinuk opened A + E Air Plumbing and Heating four years ago. Shortly after, his two business partners, Nick Martinuk and Brandon Russell, joined the company, along with a staff of eight.

In December, Joe Reinhardt and Chris Knodel partnered together to open Black Alder Construction and offer quality renovations and woodwork in Medicine Hat.

Local business owner Carleen Schaan’s rent was substantially raised at her main KidsPlay Preschool location in the spring of 2023, so she searched to purchase a new space for her business in Medicine Hat.

A tea drinker her whole life and tea store owner since 2006, Darlene Meyer brought Teas R Me to the Medicine Hat Arcade Plaza in 2022.

Melissa Schafer & Bruce Foerster, owners of Temple Fitness in Medicine Hat, Alberta, have experienced a transformative journey with the Digital Economy Program (DEP). With the support of the program, Temple Fitness has enhanced its online presence, providing a modernized experience for their clients.

With views of the beautiful South Saskatchewan River sits The Psynergy Centre. Inside is Annie Anderson’s space, where she specializes in not mainstream, but, traditional healing.

For years, Brandi Matthews would give her home-made salsa to friends and family, and overtime they would share with her how delicious her salsa was and encourage her to sell it.

From her experience in assisting people achieve a healthier lifestyle, and owning Redcliff Pharmasave for 16 years, Melissa Hozack and her business partner Wendi Eeet created TruMe Whole Health just over 2 years ago.

Greg and Bonnie Spragg officially opened Spragg’s Meat Shop in 2005. Their dream of setting up shop started a few years before, when they started to learn to raise free-range pigs, going from three to 75 in one summer, focus on their business plan, and attend workshop seminars offered by Community Futures Entre-Corp.

Yvonne Nickel has 30 years of experience as a public health nurse, with a lot of that time and support going towards breastfeeding mothers. In 2008, she became certified as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and she recently opened her private consulting business, Luna Lactation.

After moving back home to Medicine Hat, Emilie Soper opened Nexus Orthotics in December 2022. The start-up costs were a concern for the experienced business owner, but Taylor Hardekopf, Digital Service Squad expert was able to build a website for Soper for free.

Just over a year ago, Charlene Rosse became the owner of the community-loved eatery, Bobby’s and Char’s Bar & Grill, in Bow Island, Alberta.

Owner of I Cut Trees, Glenn Salewski is busy in the summer cutting, hedging, manicuring, and removing trees and bushes in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Laurel Mayrs, owner of Kays & Co., launched a new website for her local online business with the help from Digital Service Squad expert, Taylor Hardekopf.

Being in the Harley Davidson industry for 31 years, and being a biker for most of his life, Darren Staruiala took the next step in pursuing his passion and opened Gas City Cycles in July 2022.

Station Coffee Company has been a small business staple in Medicine Hat’s downtown for 10 years. A place where residents and visitors find creative hot beverages, freshly baked goods, and a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

In 2022, a bakery moved into a historic building on Sixth Avenue in downtown Medicine Hat, and it’s already looking to expand.

Some buildings in downtown Medicine Hat were too old to recover, being built in the early 1900s. Some were torn down, and vacant lots were few and far between. But Hatters Ian and Carrie Sand saw potential in one of the empty spaces on Second Street.

Mark Gott has fixed garage doors over the last 16 years in Medicine Hat, and in 2022 he took the step to start his own business. Gott Garage Door Services has officially been open for three months, and in that time Mark has worked with Digital Service Squad expert Taylor Hardekopf to build a website and grow his digital presence.

Sabrina Moore found the perfect space downtown to open Medicine Hat’s first spin studio, but it needed to be renovated to enhance the functionality and aesthetic of the space.

Cafe Verve opened their doors five years ago on Dunmore Road in Medicine Hat. Where the walls are lined with local artwork, and the evenings are often filled with local live music, people can find carefully brewed coffee and teas, freshly baked sweets, and hand-made sandwiches, soups, and salads inside the bright cafe.

When Darren Howes took a trip to Philadelphia, he noticed how the city took advantage of their outdoor patios during the warmer weather. Given Medicine Hat’s long summer and sunny days, he and his business partner Josh Hopkins felt a family-friendly seasonal patio would fit well in downtown Medicine Hat.

After 27 years of working in the automotive industry, Carl Lee opened his mobile mechanic business Enterprise Motors Ltd. on January 1, 2022 serving Medicine Hat and district.

Ken Forbes moved his business Six One Six Entertainment, the largest entertainment centre in Medicine Hat, to a 12,000 square foot downtown location in 2020. This was right before the pandemic hit world-wide, and he was faced with regulations, while needing to renovate the new space he’d just moved into.

Carmen Lambert opened Medicine Hat’s first oil and vinegar tasting room in 2016, The Hat’s Olive Tap. Overtime, she’s shifted her retail store into a market and cafe and now serves a full food and drink menu, while also displaying organic skincare, spices and salts, and locally-made pottery.

Syed Naqvi was already undergoing challenges from the pandemic when he needed to replace his store’s interior light bulbs and set up a security system in 2020. He felt the condition of his store Penny Profit was affecting his first impression with new customers, and bringing doubt to current ones.

After 14 years of owning ClearView EyeCare in Medicine Hat, Kerrie Snider was faced with a large number of challenges when COVID-19 caused a world-wide pandemic. She was forced to close her business for seven weeks and, like many other small business owners, was unsure of how she would be impacted more in the future.

When the world was affected by a global pandemic in 2020, Community Futures Entre-Corp  offered the Medicine Hat Business Innovation Grant (MHBIG) to support local business owners  in pivoting their business and keeping their doors open.

Growing up with a grandfather and uncle in the concrete trade, Rick Eckes fell in love with concrete finishing. In late 2018, Rick launched his own company, Next Gen Concrete Finishers. As the third generation of his family working in concrete, Rick’s uncle showed him that customer service, fair treatment of customers, and nurturing relationships was as important as the quality of the concrete work itself. It is on those pillars that Rick operates Next Gen.

Terralta Inc., is locally owned by Laura Shivak and Marcus Campbell. The business’ focus was geo-thermal product when it opened in 2006, and since then has shifted and expanded into an electrical, plumbing and solar company. When Shivak and Campbell were faced with the opportunity to potentially purchase a locally owned business in the area, they reached out for support from Community Futures Entre-Corp. Air-Tech Ltd., became a division of Terralta on Sept. 1, 2020 as an outcome.

Jerredi Hauck opened Limelitez Dance Academy in 2008, when she envisioned a studio that offered a unique perspective with a variety of dance styles to practice. Public health orders during the COVID-19 pandemic made in-person classes a concern for the business owner. With support from Community Futures Entre-Corp Hauck was able to access iPads and other technological equipment and use them to conduct online classes for her students.

Pamela Lanz opened Pamela’s Foot Care Service in June 2011. She took a course while she worked as a nurse beforehand to learn about the trade and could instantly see herself doing it professionally. She went door to door, purchased advertisements and reached out to Community Futures Entre-Corp for support the same month and year to start Pamela’s Foot Care Service.

When Bailey Tucker graduated from high school, she always knew she had an aptitude for design. She remembers the urge to redesign room layouts, process possible layout possibilities, good colour options and even fabric options.  These were designs she imaged for her bedroom, even at a young age. Bailey indicates that she is sure her artistic talent came from her mom, a talented painter and crafter.

Brian Tkachuk and Renee Gaudreault moved to Medicine Hat from Edmonton in 2016. Brian worked in the oil and gas industry which meant long periods of time away from home. After commuting to work in the oil and gas industry for 12 plus years, Brian  decided it was time for a change.  Although the industry paid very well, it would never replace the precious time he was losing with his young family because of the long commutes to and from work.  Brian and Renee have 3 children aged 6, 3 and 7 months old.

Trevor Eichelbaum has a unique skill.  He can fix things, take them apart and put them back to together with relative ease.  After all, it is what he did for many years growing up on a small farm where fixing things was necessary all the time.