If you'd asked Caroline Longhurst a couple of years ago to think about opening a restaurant in the heart of downtown, she would have looked at you like you'd dropped a rat in the soup.
Formerly an RCMP officer, she had her eyes opened wide patrolling the streets of the city core, where crime was rampant and the derelict dregs of society would congregate.
That was George Street then, but Longhurst says it's a much different place to do business now. In fact, she sees that strip of road from City Hall to the Prince George courthouse as a golden half-kilometre, the epicentre of downtown revitalization.
Longhurst, the owner of Ohh... Chocolat Caf, has started a co-operative effort to make downtown a more appealing place to her customers. It all started two years ago when Antiques on Sixth owner Patrick Kelly asked Longhurst to supply a tray of chocolates for the grand opening of his new store. In return, Kelly lent Longhurst some antique cabinets and dining room sets to help furnish her store.
When Longhurst opened at her new location at 565 George St. two weeks ago, consolidating two smaller restaurants she used to operate, she had a lot of space to fill and Kelly, whose store is directly across the street, had plenty of antique furniture to put on display for sale. It was a win-win proposal for both businesses.
"We're part of a community and that's what communities should be doing," Longhurst said. "We want to revive downtown and everybody is working hard at it.
"You can feel it in the air. There are more businesses coming in. You can feel the pulse of the city down here, that something is happening, and that's why I jumped on board."
Ohh.. Chocolat also has an arrangement with neighbour Kelly Nordin at The Keg Steakhouse and Bar across George Street, which allows Longhurst's customers to use the The Keg's parking lot. Ric's Grill has also lent her a helping hand, allowing Ohh... Chocolat to use its alley dumpster. In return, Longhurst offers the employees of the other restaurants customer discounts at her store.
"I think people are excited about what's happening on George Street," said Longhurst. "It has to start somewhere and I think it started with the Ramada [Hotel] a few years ago when they started doing renos.
"I was a member and used to be on the [RCMP] bike patrol and I said I'd never move down here, ever. But now, revitalization is happening. It's started and people are starting to have confidence in downtown again. You just need the people who want to take the chance."
Kelly also markets his furniture at the Lavender, Procurer of Finery gift shop, which Laura Hansen recently opened on Third Avenue. Kelly got a sense the downtown area had commercial potential a couple of years ago when the RCMP stepped up its regular foot and bike patrols of the downtown.
"That was an absolute blessing," Kelly said. "They wave when they go by and having that constant police presence is fantastic. Then when they tore down the Prince George Hotel, that changed the face of this whole area for me. Everybody's been co-operating and as a result we're all doing OK."
Longhurst loves the look of her new restaurant and has great admiration for an antique dresser made from the 700-year-old beams of a church in Wales, which will remain there until somebody buys it from Kelly.
"The biggest compliment I got is, 'It feels homey,'" said Longhurst. "Customers love it."
Kelly knows he's got a sweet deal going and has taken one necessary step to keep him his belly in check.
"The chocolates are great," he said. "That's why I have my exercise bike in my shop, to wear off the chocolate."
