NEW
Ventures
By CARA WILLIAMS
90
Escarpment Magazine Summer 2013
escarpment
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS
Habitat Interiors...
Christine Pritchard
studied Interior Architecture in her home country of Germany.
After meeting her husband Andy, a Canadian who was playing professional hockey
abroad, her career path was put on hold. The couple married, relocated to Ontario and
had three children in a span of a few years. It had always been Christine’s dream to return to her design background so
when Andy bought Pipers Restaurant in Thornbury (both the building and the business) Christine stepped in to revamp the
space, inside and out. Thanks to Christine’s obvious aptitude for design, Pipers won the Town of Blue Mountains Chamber
of Commerce award for site improvement in 2012! Clearly, Christine hadn’t lost her touch, and her hunger to explore her
talent was again taking root. Soon the couple had plans to add-on to the existing Piper’s building, thus creating a space
where Christine could let her interior design dreams run the gamut. Habitat Interiors Inc was born, and its doors officially
opened this past Spring. Specializing in cozy, functional, and interesting furnishings, Habitat also stocks out of the ordinary
gifts, bedding, bath, mailboxes, incredible light fixtures, rugs, outdoor furniture and local merchants wares, with a range of
price points to accommodate any budget. Not sure if an item is suited to your space? Habitat offers its customers the option
to sign out portable items for up to a week, free of charge. An impressive selection of made in Canada items are always in
stock and because new items are arriving weekly, floor models will be sold at discounted rates each season. Habitat is
quickly becoming the go-to destination for fun and fashionable interiors and gifts.
Habitat Interiors Inc. 54 King E (Hwy 26) Thornbury 226.665.5550
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I often dream
of flying alongside birds and touching the clouds with my fingertips as I float effortlessly over buildings
and trees. Like many people, I assumed flying was perhaps beyond my reach, until I met with Genesis Flight Centre partners
David Gascoine and David Michalenko. They are in the business of making this dream an affordable reality for anyone
with the desire to take to the sky. Located at the Collingwood Regional Airport and with a focus on customer service and
overall experience, Genesis was established with the goal of making safe and inexpensive flights accessible to everyone.
Choose from any of their designated routes over the Escarpment, Beaver Valley, Eugenia, Simcoe, and Muskoka or cus-
tomize your own route and get some incredible aerial shots of your house or cottage. Enjoy a leisurely scenic tour or
actually take control and learn some basics of flying with a Discovery Flight. Genesis has a fleet of six aircraft featuring the
premium and ultra-modern Diamond DA40 and DA20 aircraft. They also have Cessna aircraft and an Aerobat for aero-
batic training and thrill rides. I recently experienced a Genesis flight first hand. I was amazed that I felt confident and safe
right away. Not long after our smooth takeoff we were circling above my house in Thornbury before heading south along
the Beaver Valley, taking in the spectacular landscape. The most thrilling part of my flight was that I actually took control
of the aircraft for the majority of the flight. Making turns and holding altitude was actually straightforward with instruction
I received from my pilot. Anyone can do this! Thankfully I wasn’t asked to land the plane.
Genesis employs handpicked, professional pilots and it is obvious that customer experience is front and centre. The com-
pany mission is to change the perception that flying is out of reach or unattainable. Their catchy tagline “the ultimate pow-
ersport is within reach” says it all. DavidMichalenko is a career pilot with a BSc from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
and David Gascoine has a long history in aviation with family in the business. It’s clear that these guys love their job.
The Genesis website describes available flight packages and pricing in and easy to read format. Genesis Flight Centre is
located at the Collingwood Regional Airport and Lake Simcoe Regional Airport. Open for flights seven days a week,
weather permitting. Pre-booking flight time is required.
Flight Genesis Inc. Collingwood Regional Airport 877.359.3245
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scenic
bird’s
eye
views
design
flair
taste
whimsey
Genesis Flight Centre...
