There’s a noticeable shift happening in Markdale. The buzz on Main Street is palpable. The town that for well over a decade was considered depressed, has become a destination.
by Jen McNeely // photography by Kelsey Vansickle
It’s a Thursday afternoon in Markdale, and people are window shopping on Main Street. A couple contemplates the colourful homewares that line the shelves at Grey Bruce Design. Tables and chairs scatter the sidewalk and are filled with locals enjoying coffee and sweet treats from Susan’s Delicatessen. Cute T-shirts decorate the storefront of JJMJ Embroidery, catching the eyes of passersby. Across the street, book lovers swing in and out of Speaking Volumes, where the latest “banned” books are proudly showcased. In the old fire hall is Marilynne Restaurant, a comfort-food hotspot that fills weekend reservations well in advance. Rumours suggest that a cocktail bar and microbrewery are coming soon.
The movement of new shops and businesses in Markdale has been so dramatic that “overnight” is an adjective often thrown around in conversation. There’s an energy in the air and on the street that feels exciting, hopeful and sudden. But it has taken years.
“Markdale was on a serious decline around 2017 to 2019. Shops were closing, there was talk of the public school closing. Growth did not seem in sight,” says realtor Susan Moffat. “Markdale was put on the map when the pandemic hit and people realized they wanted a small town rural lifestyle. There was a frenzy of buyers actually wanting to come here. All of Grey and Bruce counties were put on the map. It was cheaper than the Muskokas and within a couple of hours from the cities.”
The demand in real estate was so significant in 2021 that Global News did an in-depth story on Markdale entitled “Rural Revival: What’s behind Canada’s small-town boom.” The sleepy Ontario town, known best as the home of the Chapman’s Ice Cream factory, became the shining example to describe a province-wide shift. But the word “revival” or “revitalization” doesn’t resonate with everyone.
“It’s complicated. I think there’s much more complexity to what is happening,” says filmmaker Jesse McCracken, who grew up in Markdale, attending Beavercrest Community School in the ‘90s. “It’s an evolution that people are trying to figure out. There’s a lot of change going on. It’s not the same kind of people. It’s not the same kind of economy. People can’t work in a trade or factory and buy a house there.”
In 2018, McCracken set out to make a film about his hometown, and the deterioration that he observed as the town was affected by the continent-wide trend of job losses to overseas manufacturing. “It was a slow and gradual process of coming home to visit my parents while I was at college, and noticing more businesses shuttered. The sense of community was a little lost,” he says, recalling a happy childhood of close-knit neighbours and thriving mom-and-pop shops. “I remember walking home from school when I was very young, and knowing so many people along the street. I’d stop at the video store to get popcorn.
There was a real sense of knowing everybody.”
“It’s an evolution that people are trying to figure out. There’s a lot of change going on. It’s not the same kind of people. It’s not the same kind of economy. People can’t work in a trade or factory and buy a house there.”
Jesse McCracken
Grey Roads was shot over the course of two years (2018 to 2020) and premiered at the Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival in 2022. The visually stunning film (available to watch online on TVO and YouTube) offers a poignant and honest portrait of rural life, and thoughtfully examines the challenges that led to Markdale’s decline.
McCracken recognizes that a lot has happened in the two years since his film was released. “There are more things going on. I think it’s really special and beautiful that people are trying to do something in this area that’s different,” he says, referencing Down Home Farmhouse Restaurant, an exquisite 10-course, on-the-farm dining experience that draws a moneyed Toronto crowd, and Marilynne, where the pork chop costs $40.
Kimberley’s Heart’s Tavern and Flesherton’s The Gate are other beloved establishments that have been instrumental in Southern Georgian Bay’s burgeoning culinary tourism scene, arriving years after Justin’s Oven and the Kimberley General Store, both integral to the fabric of the community and on the “must-do” list for visitors to the Beaver Valley. The June Motel furthered the region as an “it” destination when it opened its doors in the spring of 2024.
“A lot of the economy does come from tourism. It’s good to draw people to the area,” says McCracken, who sees the more recent additions to the region as encouraging. “But obviously it’s going to piss off a lot of locals, because they aren’t regularly priced things.”
Robert Reid, owner of Grey Bruce Design Studio, believes Markdale is ready for upscale options. “I don’t compete with Home Hardware,” says the Toronto transplant, who moved to the area during the pandemic.
Wanting to invest in the region he fell for, and seeing the potential of future growth, Reid took over the space at 5 Main Street West in late 2023 as an office for his interior design business, as well as a public art gallery. In the spring of 2024, he held a grand opening of the Grey Bruce Design Shop, two doors away at number 11. Both storefronts had been sitting empty for years—the design shop location for 14, the office for a staggering 24. “It’s cool to be in a space where nobody can remember what was here before. It’s helping to kickstart the rebirth of Main Street Markdale,” says Reid.
McCracken’s 2022 doc Grey Roads examines the challenges that led to Markdale’s decline.
“It’s cool to be in a space where nobody can remember what was here before. It’s helping to kickstart the rebirth of Main Street Markdale.”
Robert Reid
Taking over two spaces is a bold move, but Reid’s subtle design choices are also making a big impact. “I’ve changed the aesthetic. I put an awning up, a retractable awning, a modern version of the historical awning that used to line all the stores on Main Street.” Others are following in his footsteps, bringing a unified contemporary refresh that nods to Markdale’s heyday at the turn of the 20th century, when the newly built railroad inspired a surge of growth.
Reid also recognized how simple sidewalk seating could enhance life on the street. “There was nowhere for people to sit,” he says. He took it upon himself to organize matching outdoor furniture for the south side to share. “That activated the street. It’s really cool to see that engagement. It’s not a desolate, deserted street.”
The revamped vibe is gaining attention, drawing people from near and far. Guests visiting The June Motel in Kimberley are adding shops in Markdale to their travel itinerary. New Moon Aesthetics opened in late summer, and is already attracting clients from outside of Grey County. “I have some coming from Barrie, from Collingwood,” says owner Andrea White. “They also come to Susan’s Deli, and JJMJ Embroidery.”
In the past year, Markdale’s housing market has seen a price increase of 17 percent. “Growth in Grey Bruce continues with the influx of immigration into Ontario and people wanting a change in lifestyle, from big city living to small town community,” says Moffat, who sees the demand for both residential homes in town, as well as nearby farms and small acreages. “Growth will be inevitable over the next decade in the area and will bring some growing pains, but will be very positive for businesses and development.”
It’s an exciting time, but small business owners and residents alike know that the growth needs to be nurtured carefully, which has inspired groups like Beaver Valley Destination Stewardship to form, an initiative that seeks to preserve what makes the region so special. “Everyone in the community is a steward of the watershed, protecting the very qualities that make us a unique destination,” reads the organization’s mission statement, inviting people to play a role in the protection of the region.
“I see the growth and it’s stressing me out!” says Martha Ziolkowski, with a nervous laugh. The owner of Martha Monica Ceramics understands that she’s part of the change, but also wants to preserve the very qualities that brought her to the region. “I want it to remain how it is. The people who’ve created this community put in a lot of effort. If it becomes exploited, I don’t know if it will have the same feeling.”
Like Reid, Ziolkowski bought into the area during the thick of the pandemic. Over the years, she slowly renovated a studio space behind her home (located on Grey Road 13, between Kimberley and Heathcote) and started a pottery business that is both a shop and a space for intimate workshops.
At her official launch this past summer, Ziolkowski’s guests included dozens of local business owners. Several of them pushed images and videos of her gorgeous studio space on their Instagram feeds, helping to spread the word.
Julie Mitchell, owner of Thornbury’s Beam Light Studio, was one of the guests in attendance. “She bought 20 teacups from me for her new studio!” Ziolkowski shares enthusiastically, describing the camaraderie amongst business owners as a “togetherness.”
“The community I’ve met here has brought something special out of me. There’s a sense of being held,”
says Ziolkowski.
Boom Timeline
Accelerating business openings in and around Markdale signal a regional renaissance. Here are some notables, by year.
Kimberley General Store 2010
Justin’s Oven 2014
Susan’s Delicatessen 2020
Heart’s 2021
Marilynne Restaurant 2022
Speaking Volumes Books 2022
Down Home
Farmhouse Restaurant 2022
JJMJ Embroidery 2023
The Gate 2023
The June Motel 2024
Grey Bruce Design 2024
Full Moon Aesthetics 2024
Martha Monica Ceramics 2024
“I want it to remain how it is. The people who’ve created this community put in a lot of effort. If it becomes exploited, I don’t know if it will have the same feeling.”
Martha Ziolkowski
Similarly, the opening party for Markdale’s Full Moon Aesthetics this past August demonstrated a spirit of togetherness. The event was co-hosted by Grey Bruce Design, which helped design the invitations, and catering was provided by Susan’s Delicatessen. “It makes sense to get together and support one another,” says White, who took a big leap opening up Full Moon, and like Ziolkowski, feels a web of support.
There is no official BIA in Markdale, but a scrappy grassroots one is taking shape and making strides. Like the Beaver Valley Destination Stewardship group, citizens and business owners understand the uniqueness of the area, and want to work closely and carefully to steer the growth. It isn’t what it was, nor will it ever be. Change is upon us, but with it comes the opportunity to imagine something charming and beautiful.
