Venture strategy during pandemic leads to ice cream
By Kelly Anne Smith
NORTH BAY— Warm bannock dipped in chicken noodle soup thick with veggies is etched in the taste buds from when the Oak East Eatery was busy with eat-in customers before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic hit.
The atmosphere is welcoming. Shauna Vazquez is confident about satisfying hunger with good food. She has been the owner, manager, cook and social media coordinator for two years now. Her mother Cheryl Pangowish and husband Ray St. George are her support team.
Putting the brakes on her thriving business has been a jolt but Vazquez is adapting the Oak East Eatery deliciously.
Originally working downtown for years, Vazquez moved with a previous employer to the current location at Oak St. East and Ferguson Ave.
“We were here for about three years. She closed and then Tanya (Cross) from the Artisan Cafe took over. I contacted her to see if she needed help. I then worked for her for two years. And then I was encouraged to buy it.”
She was undecided at first.
“Yay, no, yay, no. Ok, fine,” she laughs. “I know the business and I thought this is a great spot.”
Chef Tanya Cross was very supportive.
“She said if I took over, she’d help. She’s a Red Seal Chef. She taught me a lot.”
Popular foods such as Indian tacos, scone dogs, blueberry bannock and wild rice are sought after. The Oak East Eatery has built good relationships catering. Pangowish also works at the Oak East Eatery.
“It was only a matter of time before people really realized that she was a young [Indigenous] entrepreneur. I knew once that got out there that she would become very popular. When she introduced the Indian Taco, it just took off from there.”
Pangowish says many area Indigenous organizations have become satisfied customers including Nbisiing Secondary School, North Bay Indigenous Hub, The First Peoples’ of Canadore College, Nipissing University and Green Medicine— the “breakfast crew” as she calls them.
Vazquez wants an honourable mention for Reno Couchie, who has always shared posts with the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre.
“Reno visits for coffee and toast, no matter what.”
Both mother and daughter are from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory although Vazquez was not raised on the island.
“I’m originally from Chicago. My mom is from Little Current. We moved to Wiky when I was eight for two years and then we moved to the city. I’m dual—my dad is Puerto Rican and I’m Native.”
The Oak East Eatery exhibits local artisans.
“I have four artists displaying their work. I like everything colourful,” says Vazquez.
She likes to spice it up in her cooking too.
“I love flavour. There is something for everybody.”
When the province enforced COVID-19 social distancing measures, the restaurant had already been booked solid with catering jobs and pow wows.
“I closed for about a month. Then I decided to open for taco kits or sconedog kits. That took off.”
The pandemic way of doing things means more social media interaction.
“It’s very challenging. There are people constantly messaging you. People message on Facebook and sometimes I don’t get the message until later. There are only two of us here with a lot of work to do.”
“It is so much harder this way. I’d rather be serving people, but I don’t mind take-outs.”
Vazquez says keeping close virtually is important for relationships.
“I really try to be connected to my people. I find I get so much support from them. Just today alone we’ve sold over 30 taco specials.”
Oak East Eatery is now open Tuesday to Fridays, from 10 am to 4 pm with an open menu and daily specials. Follow the restaurant on Facebook Page for Vazquez’s posts on specials.
“We always sell our frozen soups.”
The restauranteur is resilient in the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m going to keep going.”
Days later, Vazquez announces a new venture in a big reveal on the restaurant’s Facebook Page – Ever Cool Icecream.
“I have a vintage ice cream trailer that was booked for events. It was supposed to be going to pow wows. I’m going to try it in the parking lot for now. I know it’s going to work— it’s ice cream,” she says. “I cannot get over how many people that post reached; over 30,000 people, right to Saskatchewan…I’m excited and hope it takes off. I’m hoping to be at weddings, birthday parties, events, and pow wows in the future.”
For a frosty treat, find Ever Cool on the weekend at Green Medicine at 120 Commanda Crescent in Duchesnay on Nipissing First Nation. Vazquez suggests the Facebook Pages to be alerted to when Ever Cool is on the move.