A few weeks ago I wrote about Spruce Grove (the city that is not Poplar Grove), so this week’s blog is about our neighbours to the west: Stony Plain. We have some more clients that we love out there. Panda Rose doesn’t live in Stony Plain, but it’s like we almost do because it’s so close. Many people who live in Spruce Grove work in Stony Plain, and vice versa. The two are also weirdly competitive with each other. I’ve only lived here for 8 months and worked here for two years, so I’m an outsider and know nothing. As far as I’m concerned, they are both great communities full of wonderful people, and I can tell you it’s a great place for families!
What’s the history of Stony Plain?
I shall tell you now, the best that I can. Actually, it’s pretty confusing. The people who originally lived there were called the Stoney People, so it might have been named after them. However, the region was also called Dogrump Creek, named after a turn in the creek south of Dog Lake. Some people moved into the area named the area Hoffnungsau, which means “Hopeful Meadow”. But also, an area around Spruce Grove was called Stony Plain (without the e). So it seems the region had quite a few names to begin with.
Eventually, a fellow named John McDonald applied for a post office wanting to call it Stoney Plain. The post office said “nope, the name is already taken by Stony Plain”, but eventually gave in. Over time, the “e” was dropped, and it became Stony Plain. Or something like that. Another theory is that it was just called Stony Plain because of big boulders all over the plain. So take your pick. Personally, I like the more complicated story.
Over time, the town grew, and the CNR put railway right through and it still blocks traffic to this day.
Stony Plain has a lot of interesting festivals, small businesses, and fascinating history that I’m not going to get into, but I suggest you visit there and check it out. For now, I’d like to get on to the people and businesses that Panda Rose has served in the Stony Plain area.
On Time Business Solutions
On Time Business Solutions is an excellent and well-trusted accountant who came to us with a need for a new website. They were great for us to work with in terms of communicating and collaborating to get a nice website up and going for them, which I think must bode well for anybody who needs accounting done with them! I know they’ve got some clients who have told me that they’re very happy with them too. Giving them a fresh new website was a delight!
Laura Bella Custom Cakery
OK, who DOESN’T like fancy cakes and sweets? (Ssssh, I don’t want to hear negative answers.) Debra at Laura Bella Custom Cakery makes the. most. AMAZING cakes ever! But she wasn’t being found in search results in the Edmonton area, even though she serves the greater Edmonton area and beyond. She hired us to clean up her SEO and before she knew it, she was reaching her target audience! That made all of us happy.
You should SEE the cakes she makes! And taste them. Some folks from work had a Boston cream cake made for me as a birthday surprise, and it was excellent. Debra’s “geode cake” was recently featured in an article in Love, Inc. magazine, and it’s one of the coolest cakes I’ve ever seen. She has won several awards for her cakes and her overall business operations. She’s definitely one of the best around.
Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce
At the start of 2020, several of the chambers of commerce put all their differences aside and joined forces to create the Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce. Not having to bounce around different chambers of commerce events would have made my life easier, but it was shortly after the merge that everything shut down anyway. That became a bit of a moot point! However, the GPRC was still relevant, and each time I tried searching for them, I kept coming up with some place in Florida. I could never remember their website address, so it took a lot of effort to find their contact information!
It got to the point where I was offering to go out to their office and offer them some free SEO training, when they decided to hire us to do an SEO setup for them. I can’t tell you how happy I was to do that! The GPRC does a lot to support all of our local businesses, so it was important to me that all of the local businesses should be able to find them. Now they’re easily at the top of the search results page and very easy to find.
The folks who work at the chamber are awesome people to work with too. And if you’re a business owner and not a member of the chamber yet, GO! Join your local chamber of commerce and participate in its events and activities! Meet other business owners and get to know them and do business with them! Plus, joining your chamber of commerce is great for SEO.
Also, fun fact, Dog Rump Creek runs right through our Chamber of Commerce property. I have yet to find the dog rump.
Twice As Nice Consignment Boutique
Last, but certainly not least, is Twice As Nice Consignment Boutique, run by Lisa Babineau. This was a pretty special project that I particularly enjoyed. I STILL enjoy it because now I can participate as a user. After the hammer came down and businesses were starting to get online, Lisa knew it was time to really get her consignment shop online. I think she had been planning on it for a long time, but COVID was the real trigger to get it moving.
We built her a website wherein users could shop for consignment clothing, accessories, and household items, but not only that, the users can register themselves as consigners and list their own items for sale, and ship them from anywhere in the country to anywhere in the country! The shipping is handled by Canada Post and labels are automatically generated. All a seller has to do is print the label and attach it to their package to mail out to the buyer. It’s a pretty great process. If you’ve got any high quality items you’d like to sell online, consider signing up for Twice As Nice.
How about you?
Are you a great business in Stony Plain? I’d love to feature you in another blog like this. The only catch is: you’ll have to become a client first! But that’s not too difficult, eh? We’re easy to work with, stay within your budget, and just want you to be happy, which is our highest priority.