Craig and I met in 2003 in Toronto and had very busy lives and careers in the big city. We loved the city and all it had to offer, but after 10 years there, we were longing for change. At the time, Craig was singing with the Canadian Opera Company part-time and teaching Grade 6. I had been in a rewarding career fundraising and marketing in the non-profit sector since 1995.
In summer 2011, we took a great road trip out to eastern Canada, which took us through New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI and Cape Breton, wow – what an amazing part of Canada. We stayed at a few B&Bs while we were out East, and the experience was terrific. I had stayed at B&Bs and Country Inns during many ski trips to the eastern USA in the 1990s. Vermont, New Hampshire, and upstate New York are full of lovely B&Bs and inns. I loved them, and they made a lasting impression on me.
In summer 2012, we had a cottage rented in Haliburton and talked a bit about owning a B&B in a resort-like town. We knew that the town we would settle in had to have a variety of community amenities. After all, we were leaving Toronto, where you could get practically anything you wanted, anytime.
While in Haliburton, we drove to Bracebridge and Gravenhurst – both beautiful towns in their own right. We headed west to Collingwood for a stay on our way back to Toronto. We fell in love with the town immediately — The Blue Mountains, main street Collingwood, the waterfront, and the list went on.
For the next two years, we planned and re-visited Collingwood to find the right property and learn everything we could about being innkeepers at a bed and breakfast. Our property search took us to what would become Craigleith Manor at 9 Craigleith Court, Collingwood. The property could not be more perfect for a bed and breakfast location. Read more about The Manor.
Fast forward to September 2017. Craig has retired from teaching and now runs Collingwood Flowers & Home Decor. We purchased an existing flower store and updated it to provide an amazing shopping experience for fresh flowers and home accents. We hope you’ll visit when you are in Collingwood.