Minden Hills-based Chaulk has announced it has acquired All About Kitchens in Huntsville.

Chaulk, named after owner Trevor Chaulk, does custom cabinetry for homes and businesses across Ontario from its location on Hwy. 35 south of Minden. They do everything from kitchens and bathrooms to home offices, garages and more.

They announced the acquisition of All About Kitchens April 1. It is a cabinetry and kitchen design company founded by Michael Smith, that has served homeowners and builders across Ontario for nearly 30 years.

The Highlands’ company said it is a “strategic” take over “that marks a major growth milestone for Chaulk, strengthening its ability to serve a larger regional footprint and increasing its capacity to deliver custom cabinetry solutions across Ontario.”

Chaulk has experienced significant growth over the past 17 years, expanding from a 600-square-foot home garage operation into a 5,000-square-foot cabinetry facility employing 12 full-time team members.

With the acquisition of All About Kitchens, Chaulk will expand its operations by an additional 15,000 square feet, in what the company says represents “a meaningful increase in market share and service capacity across the region.”

They added that with a stronger presence across the Highlands, Muskoka and the Kawarthas, Chaulk and All About Kitchens now represent one of the largest cabinetry service footprints across Ontario, with a home base that includes the Haliburton Highlands and Muskoka, while continuing to serve major centres such as the Kawarthas, Ottawa and the Greater Toronto Area.

Chaulk, who is president of the company, said, “this is an exciting opportunity for Chaulk, and one that represents meaningful growth for our company.

“All About Kitchens has built an incredible reputation, and we’re genuinely excited to work alongside another great team. We see this as a major step forward in expanding our reach, increasing capacity, and continuing to deliver the quality and service our clients and builder partners expect.”

All About Kitchens founder, Smith, added, his company “has always been about craftsmanship, trust, and the people behind the work. I’m honoured to have Trevor Chaulk take on this legacy, and I’m confident he will lead the team forward with the same care, passion, and commitment to excellence.”

Chaulk said it means “ongoing strategic focus on growth, operational efficiency, and product innovation. The company continues to invest in production capacity and systems that allow it to deliver industry-leading timelines without sacrificing quality. Chaulk said he will work closely with the All About Kitchens team to ensure a smooth transition, “maintaining the high standard of service clients have come to trust, while expanding the opportunities available through a larger combined operation.”

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A community staple that has been a hub for fresh Mexican cuisine and community connection for the last six years, Poquito Loco, is set to close following the summer tourism season.

Owner Claudette Pitre confirmed to The Highlander that the restaurant will serve up its final tacos in September, closing its doors following Labour Day weekend.

Pitre said the decision was made after a long period of deliberation, and was driven by a combination of personal health challenges and the increasingly difficult economic reality of running a year-round food business in a seasonal town.

The Mexican restaurant began as a “passion project,” created during the uncertainty of 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We started mainly because my kids were in university and the school shut down, so I brought them back here because I didn’t know what was going on,” Pitre said. “My kids, as well as their friends, were not doing well with just sitting around, not having any social interaction or anything to do.”

Even her mother teamed up to create something “magical.

“It was a project that we all did together,” Pitre said. “I think that’s what I’m most proud of, that we all created something from nothing together.”

Paquito Loco first opened at the Silver Maple Motel on Highland Street. But, after two years, and rising rent costs, Pitre decided to look for a new home. That’s when she found the “perfect” partnership within Castle Antiques & Cafe in the heart of downtown Haliburton.

“It’s been a perfect fit,” she said. “Being here and being in the sort of hub where all the action is. There are so many new things happening.”

However, despite the success and community support, the reality of running a year-round business has become overwhelming. Pitre pointed to two major factors in the decision to close later this year: her health and the staggering rise in operating costs.

The business owner revealed that she suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic, often debilitating neuropathic pain disorder involving facial nerves. The condition causes intense shooting or jabbing pain that may feel like an electric shock. After undergoing one surgery two years ago, she is scheduled for another this May.

“It’s a really intense, constant pain,” Pitre admitted. “I’ve kind of stretched myself health-wise and financially. I probably should have closed a couple of years ago.”

Economically, the owner explained that within the last five years her food costs have doubled, jumping from 30 per cent to 60 per cent of her overhead. To keep quality high, Pitre had travelled as far as Montreal for wholesale goods, but even those efforts have been squeezed by gas prices and inflation.

“Last week I paid $105 for a case of tomatoes,” she said, noting they used to cost $30. “Lettuce now is like $5 a head. It’s insane.”

A 28-year resident of the County, Pitre said the restaurant allowed her to finally immerse herself in the community.

“Now, since I’ve had Poquito, I’ve gotten to know everybody. I finally feel like this is my home,” she said.

It also became a venue for local music, a natural fit for Pitre’s family. Both her children are musicians, her son a drummer, her daughter a singer-guitarist, and her husband, Mark Christiano of Ya Babys fame. Pitre herself dabbles in music and comes from a long line of performers.

While Poquito Loco is set to close in September, Pitre isn’t quite ready to say goodbye and is laser-focused on a final successful season. She is currently hiring for the summer cottage rush and plans to host a last call celebration later this year.

“I’m sad that this is something I have to do, and I’m going to miss them all,” Pitre said of her regulars. “They’ve made this part of my journey special.”

Poquito Loco is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, until the end of the summer season.

When Brandon Nimigon was contemplating what to do with remaining stock after the purchase of Bernstein’s in downtown Haliburton, he reckoned a quick turnaround with proceeds going to charity was the way to go.

The sale generated $6,000 which has been split equally between: Brooksong Retreat and Cancer Support Centre, Central Food Network, 4Cs, SIRCH, Snowflake Meadows, and Minden Community Food Centre.

Nimigon said, “it just didn’t make a lot of sense for us to spend months selling it. We thought we could instead do something good for the community, give to charities, and people who need it.”

Representatives of some of the charities had a look at renovations of the building April 10. They were thankful of the support.

Nicole Baxter, a director for Central Food Network, said, “after a winter that continued to see calls for service break more records, we are grateful to Brandon for this support for us and other worthy charities. When local folks like Brandon step up like this, the impact is immediate and real for our neighbours throughout Haliburton County.”

Laurie McCaig of SIRCH tipped her hat to the Nimigons for their “thoughtful and generous donation. It means a great deal to know you chose to support local non-profits in this way. The monetary gift will help support our Community Kitchen Program, where 1,750 meals are prepared each month and shared through 14 local partners. We also received a large donation of quality clothing and shoes, which will be made available through our Thrift Warehouse in Haliburton; helping extend that generosity even further within the community.”

4Cs is the Haliburton Food Bank, and Lily Ann Thrift Store. They sell donated items to raise funds for food distribution. The food bank also accepts cash donations. Louise Ewing said, in addition to the money, Nimigon donated clothing and shoes to the Lily Ann, “which will be an immense help to our clients and customers.”

Brooksong executive-director Barb SmithMorrison also expressed gratitude saying, “this donation is so timely and will support the launch of our new local cancer support circle, co-created with local residents and Haliburton Highlands Health Services. This will be a facilitated, compassionate space where people can be with others who understand, share and listen, and experience gentle ways to support their wellbeing.”

Renovation update

Nimigon said the renovations are going well, although the demolition is taking much longer than anticipated. They are going through a lot of removal bins. They have taken it back to the studs.

He said former museum employee Steve Hill spent some quality time in the attic. “We found a lot of cool stuff: an old building permit from 1973; and you can see how easy it was to get permits back in the day. They wrote down ‘we’re doing this, this, and this’ and it was approved, that was it; old comic books and hockey cards from the 70s, wartime clothing from the early 1900s.”

Nimigon thinks it will take a few months to get the work done.