Pride in business: local entrepreneurs building community in Victoria - Oak Bay News
With Victoria’s reputation of being celebrated as one of Canada’s most queer-friendly cities, the city boasts a strong community-driven culture with an active arts scene and commercial initiatives. These. . .
With Victoria’s reputation of being celebrated as one of Canada’s most queer-friendly cities, the city boasts a strong community-driven culture with an active arts scene and commercial initiatives. These establishments are dedicated to providing inclusive and safe environments, ensuring that all members of the community feel seen, supported, and welcomed. For Dumpling Drop and Role Play Hair Studio, success isn’t measured only by customers served, but by the communities they’ve built along the way. Long before Dumpling Drop became one of Victoria’s favourite spots for handmade dumplings, it started as a way for owner Tam Tayanauth to spend time with her mother. Tayanauth’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2018, and making dumplings was one activity that the mother-daughter duo could enjoy together every Friday. “We found that making dumplings was a good way to keep her busy. She still remembers how to do them because back in the day, back at home, she was doing it with her family. It’s a good memory for her,” Tayanauth said. She soon started sharing the dumplings with friends, who encouraged her to sell them. Orders started to overflow thanks to social media, and she expanded the business with a website and home deliveries. She had to hire friends for help, and moved to the store in Chinatown on Pandora. They now serve customers daily, while catering events and selling frozen dumplings at grocery stores across Vancouver Island. Over the years, the store has created a community around itself. “Victoria has been the best place to do this. People have been so supportive. Without them, we wouldn’t have a shop here. ”Tayanauth does not believe being queer has influenced the business in any way, but says it has helped create something equally important. “But it creates a safe space for the younger queer community to come in. Everyone feels welcome in our space. ”As Pride celebrations continue, Tayanauth says supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is something Dumpling Drop is proud to do. The business participates in queer markets and hopes to continue giving back through donations and community involvement. Looking back, Tayanauth says seeing Pride celebrated so openly today is something she never imagined growing up. “When I first came here when I was 14, no one really talked about this,” she said. “It’s kind of nice for everyone to be able to talk openly. Getting to this point in life is pretty amazing. ”For the owner of Role Play Hair Studio, Brae Carnes, opening the salon was about creating the kind of space she wished existed for her. Opened in 2024, Role Play Hair Studio is believed to be B. C. ’s first trans woman-owned hair salon. Located in Victoria’s Quadra Village, the studio was founded to create a salon designed with transgender and queer clients in mind. “I wanted a space that was really tailored to my clientele. A lot of my clients are transgender and queer, and I wanted a space where they felt super comfortable,” Carnes said. While everyone is welcome, Carnes added she wanted the studio to go beyond simply being 2SLGBTQIA+friendly. “I wanted somewhere that wasn’t just trans-friendly or queer-friendly, but was actually a trans salon or a queer salon,” she said. Before opening Role Play, Carnes rented a chair at another salon, but often found traditional salon environments weren’t what she was looking for. “I found it hard to be in a space that felt tailored to them. So I decided to create one. ”Two years later, she says the vision has become reality. “It’s been amazing,” Carnes said. “The community has really embraced the project. We’ve become a staple, not just in Quadra Village but in Victoria’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community. ”The studio is home to a small team consisting of Carnes and fellow stylists James and Zoe. Beyond hairstyling, Carnes says the salon has become another gathering place for the community. “The best part is that it’s become what I wanted it to be, almost like a community space centred around something other than alcohol or partying. It’s another queer space where the focus is on helping people change how they look to better fit who they are. ”Carnes believes Victoria is one of Canada’s more welcoming cities for queer-owned businesses, but she also sees an important distinction. “There’s a difference between being an LGBTQ-friendly business and a business that’s made by and for LGBTQ people. Our community really likes to support other LGBTQ entrepreneurs, and that’s been really cool to see. ”She acknowledges there is still room for improvement, especially in how some businesses support transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse customers. “I’m sure there are businesses that still need a little education. But overall, I think as a city we’re doing pretty good. ”