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With the season home opener just around the corner, we’re thrilled to officially announce our new partnership with the Ottawa BlackJacks, part of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

“Building close relationships with our neighbouring businesses is an important strategic initiative for the BlackJacks”, said Mark Wacyk, President of the Ottawa BlackJacks. “Working with Darrell and his great team at the Glebe BIA provides us with the opportunity to showcase our entertaining events at TD Place Arena to commercial partners and Glebe residents. The BlackJacks have been warmly welcomed into the Glebe community and look forward to forging long lasting partnerships for mutual benefit”.

Since the BlackJacks’ inaugural season in 2019, the team has been embraced by the Glebe’s vibrant business community. This new partnership builds on that foundation, strengthening our shared commitment to local pride, community connection, and creating exciting experiences in the heart of Ottawa.

“At its core, this partnership celebrates the power of community”, said Darrell Cox, Executive Director of the Glebe BIA.  “As the team plays just steps away from Bank Street, we’re proud to support the Ottawa BlackJacks in creating a lively, inclusive atmosphere that extends beyond the court and into the streets, shops, and restaurants of The Glebe and we look forward to many more seasons of working together to champion sport, business, and community spirit”.

Fans can look forward to a series of activations in partnership with the Glebe BIA, including the Glebe BIA Night on Wednesday, 21 May at 7:30 p.m., featuring in-game promotions, special contests, and exclusive giveaways.

Glebe BIA business members will also benefit from discounted ticket offers for select games, and they can also take advantage of the opportunity to connect with fans through promotions on the Ottawa BlackJacks FanSaves page, a digital couponing platform which gives fans access to discounts and deals from team sponsors.

 

(L-R Darrell Cox, Executive Director of The Glebe BIA and Mark Wacyk, President of the Ottawa BlackJacks)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 8, 2025

The Great Glebe Garage and Sidewalk Sale returns with new activities, local business specials, and community spirit to spare.

OTTAWA — One of North America’s largest and most anticipated community garage sales is back! The Great Glebe Garage and Sidewalk Sale returns to Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood on Saturday, May 24, 2025, bringing with it a lively mix of front-lawn treasures, feature business sales and a focus on community giving.

Since 1986, residents of the Glebe have participated in this neighbourhood-wide event by selling second-hand goods from their driveways and lawns. The Glebe BIA businesses join the fun with sidewalk sales along Bank Street, featuring pop-up booths and special promotions, all culminating in a one-of-a-kind thrifting experience in the heart of Ottawa.

The garage sale has always had a deeper purpose. From the beginning, the Glebe BIA and the Glebe Community Association have encouraged vendors, shoppers and businesses to support the Ottawa Food Bank – who can be found in front of Metro Glebe at 754 Bank Street on May 24. With rising food insecurity in the region, donations are more critical than ever: for every $1 donated, the Ottawa Food Bank can deliver $5 worth of food to the community.

There are over 25 Glebe Businesses participating in this year’s Sidewalk Sale along Bank Street. Visit www.intheglebe.ca to see our full list of participating businesses and to plan your day in the Glebe.

New this year
There is no other day like this in the Glebe! The Glebe BIA has introduced a few special events and partners to add to the day:

– CKCU FM  93.1 will broadcast live from Bank Street from 10am – 4pm with local performers.
– The Ottawa BlackJacks basketball team will host a Community Hoops activation at 707 Bank Street.
– Knifewear will run its “Cut It In Half” Challenge at the Bank Street store.

Getting Here
Parking in the Glebe will be extremely limited and monitored during the event. Visitors are encouraged to use alternative transportation, such as cycling or public transit and to plan to use paid parking at Lansdowne Park and the City of Ottawa parking garage at Second Avenue, or in adjacent neighbourhoods. OC Transpo Routes 6 and 7 provide direct service to the neighbourhood. There are over 250 bike parking spots at Lansdowne Park.

About the Great Glebe Garage Sale
The Great Glebe Garage Sale is an annual community tradition held every spring in Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood. The event brings together residents, local businesses and visitors for a day of garage sales, sidewalk shopping and community engagement — all while raising funds for the Ottawa Food Bank.

Media contact:
Caitlin McKinlay
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Glebe BIA
caitlin@intheglebe.ca

By: Dana Mitchell, Communications & Outreach Intern

 

Kettlemans has been a beloved Ottawa institution since its founding in 1993. Located in the heart of the Glebe, this local bagel shop has become a cornerstone of the community, known for its traditional Montreal-style bagels and welcoming atmosphere. With over three decades of history, Kettlemans continues to thrive under the leadership of its president, Amer Wahab, who has guided the business through a period of growth and expansion while staying true to its roots.

 

“We’ve been in business thirty-one years, and we honour our history every day,” says Wahab. “The recipe we have is tried and very true, and we don’t veer away from it. We still make our bagels exactly how we made them thirty-one years ago.”

 

Kettlemans was founded by Montrealers Joe Bianchini and Craig Buckley, who saw a gap in the Ottawa market for authentic Montreal-style bagels. What began as a small, 1,200 square-foot operation on Bank Street has since expanded into a 3,000 square-foot space, with multiple locations across Ottawa and beyond. Despite this growth, Wahab emphasizes the enduring spirit of the business.

 

“We have bits of our DNA in all our stores,” says the president. “We’ve taken the pergola feel of our original location and we’ve applied that: the exposed brick, the wood, the barn board, the exterior sign. The DNA is all there. It’s evolved, but it’s only gotten better.”

 

Wahab’s journey with Kettlemans began like many others—as a customer. One late night in 1993, he stopped by for a Reuben sandwich and chocolate milk, an experience that still resonates with him.

 

“I walked in at 3 AM and had this incredible Reuben sandwich on a bagel,” Wahab recalls. “To this day, the Reuben is my go-to sandwich. There was something magical about the experience.”

 

Wahab officially joined Kettlemans in 2015 when he was approached with an opportunity to help grow the brand. At the time, Wahab had built a career in the restaurant industry but had never considered that Kettlemans could be scaled.

 

“It was always something special,” Wahab says. “But I never thought of it as being scalable. It had the ‘mom and pop’ feel. But once I saw the renovations and the sheer volume of guests, I knew this had legs and we could make a run with it.”

 

Since then, Kettlemans has opened several new locations, including in College Square, Trainyards, and even as far as Toronto and Montreal. Wahab’s vision for Kettlemans remains rooted in quality, with a focus on the same fresh bagels that have been a staple since day one.

 

Beyond bagels, Kettlemans has played an integral role in the Glebe community. Situated near Lansdowne Park, the original Kettlemans location became a pillar of the neighbourhood’s identity. Wahab believes that this connection with the community is part of what makes the business so special.

 

“Our people are amazing, and it’s them that make every single experience at Kettlemans what it is,” says the president. “It’s not just a community—it’s a village. Our guests and our team members are bigger than we ever will be.”

 

Over the years, Kettlemans has supported local schools and participated in events like Taste in the Glebe and community fundraisers. Wahab is also proud of the job opportunities the business provides, sharing stories of employees who have grown within the company.

 

“We’ve been huge supporters of the Glebe community,” he says. “It’s about more than just making bagels or even making money. It’s about creating jobs and watching our team members grow.”

 

While Kettlemans remains deeply connected to the Glebe, the business’s impact has spread far beyond Ottawa. Fans of Kettlemans have sent photos of their bagels from places as far away as Antarctica. Wahab proudly shares that Kettlemans bagels have traveled the world, and the feedback from global customers continues to inspire the company’s growth.

 

As Kettlemans looks to the future, Wahab remains committed to ensuring that any expansion stays true to the company’s values. With possible plans for more locations across Canada, Wahab emphasizes the importance of maintaining the quality and authenticity that have defined Kettlemans for over three decades.

 

“It’s bread, at the end of the day, and bread has brought people together for centuries,” Wahab says. “It feeds into why Kettlemans is so magical. It’s because it’s honest, it’s simple, and it’s good.”

 

To experience Kettlemans for yourself, visit their flagship location at Bank and Fifth in the Glebe, or one of their other locations across the city.

By: Dana Mitchell, Communications & Outreach Intern

 

For over 100 years, Glebe Meat Market has supplied fine meat products and the timeless taste of a home-cooked meal. 

 

The business first opened its doors in 1920 at 793 Bank Street. Originally owned and operated by the Faith brothers, the business was eventually sold to Harry Amada. André Sauvé, one of Amada’s part-time cutters, purchased the business in 1975 after selling his own butcher store in Orléans.  

 

Glebe Meat Market is now run by André’s son Stephane, who started his career in the meat industry at the age of thirteen. The current owner recalls his early days building forts with delivery boxes and separating chicken organs. After moving properties a few years later, Sauvé helped his father renovate the interior of the store, making it into the quaint establishment that it is today. 

 

Sauvé took over the business in the 1990s, and while he’s faced challenges due to the pandemic and an ever-changing market, he says it’s interacting with the customers that makes his job worthwhile.  

 

“I love my customers,” says the business owner. “I like when they come in with questions or with a recipe I’ve never tried. The other thing is that I love cooking food, and a lot of my friends are chefs, so it’s always fun talking about that stuff.” 

 

Over the years, the Glebe neighbourhood has grown up around the butcher shop, which continues to serve the community faithfully. As an independent, family-run business, it maintains a heritage feel while staying current with evolving consumer needs. 

 

“We have a lot of regular customers and some families have been shopping here for generations,” says Sauvé. “But most of our customers come for the special stuff that they can’t find anywhere else, stuff that they can’t sell at larger supermarkets because it doesn’t move fast enough.” 

 

Adorning the walls and shelves of the store are a variety of antique implements, some of which were used over a century ago when the business first opened. Other items were acquired by Sauvé and his father, who share a passion for antiques, including an old cash register that they exchanged for a side of beef. These details call back to an earlier time and make shopping at Glebe Meat Market a truly unique experience.  

 

“We’ve always tried to keep the store old-fashioned,” says Sauvé. “All the pies are my grandmother’s recipes. We also sell cretons, sausage rolls, and scotch eggs for the British. We want to keep those old recipes alive.”   

 

Traditional food preparation techniques and recipes allow the business to remain connected to its rich history. Sauvé says that he’s still learning from his parents to ensure these culinary traditions persist into the future. 

 

“My parents make the relishes at their farm, and we do all the canning there,” he says. “People get disappointed when they don’t have the old ketchup with our tourtière. That’s the tradition. You can use Heinz, but it’s not the same.” 

 

In addition to their food products, Glebe Meat Market offers cooking advice and instructions to customers. Sauvé has a small but mighty team of five employees, some of whom have been working with him for over thirty years. The team brings their personal expertise to the shop and welcomes inquiries from seasoned cooks and culinary beginners alike. 

 

“All my staff are full-time,” says the owner. “They all know how to cook and how to help the customer, so when people come here, they know they’ll get the answers they need.” 

 

One of the business’s newest traditions is its haggis, which has become an acclaimed signature dish. Sauvé first developed the recipe twenty-five years ago after taking a customer’s request into his own hands. There followed a months-long effort to perfect the recipe, which included extensive research and taste testing. Eventually Sauvé’s labours paid off and the recipe quickly gained traction locally and internationally. In their best year, he says the business sold two tons of haggis, some of which was shipped as far away as the North Pole. 

 

The wide reach of Glebe Meat Market speaks to the dedication of Sauvé and his team, who care about their clients and take the time to prepare high-quality products. In the words of one Scottish customer, their haggis “tastes like home.” 

 

You can visit Glebe Meat Market at 869 Bank Street or check out their website to learn more.