Ever wish you could take a little piece of the city back home with you?
Well, local artist and heritage building specialist, Jeremy Bridge, is on his way to making that a reality with his new business, Little Locals Co.
In an effort to pay homage to the bars and pubs that Torontonians adore, Bridge decided to start his own DIY kit company. And with the help of some ordinary materials, a laser cutter and some creativity, he's been able to transform the mini mementos into gifts for the city.
"It began as a strange little hobby of mine. For a few years, I toyed with the idea of building pub models, eventually earning commission for a few projects here and there. But it wasn't until this year that I began to treat it as a full-time career," Bridge explains.
After all, he only recently launched his online store, where he sells these mini mementos. And with the help of his partner, Avital Naor, he was able to successfully release a series of DIY kits modelled after some of Canada's most well-known pubs, including Toronto's beloved Sneaky Dee's and Halifax's Split Crow.
"Wherever you go, there's this tribal affiliation to one's local pub -- and having travelled to a lot of different countries, I saw this quite frequently. Then it finally occurred to me: why not create these memorable mementos that are reminiscent of our local bars and restaurants?" Bridge explains.
And so he did.
Working as a Project Manager full-time, Bridge spends his weekends and nights designing prototypes of celebrated Canadian landmarks, starting with its food scene.
"The response has been unexpected but wonderful. We sold out of our Sneaky Dee's kits in a matter of hours on the first day of our launch -- selling to big names like Canadian musician Lights," says Jeremy.
And Bridge hopes that his products will continue to brighten people's days. Partnering up with The Full Plate, he aims to support the hospitality industry by donating 10 per cent of gross sales to the non-profit organization.
In the future, the duo intends to broaden their selection to include iconic Canadian landmarks such as the Danforth Music Hall, Horseshoe Tavern and the iconic discount store, Honest Ed's.
Until then, however, you can place an order online for your own DIY kit. Currently, they are sold out of their Sneaky Dee's models, but you can sign up for their waitlist to be among the first to receive yours when they restock. In the meantime, stay tuned to their Instagram to see which iconic landmark will be added to their gallery next.
