Addison’s Restaurant: When You Love What You Do, It's Not Really A Job

One of the great things about owning your own business in Lennox and Addington is the location. It's central to Ottawa and Toronto, next door to Kingston and just across the water from the States. This makes it a great tourist destination and a profitable business location. There are so many hidden treasures scattered throughout the region, just waiting to be stumbled upon. That's what Melissa and her husband Chris loved about the area.

Being in L&A County most of their life helped fuel their love for the region and made the decision to open up their own restaurant that much easier with 25 years experience as Melissa worked in Picton as a catering manager and her husband as a chef.

"It was always our dream to own our own restaurant,” says Melissa, a catering manager with 25 years of experience working in the Picton area. (Chris is as chef.) “We happened to find some land in Addington Highlands that consisted of a restaurant attached to a three-bedroom apartment for a great price. We had always loved the countryside in L&A and spending our summers at cottages here, we knew it was a great location. The atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for and with there not being much in the way of restaurants in the area at that time, it was the perfect opportunity. It is almost like an undiscovered piece of wilderness. It’s so laid back, as opposed to the chaos of the city".

Addison's, named after Chris and Melissa’s' son, is a casual restaurant with an upscale menu and a favourite among locals. "We were so happy to find such support from the local community when we first started out and even to this day,” says Melissa. “We have a great local cliental and we thoroughly enjoy being part of such a friendly and supportive community".

There is a lot of support in the area for entrepreneurs. And Melissa had always been drawn to the entrepreneurial lifestyle. "It can be demanding" she says, "but you learn to be responsible with it and we both love not having to work for someone else. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. It is so rewarding to be reaping the benefits of your hard work. The best part is doing something you love, running things how you want them run and seeing the rewards from it. It's a great feeling".

Addison's has recently won "Tourism Operation of the Year" award at the Lennox and Addington Economic Development Awards. More information can be found here.

Addison's is located at 11893 Hwy 41, south of Northbrook. It is open six days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. but closed Tuesdays.

For more information about Addison's Restaurant, please contact Chris or Melissa at 613-336-8265 or addisonsresteraunt@gmail.com

Website: http://www.addisonsrestaurant.ca/
For more information regarding business opportunities and entrepreneurship in Lennox and Addington County contact Stephen Paul at 613-354-4883,ext. 234 or spaul@lennox-addington.on.ca,  or visit our site http://www.lennoxandaddington.com/default.aspx.