Pop-Ups on the Bay 2021 comes in five new flavours

Three new pop-up containers are to be installed at West Zwick’s Park by the city soon. Photo by Rhythm Rathi

By Rhythm Rathi

BELLEVILLE – Five new businesses are eagerly waiting to set up their pop-up kitchens this summer at West Zwick’s Park.

The 2020 Pop-Ups on the Bay event turned out to be successful, and eight businesses decided to return for the 2021 event. They will joined by five more entrepreneurs from June to September.

Photo by Benji’s Cafe and Bakeshop

One of the youngest entrepreneurs participating this year is 20-year-old Benjamin Batelaan of Belleville, a 2020-21 Loyalist College culinary student who just turned his passion for cooking and baking into a registered business in mid-April.

“It’s going to be called Benji’s Café and Bakeshop,” said Batelaan. “During the school year I have been working two jobs and getting a lot of tips from those jobs. And I’ve been saving up those tips in a jar, and almost all of those tips have completely financed this whole project.”

Batelaan says he’s excited about the pop-up event and plans to open a permanent shop if the business receives a good response at the park.

Another business taking part in the event will offer 20-plus flavours of hand-crafted lemonade to tackle the heat.

Paula Rideout, the owner of Lemons, came up with a variety of flavours amidst the pandemic and decided to open a store in June 2020 in Wellington.

Photo by Lemons

Rideout was a dental hygienist for 30 years, but says that Lemons has kept her so busy that she has not been thinking of returning to her old job.

She says she’s excited to serve lemonade flavours like cotton candy, pina colada, mojito, and fresh lavender.

Nasr Edine Mostafa, popularly known as the Falafel King at the Belleville farmers’ market, is going to be serving Middle Eastern falafels, shawarmas and pita bread along with other delicacies.

Photo by Falafel King

When Mostafa started at the market, he decided to try making a falafel sandwich as an addition to his menu. He used to make one falafel sandwich a day, he said. “Now usually every Saturday or Thursday I make around 100 sandwiches.”

He said his falafel sandwiches have become more popular than the falafel on its own and people in Belleville love his food.

Mostafa said they are often sold out at the farmers’ market and he is looking forward to good business at the Pop-Ups.

There is also going to be frozen yogurt with a huge selection of toppings at the event, thanks to Kristina Cruess, who owns the Belleville franchise for Menchies Frozen Yogurt.

Photo by Menchies Frozen Yogurt

“I was waiting for the opportunity,” Cruess said. “I think it’s just such a great product, and … we are able to pre-package it and serve it down in a pop-up location with the playground. It’s a real kid-friendly product.”

The pop-up outlet will also be offering dairy-free and sugar-free options, she said.

The fun at Pop-Ups on the Bay will not be limited to kids and adults. The fifth new participant for this year, Smokin’ Carnivore, will be offering smoked treats for your dogs – along with products that humans can enjoy.

Photo by Smokin’ Carnivore

Kevin De Decker, the owner of Smokin’ Carnivore, will offer fresh Ontario produce, maple products, grab-and-go smoked meats and local honey, as well as a selection of smoked treats for pets.   

“In terms of business, the Pop-Ups is a lifeline,” De Decker told QNet News on Wednesday. “It’s something to look forward to … People go to the park to be in a good place. I am looking forward to talking to people in a good place and have some good conversations and meeting the community.”

Elisha Purchase, Belleville’s development and tourism co-ordinator, said that most of the businesses taking part in the Pop-Ups are selling food, but there are also some retail outlets.

One of those businesses, Authentic Apparel, does customized clothing, she said.

Another, Venture Outfitters, offers a service that meets one of the main goals the city had when it started pop-ups project: to make good use of the waterfront.

“They do watersport rentals, so they have everything from kayaks (and) canoes (to) paddleboards,” Purchase said. “This year they are also going to be offering bike rentals and camping-equipment rentals.”