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15 | Friday, May 20, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com By Katelyn Dingman Home to more than 500 unique cigar titles and three antique barber chairs, Jerry Filice and Ryan Baker are the proud owners of the Village Cigar Company & Barbershop in Oakville. Close to being one of its kind in Canada, Village Cigar Company & Barbershop, located in historic downtown Oakville, has one of the country's largest humidors at more than 300 square-feet and three traditional barber chairs. Filice and Baker opened their first location in Burlington in 2012 and, after receiving great feedback, quickly decided to expand into the Oakville market. "When looking for a second location, it had to be in reasonable proximity," Filice said of their expansion. "We wanted to eliminate the commute of our past lives and we felt that Oakville made sense." Filice said that since opening the Oakville shop in May, 2015, the community reception has been fantastic. As a licensed tobacconist, Village Cigar Company & Barbershop caters to cigar aficionados and beginners alike. Adhering to a strict set of rules, mainly the fact that Village Cigar Company & Barbershop is an age of majority shop, customers have direct access to the cigars. "The consumer can actually walk into the humidor, get a look at the cigars, get a sense of the aroma and get knowledge from myself, Baker and our staff about what the cigars are actually like." To help customers chose between the 500 plus brands of cigars, Filice and Baker showcase a cigar of the month, partnering each month with one vendor and working to provide customers with a product that is unique or new. "Rather than have people come in blind, we give them a leg up," said Filice. And on Monday, May 23, Filice and Baker are inviting guests (19+) to get a feel for Village Cigar Company & Barbershop's unique offerings at the first A true gentleman's cigar shop Barber Harry Lambert finishes a straight razor shave on client Matt Henderson. Ryan Baker holds a box of Cuban Hoyo De Monterrey cigars and a single house blend Pueblo Barber Pole cigar. Photos by Graham Paine, Metroland Media Group year anniversary celebration. Hosted as an open house celebration, visitors can enjoy free sampling from Brugal Rum and Lake of Bays Brewery, in addition to promotions, raffles, giveaways and live music. Another Village Cigar Company & Barbershop trademark is the traditional men's barbershop. Historically, men were accustomed to the socialization and luxury of a traditional barbershop. But according to Filice, due to the decline in barbershops, men today are forced to choose between going to a discount haircut shop and leaving with a discount look or going to a salon and receiving a more feminine treatment. At Village Cigar Company & Barbershop, expert in-house barbers offer the fin- est in men's haircuts and traditional hot towel straight razor shaves. "There's no washing, there's no dying, there's no chemical," Filice stressed, adding that the antique barber chairs face the inside of the barber shop to make for more natural conversation. While receiving a professional gentleman's haircut and shave, customers can watch classic movies or sports on television or engage in a casual conversation with the barber and other customers. Today, the Burlington and Oakville locations provide customers with daily cuts and shaves. "The demand grew and people loved the atmosphere as much as we thought they would," said Filice. For more information on Village Cigar Company & Barbershop, visit villagecigarcompany.com or call the Oakville location at 905-338-2015. The Pipes and Taps Pub embraced by community By Katelyn Dingman Since opening last March, The Pipes and Taps Pub has become a staple in the community, as the go-to pub for great eats, trivia contests, band nights and even paint-your-own picture events on Saturday afternoon. "Business has been fabulous, " owner James Stewart said. "The whole community has really embraced the pub. " Today The Pipes and Taps Pub is listed on Trip Advisor as one of the highest rated Oakville restaurants. "That's a pretty good feather in our cap," said Stewart. The former owners of Oakville's English Bay Fish and Chips, James and Tricia Stewart built their careers in the food and beverage industry. With the dream of owning a family-oriented pub with a British feel, the pair combined the British love of bagpipes and draught taps and established the pub, opening the day before the 2015 St. Patrick's Day celebration. "It was crazy, crazy busy that entire week, " Stewart noted. And business has been booming ever since. "Our first year has been pretty exciting. We've exceeded all of our expectations." Designed with a set of bagpipes hanging on the wall, 11 screens throughout the pub, a Play Station set for the kids and 22 beer varieties served on tap, Stewart said customers often compliment them on the homey and comfortable atmosphere. The Pipes and Taps menu has also been a huge draw. Executive chef Troy Diaz and his kitchen brigade work hard to serve customer favourites including pork ribs, beef stew and their famous liver and onions. "Our success couldn't have happened without our chef Troy Diaz and his commitment to the pub as well as our dedicated servers," Stewart said. "People just absolutely love the food and it's always commented on. It's a step above your typical pub fare." A kids' menu is also available for the younger crowd to enjoy. On a weekly basis, Stewart said there is often a lineup for their Wednesday to Saturday night dinners. And last year, The Pipes and Taps Pub events, including a Mother's Day brunch, Breakfast with Santa Claus and Robbie Burns night, sold out. This year, The Pipes and Taps Pub staff are hosting their first annual golf tournament at Glen Abbey Golf Club on September 26. "The community has really rallied behind us and we're the favourite `local' up in the Oak Park community," said Stewart. The family-owned and operated pub is also very involved with the Oakville Minor Hockey Association, sponsoring a number of teams and establishing themselves as the go-to place for teams to get together. "If you haven't been to the pub yet, drop by for a pint, we know you'll love it," Stewart said. For more information about The Pipes and Taps Pub, or to book a reservation, call 289-863-1155 or visit www.thepipesandtapspub.com Above owners James and Tricia Stewart pose with chef Troy Diaz. Below Jenna Rovinelli brings drinks to one of her customers at Pipes and Taps pub on Oak Park Boulevard. Photos by Michele Weisz, Special to Metroland Media Group