Local businesses are stepping up for inclusion.
In downtown Kingston, small, local businesses like Chez Piggy, Pan Chancho Bakery & Café, and Cher-Mère Spa are among the 15 in Kingston recognized among Canada’s Rainbow Registered program—a national certification that recognizes businesses committed to 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. For local owners, the recognition reflects practices that have long been part of how they operate.
“I was 11 when Chez Piggy opened,” Zoe Yanovsky, who’s been running both Chez Piggy and Pan Chancho since 2002, said in an interview with The Journal. “I was the
dishwasher on opening day. When you’re part of a small family business, it’s part of your whole consciousness. It’s all-encompassing; it’s the dinner table, and it’s where you do your homework. I try to run the business within the sort of philosophy I grew up on.”
That philosophy, she explained, is built on respect and inclusivity. Although the Rainbow Registered designation helps make those values visible to the public, Yanovsky said the principles have always guided how the business operates.
“Chez Piggy has been a respectful and loving place in every sense of the word,” she said. “Getting accredited didn’t change how we run. Being a place that’s inclusive and safe—and where our customers and staff are treated well—came long before the Rainbow Registry.”Aba Mortley, owner of
Cher-Mère Spa, shared a similar perspective. Her business, which uses natural products developed by her biochemist mother in Trinidad and Tobago, joined the Rainbow Registered program after years of creating an inclusive environment. “As a Black person in Kingston, it was really important for me to make safe spaces,” Mortley said in an interview with The Journal. “The registry helps show people that we’ve been vetted, but we were already doing the work.”
Both Yanovsky and Mortley noted that in cities like Kingston—where small business owners often work closely with customers—local businesses can play an important role in building inclusive communities.
“If you’re trying to get commerce within a community, you should also be integral in trying to sustain and boost that community,” Mortley said. “Every month, we give back to a different community group in Kingston—not just to say it with words, but to follow through with actions.” “When you go to the
bakery [Pan Chancho], you’ll probably see me there.
“When you go to Cher-Mère Spa, you’ll probably see Aba,” Yanovsky added. “Small businesses play a huge role because we are part of the community. It’s an honour and a privilege and something we work hard at.”
Among the 15 Rainbow Registered businesses in Kingston, including Glow Skincare and The Smith Hotel, owners like Yanovsky and Mortley say the designation reflects practices that have been in place for years. For these businesses, inclusion is a routine part of how they operate and engage with the community that they’re a part of.
Tags
downtown Kingston, Pride 2025, Rainbow registry
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