As we continue our celebration of BC Buy Local Week, we shine a spotlight on more incredible women-owned businesses in British Columbia.

These entrepreneurs offer unique and memorable experiences that make perfect gifts for those who seem to have everything. By choosing to shop with local women-owned businesses, you not only find thoughtful and distinctive presents but also support the hardworking women who contribute to our community’s vibrancy and economy.

Follow WeBC on Instagram to discover other women-owned businesses you can support from all over BC and enter to win weekly prize packs.  

MEET THE FEATURED BUSINESSES

Parlez Vin, Kombucha & Wine Intuitive Tastings

Location: Vancouver

Every Sip Is An Adventure!

Parlez Vin, Kombucha & Wine Intuitive Tastings, will take you on a fun, inclusive journey to explore flavours and mindfulness—eyes closed, intuition wide open. From kombucha to wine, it’s a whole new way to connect with taste and yourself.

PV is unique because it combines sensory exploration with mindfulness in a fun and inclusive environment, encompassing the following elements:

• Eyes-Closed Experience: Participants engage in tastings with their eyes closed, allowing for a focus solely on the senses, enhancing flavor discovery and mindfulness.
• Inclusivity: The service caters to diverse preferences, offering options for both alcoholic and alcohol-free beverages, making everyone feel welcome and included.
• Intuitive Guidance: Participants are empowered to trust their intuition during tastings, fostering a personal connection to flavors and enhancing the overall experience.
• Community Focus: A welcoming environment encourages connection, whether through team-building events or gatherings for community groups.
• Memorable Experiences: The combination of fun, learning, and sensory engagement results in unforgettable experiences that leave a lasting impression.
• Educational Component: Tastings can include insights into the beverages, promoting a deeper understanding of the products and the tasting process.

Parlez Vin experiences are perfect for team building and parties: welcome to an unforgettable sensory experience—whether you’re sipping wine or zero proof!

Learn more and connect with Parlez Vin, Kombucha & Wine Intuitive Tastings

Website: Parlez Vin, Kombucha & Wine Intuitive Tastings  

Instagram: @parlez_vin  

Historical Chinatown Tours

Location: Vancouver

Judy Lam Maxwell is the owner and operator of two Vancouver-based businesses: HISTORICAL CHINATOWN TOURS and MASTERCLASS DUMPLINGS. She has led public tours of Chinatown for over a fifteen years and have given Chinese-style cooking classes for more than seven years, both in-person and virtually. In 2024, Judy was given the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Award (Top 10% globally).

The immersive experiences that she offers are: Historical Tours and Field Trips; Tours plus Dim Sum; Tours plus Dumpling-making Classes; Dumpling Hop & Cocktails; Elevated Cantonese Homestyle Cooking Classes; and more.

“My immersive experiences are both interactive and educational. Exploring the local streets and historic buildings is an excellent way to educate visitors about Chinese cultural heritage in Canada (and beyond), the hardships and tenacity of Chinese Canadians, and the significance of this National Historic Site (designated in 2011), explains Judy.

“All my tours can easily be customized (date, time, duration, the number of people, site visits, and physical mobility) which means I can accommodate high school students, academics, business travellers, seniors’ clubs, and ethnic Chinese tourists seeking to reconnect with their cultural heritage or childhood memories. My businesses are a terrific way to educate people on the intangible cultural heritage and characteristics of historic Chinatowns.”

Learn more and connect with Historical Chinatown Tours

Website: Historical Chinatown Tours 

Instagram: @chinatownjudy  

Facebook: @HistoricalChinatownTours  

LinkedIn: @judy-lam-maxwell            

Amazing Escapes FSJ

Location: Fort St. John

Family Fun for Ages 8 Through 80!

Amazing Escapes FSJ provide safe, indoor, sober family fun via four unique escape rooms. They are a local, family-owned and operated business, and are one of the few indoor family fun venues in the North and South Peace Areas.

“We’re not an online business; we are one of the few businesses where the users have to come to us,” says Tammy Kittle, owner. “There are a few that travel from Dawson Creek, Hudson Hope and Fort Nelson Areas, [but] the majority of our business comes from the locals. We love to be able to provide that service to the community.”

Learn more and connect with Amazing Escapes FSJ

Website: Amazing Escapes FSJ   

Facebook: @amazingescapesfsj   

Lulis Party House

Location: Coquitlam

Lulis Party House is an event planning and luxury balloon design business located in Coquitlam BC. They provide distinctive event decor with luxury balloon garlands and customized backdrop installations. All of their balloons are 100% biodegradable.

“Each design is unique and I spend hours of dedication to prepare every item from scratch – not limited to just balloons, but vinyls, cut-outs, backdrops, etc,” says Nabila Eva, owner.

Giving back to her community is also important. “I share the most I can of all services. For example, donation of our services, or reusing our balloons for moms who can not afford a party.”

Learn more and connect with Lulis Party House

NO WEBSITE

Instagram: @lulispartyhouse    

Facebook: Facebook

Wine Tours Gone South

Location: Osoyoos

Wine Tours Gone South specialize in personalized wine tours of the South Okanagan. They take the time to discover your requirements and pair your tour with the wineries that suit your ideal wine-tasting experience. You can choose which award-winning wineries you’d like to visit, then schedule lunch or dinner at a winery restaurant. 

Explore the wineries of Naramata, Penticton,  Summerland, Similkameen, Keremeos, Cawston and Oliver, and Osoyoos. Their fun and experienced guides make your tour a day you’ll never forget!

They also offer Gift Certificates, so why not give a wine-tasting adventure to someone this holiday season?

Learn more and connect with Wine Tours Gone South

Website: Wine Tours Gone South 

Instagram: @winetoursgonesouth  

Facebook: @winetours.gonesouth  

Vancouver Mysteries

Location: Vancouver

Vancouver Mysteries are Canada’s first mystery games company, offering outdoor mystery games around Downtown Vancouver and portable indoor experiences across the Lower Mainland! Their games are not available anywhere else, and they craft the stories, equipment, puzzles, artifacts and evidence for a one-of-a-kind way to work together with your colleagues and explore Vancouver!

It’s important to shop local, “to bring locally owned and operated businesses to the forefront so our communities will thrive,” explains owner Tanya Bennett.

“It was the locals who kept us afloat through Covid, when indoor activities were restricted. We were able to operate as normal for those who lived in the same household and wanted to spend some time outdoors. We were also given a boost from local businesses looking for outdoor team events (after Zoom fatigue). We are still here thanks to the local community support during those tough times.

We are women-owned and are celebrating our 10th year of operation this year!”

Learn more and connect with Vancouver Mysteries

Website: Vancouver Mysteries   

Instagram: @vancouvermysteries 

Facebook: @VancouverMysteries  

LinkedIn: @vancouver-mysteries   

Epic Experiences

Location: Online

Epic Experiences is online marketplace that offers unique experience packages and adventure tours across Canada and the US, providing convenient gift shopping and gift-giving solutions for all your Personal and Corporate needs. They help to bring excitement to people’s lives, creating epic memories through the gift of experience. Whether someone is an adventure lover, a foodie junkie, a wellness seeker, or a culture enthusiast, their selection of experiences is carefully crafted to appeal to a wide range of people.

Epic Experiences services are unique because of one-of-a-kind gift experiences that create lasting memories. Unlike traditional gifts, they offer a wide selection of immersive experiences, from adrenaline-packed adventures to relaxing retreats, tailored to suit all interests and occasions.

Their online platform is designed to make gift-giving easy and meaningful by offering experiences that celebrate life’s special moments. Epic Experiences stands out for its high standards in partnering with top-rated vendors across Canada, ensuring quality and memorable experiences. They want the best for their customers when it comes to the experience and the service they provide.

“Shopping local is important because it directly supports small businesses, strengthens the local economy, creates jobs within the community and reducing environmental impact,” says Yuliya Cruikshank, owner. “When they buy from a local store they’re investing in unique products and services that can’t be bought anywhere else (such as Amazon). It helps to build a community around the business.”

Learn more and connect with Epic Experiences

Website: Epic Experiences   

Instagram:  @epicxps

Facebook:  @EpicExperiences   

LinkedIn:  @epicexperiences