Frontrunners Racing Ahead, Opening Fifth Vancouver Island store
MARK MACDONALD
NANAIMO – Nanaimo has its first Fatburger franchise, at 12-4890 Rutherford Road, at the corner of the Island Highway. They’re joined in the space by Buffalo’s Wings.
Burger Factory is going to be open soon at 601 Bruce Avenue,. It also has a location in Courtenay.
There are some new businesses at the corner of Albert and Milton Streets in downtown Nanaimo, in what is called the Issic Centre. Indian Grill’s is a new restaurant, and there’s also a laundromat and Unisex Hair Salon at street level in the new complex, which features residential units above.
Frontrunners continues to race ahead, as the popular running store will add Frontrunners Cumberland in March, making it five stores on Vancouver Island. Frontrunners Nanaimo is on Bowen Road, and there are also Frontrunners Westshore and Frontrunners Shelbourne in Greater Victoria.
The Port of Nanaimo welcomes Dave Paul as their new Manager of Health, Safety and Environmental. Dave has served on the Canadian Armed Forces Military Police and has a lengthy health and safety career. The Port also announces that Kimberly Kelly is now their Manager of Engagement, Content and Cruise Development.
Dave Johnston is the new Sales Team Lead at VI Powersports on at 1809 Bowen Road. The dealership handles Honda, CMOTO, BMW and Surron bikes, ATVs and power equipment. Dave is well known in the Vancouver Island hockey community and is a well-respected former junior coach.
VMAC will launch its new battery electric powered 30 CFM rotary air compressor at the NTEA Work Truck Week. “The e30 with Stealth Power is a game-changer for the industry,” says Gordon Duval, VMAC’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “It’s compact, powerful, and lightweight – making it the ideal solution for fleet managers and service truck operators transitioning to electric and hybrid vehicles.”
Greg Constable
President and owner Greg Constable, who owns IWCD with his wife Troy-Anne, notes that Island West Coast Developments Ltd. has finished its latest, greatest vehicle dealership – the 15,554 square foot new Galaxy Motors on Kenworth Road. It’s the latest IWCD project on Kenworth on the massive former site of Madill Equipment, and is joined there by neighbouring dealerships Nanaimo Mitsubishi, European Specialty Automotive and Wheaton Hyundai. IWCD also recently completed construction of yet another automobile dealership building on Vancouver Island: Duncan Hyundai.
For those who may not have noticed, there’s a Bass Pro Shops logo above the Cabela’s sign at 6902 Island Highway North, at Dickinson Crossing adjacent to Woodgrove Centre. The two companies have quietly joined forces in providing outdoor equipment and clothing and the new sign announces their alignment.
Sherry Dickie, LPN, has joined the team of Natural Nurses at VitaCare Natural Health Clinic at 2147 Bowen Road.
Shawn Wagar and Raymond Knight have opened Verra Creative, a motion media production company, at 21 Nicol Street downtown. They focus on brand building and storytelling from project inception to delivery.
It’s another feather in the cap for Coastal Community Credit Union, which has been named by Forbes as a Top 5 organization offering banking and financial services, and they place 94th amongst 300 organizations on their 2025 list. Coastal Community is the largest Vancouver Island-based financial institution.
Shawn Kilner
Direct Travel is pleased to announce that 17 of the company’s travel advisors across North America have been named Virtuoso Cruise Icons, and for the third consecutive year, that list includes Shawn Kilner, owner of Imagine Cruise & Travel in Nanaimo. “A huge thank you to my incredible clients and valued Virtuoso partners,” says Shawn. “I look forward to working with my amazing clients in the future, creating life time experiences and memories.” Only 1 percent of Virtuoso advisors are named Cruise Icons, Direct Travel’s Joelle Goldman explains.
Congratulations to Sean “Sarge” McCue, long-time Publisher of the Nanaimo News-Bulletin, recently named Group Publisher for Black Press on Vancouver Island. Under his oversight, besides Nanaimo, is the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle, Chemainus Valley Courier, Cowichan Valley Citizen and Lake Cowichan Gazette.
Malaspina Dental Centre at 1551 Estevan Road, is part of the Blue Ocean Dental Group, and is now open under new management. Dr. Lathangue, a graduate of UBC, is looking forward to meeting new Nanaimo families.
Sean McClintock of Re/MAX Generations welcomes Anthony Dagostini, the newest member of the MAC Real Estate Group. Anthony has been a licensed Real Estate agent for four years on mid Vancouver Island and has a background in construction and sales.
Mark MacDonald is President of Communication Ink Media & Public Relations Ltd. mark@communicationink.ca
