In such a close-knit community like Halifax, where cafes, restaurants, local shops, and evenings at local watering holes fill our downtime, it’s tough to imagine a vision of the neighbourhood where we’re all confined to our homes. What are we without casual banter, brunch lineups and the ability to pet dogs in the Common?   

Our world has been turned upside down.

But in these uncertain times, supporting the community, if you can, is a helpful way to uplift business owners and yourself. And luckily, lots of businesses in our area have adapted quickly, are providing online, pick up and/or delivery services.

For self-care:

Caring for yourself takes on a whole new meaning during pandemic. Of course, the health of you and your family is paramount. Staying home when possible, getting lots of rest and eating well are the first things you should be checking off the list. But if you’re already doing those things, you might be looking for ways to bring little extra rays of light into your day (or someone else’s!).

• NXN Photography
• The Flower Shop

For a little pampering, we recommend The Flower Shop for deliveries of select bouquets, potted plants and Foxhound candles to your home on the peninsula with no delivery charge. And Dartmouth’s Nature Folk Wellness Studio now has an online shop — check it out for a carefully selected catalogue of natural skincare, essential oils, comfy sweaters and more.

For entertainment:

How many times can you show your kids Frozen or redo the same puzzle again and again? As cabin fever ensues, the quest for entertainment is becoming more common. Might we suggest a new game from The Board Game Cafe? They’re offering free local delivery for orders over $40, and have an extensive selection of games to choose from, including two-player and young learner games. Or if you’re looking for a new read, Bookmark is doing delivery and curbside pick up: head to their website for book or book orders, audiobooks and stationary.

For your caffeine fix:

Cafe culture is certainly something to be missed right now, but thankfully we

• Sam Kean
• Java Blend's doors are closed but the beans are certainly still roasting.

 don’t have to go without our daily doses of comforting bevvies. Coffee roasters across the HRM like Java Blend and Anchored Coffee are filling orders for beans online and doing doorstep drops, as well as some cafes like Cafe Lara. If tea is your jam, World Tea House has an extensive collection available to order.

For comfort food:

Delicious food is like a warm hug and whether you’re cooking up a storm or just learning how, we’re all likely craving some restaurant treats right now. Thanks to the hard work of those in the food industry, we can still get delivery or grab take out from many local spots, either via phone or websites directly or with Skip and Dishes and Uber Eats (But we recommend calling first to see if a place is doing delivery via its own website or over the phone, before giving a shaving of the profits to the Big Guys in the US). 

• Lenny Mullins
• You can't get Sal's pizza made right out the oven, but you can stock up on hand-made dough and make a go at its creations in your own kitchen.

Best pizza hall-of-famers Salvatore's is making pizza dough balls you can get at The Other Bean and Local Source plus sauce at The Vegetorium on Waverly Road. And if you’re looking for hearty, premade meals, Jane’s Next Door is selling small-batch frozen soups, stews and other meals, as well as grocery essentials for pick up. Plus Cafe Goodluck is doing some creative baking experiments like tutorial videos and bake sales.

For booze:

Breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries across HRM (and NSLC employees, of course) are working tirelessly to keep us a little tipsy as we navigate these uncharted waters. With deliveries abound, there are still tons of drinks to choose from throughout your neighbourhood. If you have a go-to booze provider, we recommend checking their website and social media pages to see if it's still operating—chances are, it is! And, restaurants are now permitted to sell alcohol with delivery, too.

Amid the abundance of thirst-quenching choices, there's Garrison Brewing’s Stay the Blazes Home Blonde Ale, with $2.00 from every purchase going to Feed Nova Scotia. Harvest Wines & Spirits has an extensive selection available online, a good alternative to heading to the NSLC if you’re staying home but want variety. Or for something different, check out 2Crows’ new non-alcoholic Hop Water: “think LaCroix meets a freshly opened bag of Citra,” (quoted from their Instagram). Lastly, kudos to the many distillers alongside Compass Distillers for making alcohol sanitizer available for pick up; check their Instagram for updates as it goes in and out of stock.

What else can you do?

There's lots more businesses out there that you can support right now—and if you can’t support your favourite local spot by buying something, we suggest purchasing a gift for future use. Or if you’re tight on cash, you can still support businesses by promoting their current goods and services on social media, or by spreading the word to your friends and family. We can all play some small part to lift each other up right now. Stay strong Halifax; we miss you.