Downtown Oakville Summer Guide 2015
That sense of community in Oakville’s downtown has remained in-
tact despite the rapid growth of the town. Carol and Rick Vesters,
whose family opened their Swiss Interiors store 60 years ago, have
seen plenty of changes over the years, but note that the downtown has
always been a vibrant retail environment. Says Carol, “It’s a nice and
comfortable place to meander around, whether you come down to buy
something specific or just visit a coffee shop.”
Plewman says changes in the downtown have resulted in a wider
range of stores and services than there used to be. Today, people
come downtown to do their banking, buy groceries and medications,
or have their hair cut. But they also come to experience one-of-a-kind
independent and often quaint boutiques like Soap and Water Every
Day, Fiori Oakville, She Is, and Jacadi. There’s also an incredible range
of places to eat or drink, from Piazza Bistro on George Street, which
draws a loyal crowd for its rum-soaked pecan carrot cake, to Jona-
thon’s of Oakville, which has been a favourite fine dining spot since
1981.
People also love the fact that you can easily go from shopping to
showtime at the nearby Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, which
is only a few blocks away. The Centre is Oakville’s cultural and enter-
tainment hub, and doubles as a theatre, concert hall, dance and opera
house, film theatre and lecture hall.
Oakville downtown is right beside the lake. Catching glimpses of
