T
BY KELLY BRISSON, EAST COAST EDITOR
ucked among the ever-developing
food hub of Beechwood Village
stands a lone red door. You might
miss it if you bat an eye, but I
would urge against that. Behind that
inconspicuous door lies Red Door Provisions.
A bright and affable space where unique
flavour, tradition and innovation come to play.
When Lauren Power, owner of RDP,
envisioned opening a food business, she
saw a space that would primarily serve as a
preserve shop and teaching space, with a
small cafe designed around it. A space with
expertly pulled espresso drinks, preserves to
purchase and a sprouting list of classes
offered to eager canning-novices. Where the
food menu would be simple, a second
thought to the teaching, coffee and
preserves. But supply and demand forced a
change that most customers of RDP would
agree was a blessing in disguise. The food
was disappearing faster than staff had
envisioned and a need grew for more
options in larger quantities to appease the
masses. And so the focus expanded to offer
food as well-considered as the espresso and
colourful jars that lined the sun-strewn shelves.
Most important to Lauren was creating
something new and unique to Ottawa.
Focused not on rapid growth and expansion,
but on a slower, more deliberate plan built
around sust