Kim Shorts: Embracing Kincardine’s valuable service side

If you’ve been reading my columns, you know that I moved to Kincardine in 2019. The move was a big change for me and my husband, Jim, but we are always up to the challenge of change.

Embracing the Municipality of Kincardine and the Grey-Bruce region, its people and rich history, has been a love affair ever since.

We spent 25 years in the friendly Town of Elmira, raising a family and working hard at our jobs. As we were nearing our retirement age, moving and eventually retiring to a new forever home was something we had dreamed about and had been planning to do for several years.

We didn’t know where we would end up. Our research on where to retire, took four years and took us to several locations in Canada – from Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and back to Ontario.

In Ontario, we loved, and knew, the north area well - up in Orillia and Muskoka. We even considered North Bay and Mattawa because they are so beautiful, and of course, the cost of a house was considerably lower than in central Ontario. But the bugs won out on that idea!

We have friends who raved about vacationing along Lake Huron but we had never been out that way. We decided to follow the Lake Huron shoreline from Goderich north, discovering those pearls: Kincardine, Tiverton, and Port Elgin.



Glorious Kincardine sunset

It was Kincardine that caught our hearts on a very cold Sunday in March, 2019, when we drove downtown. We were surprised to see some of its stores open on a Sunday … and didn’t we need to pick up a birthday gift. As we entered one of the clothing stores, we were warmly greeted by the store owner, Darrel Perry, who helped us pick out a gift.

I often think of that first meeting with Perry. I asked him recently if he realized that he - like many of the business owners, sales representatives and service people in town - is a wonderful ambassador for Kincardine.

“We want to welcome people to come into the store for a chat,” he told me. “Our priority is not just selling stuff.” Perry said he measures his success not by how well his business is doing but “by how we are valued as contributors in the community.” He and his family have lived here for 10 years and Perry loves the vibes and the small-town atmosphere that Kincardine offers.



Downtown Kincardine, February, 2025

I continue to be in awe of the friendly folks in this tourist town and how welcoming they are. And, yes, I do, indeed, love Kincardine for that warmth. Take chiropractor Dr. Ben MacPherson. Armed with a Bachelor of Human Kinetics from Lakehead University, MacPherson not only takes great care of his clients, he often has a great tip or two to share … like where to get a good deal on a spin bike (thanks, Ben). He enjoys working with his clients. “The rewarding part of what I do is seeing the benefits of helping people,” he said.

Born and raised in Tiverton, MacPherson now lives in Kincardine with his family. He told me he likes that “it’s a quiet, friendly place. It’s home. There’s no denying this area is a great place to raise a family.” And of course, the beaches are an added attraction for many.

Recently, I had the mind-boggling challenge of having to shop for a second-hand car and researching what the area car dealerships had available. It’s a quagmire out there and if you get a sales team that understands what you need, shopping for a car becomes an easier prospect.

Sales manager Brad Wedow at one of the Kincardine dealerships was able to do just that. He treated me with respect and helped educate me on the pitfalls of buying a used car in these expensive times.

“It’s so important to treat people well,” he said. “We want to keep a good customer base and build loyalty.”

Wedow shared some of the challenges he faces when selling cars. The newer used cars typically come with financing available but the high interest rates may create a roadblock for people buying, and older model cars typically come with a very short warranty. He was able to find me a car that fits me perfectly.

I like to think of Wedow as somewhat of an unofficial marriage counsellor, since Jim and I are no longer fighting over who gets the car!

Kincardine’s great service reputation is pretty much known all over – by those of us living here and by visitors. For example, I often hear from many other people about how great the staff members are at the grocery stores and our local markets. I can attest to that. I’ve noticed they seem to pick up my spirits as I’ve gone through the check-out.

And while I cannot list every service here, I do need to give a shout-out to our Kincardine emergency services and snow plow crews, and all those quietly working in the background to keep us safe this winter.

In short, Jim and I made the right move to Kincardine. Researching where you want to live can pay off, and when you find a community of people who are friendly, supportive, and filled with respect, it’s a bonus round.

Now if I can just change the town’s name to Kimcardine…



Kincardine Harbour, February, 2025



Plunging into Lake Huron at Kincardine, Jan. 1, 2025