Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

We always had an entrepreneurial vision in our future and we got to a point in our lives where it was now or never. We have such a passion for creating home brew and supporting our community. There were times we hit hurdles along the way but with our drive and such great support from the Okanagan beer community, we found our location and opened our doors in August of 2023! Creating beers, the great customer feedback and seeing everybody enjoy our beer and establishment is just pushing us even further and making us love what we do even more.

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

From day one we have always wanted to support the food bank continuously. We actually donate specifically to children’s lunches. Our donations are raised because we have bottled water and we ask for a dollar minimum donation and hundred percent goes towards the food bank. We had teamed up with Freida Whales and the Women’s shelter to create a drag bingo night. Was Incredibly successful and we raised $1600! Also, we host a monthly farmers market for local vendors to come showcase their local product and there is no vendor fee for them to attend. Many more future plans! Possible next year starting an annual beer run! Right now, we are brewing a pale ale and $2 from every beer sold in house is going to go to JoeAnna‘s house with Kelowna general hospital.

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

We have just been in business for a year and feel in a year we are off to a great start! Being a new business, we are supporting local as much as we can, but the bigger and better we get the bigger and better the charitable events will be! Cathy and I are also the story of being just two regular ladies taking this leap, working endlessly and never giving up. Like I have mentioned we do not have any employees. We are 100% owner operator. My daughter has been showing us how to brew our recipes at the tank level, helping in the brewery and doing our current marketing advertisements. We have a long way to go but with all the blood sweat and tears we are putting into this, our main focus is great local craft beer, great brewery, atmosphere or every person feels welcome and always supporting local! It’s just the beginning.

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

Honestly, the feed back we get from regulars, new customers, other business owners, food trucks that we have had, local musicians that play here has been overwhelming and it’s all the same. The atmosphere in our brewery is not just groups sitting at their own tables, It turns into everybody interacting with each other. You get that Cheers vibe when you walk in. Cathy and I are always behind the bar we are the owners and operators so you’ll always find us here. People love that meet and chat with the owners/brewers. Our regulars have become friends, we see them come in the door will either have their drink ready, give them a hug, call out their name. Other new customers are seeing that and wanting to be a part of it. If you ask where Three Lakes comes from it’s because when you come into the brewery, you’ll see we are all about the outdoors. Cathy and I are the owners and my daughter, Tara, helps us brew… Three Lakes, three ladies.

Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

We believe we should win the premieres peoples choice award based on our customer feedback and support over this past year. We put our hearts into this small business brewery and it clearly shows. Customers that walk in knowing that Cathy and I are behind the bar, brewing and doing everything else on top of it and still have banter and a good laugh, really appreciate it. The beer speaks for itself, everybody loves our traditional old-school style of making beer. Customers, new and regulars, love the warmth and the personal acknowledgement that they get when they come through the door.