Hollyhock reopens June 25th

Roy L Hales/ CKTZ news - One of Cortes Island’s biggest employers, Hollyhock, is reopening for in-person sessions on June 25th.

“We open with one of our most popular local presenters, Bill Ophoff, who does Discover Cortes. I am really excited to open 2021 with Bill, who has been at Hollyhock for almost 30 years,”said CEO Peter Wrinch.

“We’ll be opening the dining room. I don’t even know how long we’ve had buffet style dining, but we’re moving to plated service. We purchased a custom stretch tent from Shady Spaces, in Cumberland, so people can eat outside. People can also sit out on our beachfront deck. There will be heaters for cooler days.

They are also offering more options for outdoor gatherings.

Hollyhock is also promoting itself as a tourist destination for short term holidays.

“We know that people in the city want to come to beautiful places like Cortes Island. When it feels safe to do so, this could be a real respite for folks” explained Wrinch.

He described Hollyhock’s business model as one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. It is similar to a hotel, with dining, and also brings people together for group sessions.

“So our big thing has been, how can we maintain any kind of business levels with restrictions? Luckily we’re seeing BC turn a corner and the restrictions are lifting.”

Hollyhock currently has 592 registrations and Wrinch says they might reach 1,000 by the end of the year.

Prior to the Pandemic, there were 1,800 to 2,000 visitors during an average year.

There is another side to Hollyhock’s business story. They launched on the internet 15 months ago.

“As of today, Monday, we had 627 registrations for virtual programs during 2021. Our virtual programs for this year are already exceeding last year,” said Wrinch.

All photos courtesy Hollyhock