Dana Shortt Gourmet

A visit to Dana Shortt Gourmet in Uptown Waterloo has always been good for getting the belly rumbling. Her shop on Erb Street has, for four years now, been a reliable place to pick up a pot pie for a Friday night dinner or some gourmet quesadillas for a quick appetizer. Or, if you’re lucky, to gather up the fixings for a beautifully catered meal.

The only problem with stopping in at Dana’s, though, was, until recently, trying to search out what you wanted or just poke around and ooh and ahh while shuffling around with your fellow shoppers in a tiny space. The shop itself was wee, and it was hard to have a browse.

No longer, though. Shortt recently bought out her next door neighbour, gift store Blessings, and expanded her shop to 1500 square feet. Her retail space is now 15 times its original size, which has allowed the contents of the store to grow, too. It’s a busy time for Shortt – she’s expecting her first baby any day.

Dana Shortt Gourmet’s business is basically three pronged. There’s the full-service catering, which, Shortt says, allows people to be “a guest at their own party,” whether it’s a wedding or a dinner. This involves chefs on site and a catering coordinator, who “does everything but the invitations.”

Then there is what Shortt refers to as pick-up catering – cheese trays, salads, crudité platters (not of the grocery store, shaved-down-mini-carrot variety, either – Dana’s include the likes of daikon and enoki mushroom) and so on. Many people, she says, choose this as a way of supplementing what they do themselves when entertaining.

Then there’s the take-home part of business, where customers can come in and pluck something from the shelves or freezer to take home and nosh.

The expanded store space has allowed Shortt to really develop that side of the business. There are the same fabulous scones, curries, pies, soups and quiches (much of which happens to be gluten-free) And, as there was in the old shop, there’s the opportunity to pick up hostess (or other) gifts – aprons, gourmet crackers, cookies and other treats.

Now there’s just a lot more to choose from, as when Shortt took over Blessings, she took on some of that store’s business, too. She’s now selling chocolates from Rheo Thomson and Reid’s and does gourmet gift baskets, as well.

Pop in on any given day, and you’ll find a spread of yummy samples (I nibbled on cheese straws, cheese torte with gourmet flatbreads and some sweet stuff, too, when I stopped by recently). You’ll also be able to indulge your cravings on-the-spot via a piece of pizza, a gourmet sandwich or a Saturday morning scone or croissant.

Shortt, naturally, is thrilled about the expansion.

“People have responded well,” she says. “I like to spend as much time with the customer as I can, give samples, show our different products. Now I feel like I can offer a little more of that.”
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