Over the past number of years, we have been working hard to re-imagine our meal service offering. We have experimented with take-out meals, we moved to plated service, we have reworked our tea and coffee offerings, and incorporated more culturally inclusive proteins on our menu. This month we are excited to launch our limited dinner alcohol service featuring a selection of carefully curated range of local, organic wines, beers, and ciders.
We have been working on this change for a number of years and there are three main reasons why we are introducing alcohol at our dinner service. The first is that we have noticed over the years that many guests already enjoy wine and beer at dinner. We understand that it’s a part of the experience, but we’ve had little oversight over it in the past. By incorporating a carefully curated range of local, organic wines, beers, and ciders into our dinner offerings, we can now ensure a safer and more responsible consumption of alcohol at Hollyhock.
We are also looking to create more options, choice, and inclusivity. For the past four decades, Hollyhock has been a place where guests have enjoyed alcoholic beverages. However, this option has often been limited to those “in the know” – individuals living on Cortes, with friends on the island, or those arriving with their own means of acquiring alcohol. We recognize that this has left others feeling left out and disconnected from the experience. With our new dinner liquor service, we aim to bridge that gap and ensure that all guests have the option of purchasing alcohol if they would like.
Another goal we have in mind is Hollyhock’s resilience and new sources of revenue. We understand the importance of diversifying our offerings to make Hollyhock more resilient to changes in the wellness, travel and tourism industry. Considering the impact of events like COVID and the potential for climate-related travel restrictions, we are constantly seeking ways to make ourselves a more well known and sought after destination for BC travelers. Adding offerings like wine with dinner will add additional income and will help us invest in infrastructure, staffing, and employee benefits, ensuring a better experience for everyone.
Hollyhock’s limited dinner liquor service is here to enhance your experience, promote responsible alcohol consumption, and contribute to the positive changes we are making in our meal service. We know that it is a big change and we want to hear from you. We have put together a FAQ below to answer any questions you might have. As always, you can send your feedback directly to me at [email protected] .
FAQ
Will I still be able to bring my own bottle of wine with dinner?
Yes. We will now charge a corkage fee of $25.
Where will you source your wine, beer, and ciders?
We will source our selection from British Columbia, the more local the better. We are excited to be working with Klahoose and Townsite Brewery by serving their Toba Inlet Lager.
How do you square the idea of being an educational centre and serving alcoholic beverages?
Canada’s new guidelines on Alcohol and Health illustrate that consuming alcoholic beverages has significant health impacts. We are also aware that alcohol contributes to many social problems including violence against women, and drinking and driving. At the same time, we are a centre that believes endlessly in the potential of humans to be better, to act with wisdom, and to set their own path. Despite the challenges with the consumption of alcohol, we want to honour that people will make the best choices for themselves.
Will there be blocks of time during the Hollyhock calendar that will not have alcohol served at dinner?
Yes. When we make our program calendar, we will discuss alcohol service with our program leaders to see if it makes sense not to offer it. An example of this would be a meditation program.
