we are locals
our story
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Locals Restaurant was founded in 2008 by husband and wife team, Chef Ronald and Tricia St. Pierre. With a mission to bridge the producer-consumer gap, they married the bounty of the Island with culinary artistry to deliver a unique and unparalleled dining experience. Over the St. Pierre's 15 years in business, Locals set a new standard for the Comox Valley’s renowned food culture.
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In May 2013 Locals moved into the newly remodelled Comox Valley Heritage building known to local residents as The Old House. Great care was given to preserve as much of the original building as possible and to blend the newer addition with the old as much as possible.
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the old house
The Old House is valued as an eclectic example of Arts and Crafts architecture in Courtenay during the city’s first post-war expansion. Constructed in 1921 as a residence for the Kirk family, the house features locally-produced wood construction with masonry detailing. The original occupants of the building were prominent members of the community. Geoff Kirk operated a highly successful oil business from the dock of his riverfront property, while Kath Kirk initiated the ‘Mile of Flowers’ campaign in 1969, now a renowned annual event in Courtenay, which draws over a thousand volunteers to plant flowers along the mile-long Cliffe Avenue corridor.
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A truly unique and memorable environment, The Old House and its history offer a cozy and warm invitation paralleled by no other.
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locals stays local​
In 2023, a team of four locals joined forces to carry-on the Locals Legacy. Each hailing from a unique sector of the hospitality industry and with their own fields of expertise, Erin Kenny, Sean Poole, Darren Howlett, and Chef Jonathan Frazier - Locals became the touchstone that united their journies in food and service.
As owners, we are honoured and privileged to carry the culinary torch that has been passed to us by Chef Ronald and Tricia St Pierre. Their mission has become our mission; the quest to seek out and utilize the freshest of local sustainable food to create one of the premier and delectable dining experiences in Comox Valley and on Vancouver Island.
Through innovation and inspiration, Chef Jonathan Frazier and our devoted kitchen team, are committed to honouring tradition while embracing contemporary concepts and techniques.