Zim's Place offers up art, bagels, coffee and borscht ... the perfect combination!

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NOTE: Zim's Place has closed for business. Although they were on 6th Street for a relatively short period of time, Les made a lot of friends within our downtown community. They will be missed.

Les takes us on a tour of his warm and cozy artisan cafe that recently opened on Festival Square (6th Street) in beautiful downtown Lethbridge. Zim's Place was inspired by his passion for healthy food, coffee and art. It's a welcome addition to 'our downtown' and has definitely helped to enhance our unique and special 'coffee culture'.

Although Les leaves the art to his wife (Donna Jean) and daughter (Gianne), his talent is displayed in the kitchen, where he cooks up a daily pot of delicious borscht. He constantly plays around with different blends of traditional borscht ingredients which makes each visit to Zim's Place a tasty surprise. Combine a bowl of borscht with a cappuccino and a European-style bagel and you have the perfect 'place' to sit and relax after a long day of shopping or work.

Besides the art of his talented wife and daughter, Zim's Place also features landscapes and figurative art from a variety of local and regional artists and artisan's.

Zim's Place will be participating in the upcoming Allied Arts Council's ARTWALK. Artwalk is a free, self-guided tour of arts venues and entertainment in Lethbridge. It takes place on September 18-19 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Zim's Place is located at 313 - 6th Street South. For more information, call 403 - 942-2277 or email Les at zimfam@telus.net.

Tompkins Jewellers ... providing exceptional service and a wide selection of expertly crafted jewellery & giftware

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Lisa takes us on a tour of her bright and inviting store in downtown Lethbridge. Tompkins Jewellers has earned a solid reputation for exceptional customer service, product knowledge and a wide selection of fine jewellery and exclusive giftware.

Tompkins Jewellers is a second generation family business that was established in 1983. It was originally located in the old El Rancho Hotel and Convention Centre on Mayor Magrath Drive.

They pride themselves as being the home for the largest selection of Korite Ammolite jewellery and Ammonite fossils in southern Alberta. Ammolite, the fossilized gemstone, displays a rich variety of brilliant colors and textures. They work closely with the owners of the Korite Ammolite mine that is located about 25 minutes outside of Lethbridge. The mine is one of only two commercial Ammolite mines in the world. Exclusive tours can be arranged through Tompkins Jewellers. This one-of-a-kind tour is a great way to learn about Alberta history, geography, geology, gemmology and palentology.

Lisa and her knowledgeable staff provide a number of services including custom designed jewellery from concept, to design, to production of the final piece. Customers can arrange for an appointment to meet with one of their designers and discuss a variety of concepts and options. Their state-of-the-art equipment can produce amazing 3-dimensional renderings of their customers designs. Once the design is approved, a wax model is produced. The wax model is used to create a one-of-a-kind fine jewellery piece that will sparkle and delight for generations to come.

Besides their wide selection of fine jewellery, Tompkins has a number of exclusive lines of giftware such as the highly collectable Thomas Sabo Charm Club Collection and Sid Dickens Memory Blocks. Check out their great selection of popular Steelx and inspirational jewellery.

Tompkins Jewellers also serves as a downtown gallery for paintings and prints by well-known local artist, Karen Brownlee. Each year, the store takes part in the popular Allied Arts Council's ArtWalk. Karen is usually on hand to paint and talk with visitors during store hours.

For more information, call 403 - 327-3119. Tompkins Jewellers is located at 326 - 7th Street South. Visit them online at www.tompkinsjewellers.com (watch for their upcoming online shop).