Congratulations Metro Tailors: 50 Years of Business, Women in Business - Member's Statement

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ekaterini (Katherine) Keramaris. Katherine is celebrating 50 years in business at Metro Tailors on Queen Street in downtown Dartmouth. She started the tailor shop with her husband, Photios Keramaris, when they immigrated here from Greece in 1970. Photios passed away 21 years ago, and Katherine is still at the shop solo every day working her magic on the machine.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, I'd like to take the opportunity to draw your attention to the fact that Dartmouth has a long history of entrepreneurial businesswomen. Along with Katherine, we have trailblazers like Gloria Fisher of Fisher's Stationery, and Interlude Spa's Ruth Kraushar.

Today Dartmouth is populated by female entrepreneurs like Poet Comeau of Lake City Cider, Renée  Lavalée of The Canteen, and Brianna Hagell of Vessel Meats. We have successful business owners like Samantha Dixon Slawter of Styles by SD, and Dorothy Yang of Custom Curves as well as independent artists like Rachel Blair-Johns and Briana Corr Scott.

I ask the House to join me in congratulating Katherine and Metro Tailors' 50-year anniversary and to join me in celebrating the powerful women who have come up in her wake.