Jacksons Meat & Deli

"I literally grew up in the store," says Chris Jackson, who co-owns Jackson's Meat and Deli with his wife, Shayna. "First in a crib until I was old enough to see over the counter and then working with my Dad. So really, I've worked here my whole life."

Located in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver, Jackson's Meat and Deli has the unique distinction of being the oldest meat market in the city. The business boasts six generations of Jackson butchers since opening its doors in Maidenhead, England in 1856 and moving to Vancouver in 1911.

"We have all these really neat old photographs on the walls," says Chris. "There are photos of butchers from the 1950s all lined up along the counter." It makes for interesting discussions when someone in their 70s will visit the shop, point to a picture and say, "My Mom used to bring me here as a little boy to sample the sausages."

"Saturdays are sample sausage days," explains Chris. "We make all our own sausages and most of our other products right here in the store. About 90 percent of our meat is sourced locally and the other 10 percent is typically imported or sourced elsewhere because it's not available locally."