Vibe Check
Sailing into the industry
Location, location, location
Losel was on the move in 2012-2013. After walking & riding his bike through much of Toronto’s west end – to nearly 30 locations searching for the perfect spot, 50 Wade Avenue is where Propeller set up their roots. In a neighbourhood with an emerging arts community and a high-tech presence (including Ubisoft & Freshbooks as neighbours), the café has added value to the surrounding community.
“Cafes are a third space; neither work nor home, whether you’re tech or art, you can meet here, quietly work, and use us as a meeting place. We’re not the public library or a bar, we’re not an official office, we’re a community space.”
The café is conveniently located near the TTC, which is beneficial for staff and customers, both retail and wholesale. The proximity to the TTC is an added benefit to the events portion of their business which is booked out nearly every weekend.
For the community to know your name is an honour many family-owned businesses could only dream of, “It is one of the most rewarding feelings.”
Keep moving forward
The name Propeller was inspired by his early experiences of being surrounded by propellers – on both airplanes and ships – in this, he found symbolism for propelling onward and the energy to keep moving forward in life.
“The time you take out of your day to have your coffee, whether it’s by yourself or with a friend, it’s a special ritual,” just as it was during his time in the Navy. We can all relate to the peaceful, maybe even meditative, moments enjoyed with a cup of coffee in hand.
To this day, Losel has kept his curiosity, always asking questions like “How can we do things better in terms of quality & sustainability? How can we be better citizens?”. Only three years after opening, the pursuit of answers to these questions led Propeller to be named Roaster of the Year in 2016, a prestigious award spotlighting their great coffee, excellent customer service, environmental sustainability, and upstanding citizenship.
Secret to success
