Bear River, Nova Scotia, has long been nicknamed the Switzerland of Nova Scotia for the way its buildings cling to the hillsides above the tidal river that gives the village its name, and it is here, on Pleasant Street, that a small shop has turned a years long restoration project into a curated retail destination. The owners previously spent a career running a hotel and restaurant before buying a neglected property in 2020 that included two old houses and overgrown woodlands. Rather than flipping the property, they spent years bringing the buildings and grounds back to life themselves, and Pleasant Street Living opened its doors in August 2022 as the retail expression of that work.
The shop’s offerings reflect the owners’ own tastes rather than a generic gift shop formula. Shelves hold a rotating selection of curated vintage pieces alongside artisanal Italian pantry staples, the kind of oils, preserves, and specialty goods that reward a slower, more intentional approach to cooking. Alongside the retail floor, the business also organizes small group travel experiences to Tuscany, including a Tuscany Food and Wine Tour, extending the shop’s Italian influences beyond the shelf and into an actual itinerary for customers who want to experience the source of the products firsthand.
What sets Pleasant Street Living apart from a typical vintage or home goods shop is the property surrounding it. The owners maintain a working vineyard and gardens on the grounds, tying the retail space directly to the land it sits on, and they publish an ongoing journal covering lifestyle topics and recipes that mirror the pantry goods sold in store. The overall effect is a business built around a single, consistent philosophy: that the way people decorate a home, the books they read, the trips they take, and the meals they prepare are all connected expressions of the same personal style, and that a well chosen vintage find or a good bottle of Italian olive oil can be part of that same story.
Pleasant Street Living keeps limited but predictable hours suited to a small village shop, open Sunday afternoons from noon to 4pm and Wednesday through Friday from 11am to 5pm, making it an easy stop for visitors exploring Bear River’s arts community, which has long attracted painters, potters, and craftspeople drawn to the same tidal scenery that shaped the shop’s own setting. Locals and travelers passing through the Annapolis Valley region often combine a visit to Pleasant Street Living with a walk along the river boardwalk or a stop at one of Bear River’s small galleries, making the shop as much a part of the village’s creative identity as its better known artist studios.
For anyone seeking vintage treasures, genuine Italian pantry goods, or a taste of Tuscany without leaving Nova Scotia, Pleasant Street Living in Bear River offers a rare combination: a shop, a working vineyard, and a travel outfitter, all built from one restored property by two people who turned a hospitality career into a second act rooted in craft, food, and place.
