People of the OCQ: Daniel and Sara

There is an area of East London called Hoxton; one known for being one of the poorest areas of Europe, now has transformed into a creative community hub of vibrancy and beauty. The streets are bustling with locally owned cafes, trendy bars, independent retail shops and galleries.

“It’s quite inspiring,” says Daniel Martin. “Essentially, we wanted to take a bit of that spirit and lineage through Sara’s family and bring that energy here. It’s about enjoying what you have already in your own city and participating in it.”

When Daniel Martin and Sara Edge relocated from the mainland to Nanaimo, they intentionally chose to open up their business, Hoxton Home, in the Old City Quarter to be part of rejuvenating the downtown area. 

“A downtown is the lifeblood of any city,” he explains. “When you visit a beautiful place, what's the first thing you do? Do you go to the suburbs or do you go into the city center? I believe cities are a reflection of the people who live there. There is infinite potential here to create the culture we hope for.” 

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Daniel and Sara purposefully waited for a suitable building space in the OCQ to become available as they wanted to create relationships with people walking through the area. 

“It's so important that we have an economy that can thrive based on a walking culture. We need to have not only tourists come to these areas, but locals spend time here and build upon the community,” he says. “We have witnessed what happens when people claim a place as their own.”

Daniel believes it’s the independent, local businesses and the residents who live here that are the changemakers to create a strong downtown community. When people feel they belong to a place, the desire to improve and help it thrive is there. 

Spending family vacations every summer in Nanaimo, Daniel has always felt connected to this community. 

Due to COVID and family, Daniel and Sara decided to leave their restaurant business in Vancouver to start a new adventure on the island. With a deep understanding of ownership and hospitality, the duo decided to incorporate those skills into another passion of theirs; design. 

“Hoxton Home is an independently owned, carefully curated interior and lifestyle shop offering a collection of Scandinavian, design-focused brands that share sensibilities of craftsmanship, permanence and sustainability,” says Sara. “Inspired by how the objects around us enhance daily life & create moments where we feel most at home.”

Hoxton Home has a beautiful collection of quality designed furniture and décor, locally made products and European built brands. 

Daniel says your house should be a reflection of your personality and your experiences in life. 

“We've traveled a lot, so there's pieces from our travels. We used to be really into antiques and mid century, so we've kind of mixed all that in now,” he says. “People don't really realize that it's not about recreating everything new. You should not be the oldest thing in your home. You should have things from different time periods. It should be an eclectic mix that reflects your life.”

Take a stroll around the neighbourhood of the Old City Quarter, stop in to say hello to Daniel, Sara and their pup Pippa, and discover what it means to be part of the downtown community. 

Hoxton Home is open every day except Mondays and is located on #102 - 437 Fitzwilliam Street.