Old Country Market - Goats on Roof

Coombs Market is such a fun and unique stop on Vancouver Island. The goats on the roof are definitely a must-see attraction! The deli inside the grocery store has a great selection—we picked up some delicious treats. The veggie market offered plenty of fresh fruits and local produce. We also tried the doughnuts, which were fresh and tasty. Overall, it’s a great place to shop, grab a bite, and enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area!

This shop is super fun and creative — they sell all kinds of tasty food and souvenirs. And the goats on the roof are absolutely adorable! If you’re ever driving by, definitely stop and check it out.”

This is a MUST visit stop for everyone to see! The goats on the roof are hilarious of course but the food options in the market are insanely good. This is where you want to stock up your RV! Especially us foodies! PS the donut place closes at 5pm though so we missed getting those but am told they are fantastic as well.

A lively and bustling spot. The highlight was watching a goat casually strolling across the grass-covered roof. Nearby, you’ll find a market with fresh B.C. vegetables, a shop offering warm, freshly baked donuts, and a charming ice cream café—all conveniently close together, making it a delightful place to spend some time.

No goats on the roof when we went but it is such an AMAZING market. So many things from sweets to deli to fresh pastry and hot food. Toys and kids items to unique finds. Soooop much to take if you could spend half a day here checking out the options. 100% a much stop

Cool little eclectic place, only complaint is that most of the goods were made in China. More Canadian goods would make it that much better. We had an unusual lunch of smoked salmon, cherries, peaches and topped off with a donut from Billy G’s. It was a good experience to visit and would recommend anyone to stop in and visit.

The country market was very interesting. Lots of selection of everything. The goats on the roof were hilarious. The doughnuts were very fresh and delicious. I highly recommend stopping in.

This place is pretty cool. Country market selling food you don't normally see in regular grocery stores. Surrounded by lots of other shops selling ice cream, donughts, produce, clothing, surf/skate gear, as well as a few restaurants. And of course, GOATS!

I had a bit of time to kill before a dogsitting gig in Qualicum as there was an accident on the highway and I couldn't get through so I was close to Old Country Market aka Goats on the Roof so I goggled and was delighted to find out they opened at 9am! It's a great little store tucked in a great little area. The store itself has treats from all over the world and a deli selection which is fantastic. I came home with 4 different cheeses! There are arts and crafts for the kiddies and home decor - some really nice and some totally kitschy. Also a bakery in the market which I'm usually keto so I rarely visit but there were quite a few people there so it must be decent. There is also a produce market a short walk away and a bunch of really neat shops but nothing opened until 10 and I had to be on my way by then. Fun to just wander - it's too much to take in in one visit - and don't forget to check out the goats on the roof of the building!

Imagine grabbing groceries, browsing unique gifts, and enjoying delicious bites--all under the watchful eyes of goats on the roof! Welcome to The Old Country Market in Coombs, a charming year-round destination on Vancouver Island that started as a simple roadside stand. Now, it's an iconic spot where locals and travelers alike come to experience the whimsy of goats grazing above, while shopping and savoring fresh market finds. This is truly a must-visit for anyone exploring the island! There's free parking within walking distance from the market. The grocery store has a good variety of local and international items. I found products I hadn't seen in over a decade. They also have a section dedicated to non-food items. It has everything from cutlery and dishes to toys and decorative items. They also have a small coffeeshop/bakery section which you can order from and enjoy in their outdoor seating area while goats roam around on the roof.

Just a familiar place to find trinkets and baked goods. TRY THE SAUSAGE ROLLS! Friendly staff are always willing to help if you can't find what you are looking for. Many down home, country food owns as well as that old country feel to the whole place. Easy to find and a pleasure to browse.

This is a really fun grocery store and restaurant. The goats, of course, are neat. But the store itself is surprisingly full of fresh baked goods, cheeses, and all sorts of delights you wouldn't expect to see out here. Stock up for a picnic!

An amazing market to check out, goats on the roof, lots of great parking for Arvee, fresh local blueberries, great food and more stuff to see around the highway

THE BEST NANAIMO BARS! Unfortunately everything is fairly expensive. It was about $10.99 for 100g of smoked salmon. The Nanaimo bar was $2.99 and a slice of cake was $7.99. I got the carrot cake (gluten free) and the strawberry champagne cheesecake. Both were rock hard-I'm assuming they were sitting there for a while. But, overall, a really cute market with lots of options for everyone - just a little pricey.

Whenever we're on Vancouver Island, we need to stop at "Goats on Roof". They always have something new to shop for. Their deli and bakery are amazing (please get the sausage rolls!), and the staff is so friendly and helpful. Their store is stocked with some great items we can't find anywhere else, including some great local cheeses. This place is always worth the trip, and a true highlight of our Island adventure!

This summer, a friend invited my husband and I to spend a few days at her family's vacation home in Qualicum Beach. One of the places we visited was the "Old Country Market", also known as "Goats on the roof," as a big draw to the market is that there are goats grazing on the roof. The market is pretty cool, and sells all sorts of neat things -- specialty foods from around the world, toys, kitchenware, and various household knick-knacks. There's something for everyone, and it's fun to look around. In addition to the market, the grounds of the Old Country Market also has various shops and restaurants/eateries. It's such a touristy place, but it's fun! [Yelp collections: Qualicum Beach]

Our favourite place to visit when on the island! Everything from the billy goats donuts, to the inside of the market is super delicious and fun. It's a unique experience as during the warmer months, there will be literal goats hanging out on the roof of the building. We love coming here to look for cute, unique wooden toys. They also have a full on super market with lots of international goods, a cafeteria and a baked goods section that sells small coffee and lattes. Definitely a must come when you're in the area!

This is a must visit destination when visiting the area and although it is a great tourist attraction, it is extremely busy and the number of eateries for lunch are quite minimal. On the day we came, their biggest restaurant was closed which left us to getting lunch at the deli being their three sandwiches including the muffuletta with many meats and cheese on focaccia, turkey on rye and ham on sourdough. Surprisingly, all of these sandwiches were VERY good. Nice and soft bread even after being in the fridge and packed with meats and cheese. The fillings were very simple but more than enough to provide a satisfying lunch for 4 hungry people. We couldn't leave without trying the donuts from Billy G's and the constant line proved how popular they were! We tried their ukee magic, nanaimo bar donut and the double dunker donut. The ukee magic was a bit sweet for me but my mom who is a caramel fan enjoyed it! We all liked the nanaimo bar donut as their yeast donuts were light and fluffy. Strangely, our double dunker donut was supposed to be a chocolate base dipped in chocolate icing but the donut itself was actually just a plain vanilla cake donut which was disappointing. Nonetheless, donuts were too expensive for a tourist attraction but tasted great!

Coombs Market has such a great reputation so I went with a visitor for the first time yesterday. What a disappointment. The stores sell nothing of interest (unless you're into erotic wood carvings) and the theme of the wares was either Mexican or Chinese. We walked through all the stores (all five of them) just to try and figure out what the hype is about, but left dumbfounded. Coombs may have been a great place to take the kids once upon a time but it's a big zero nowadays in my opinion. I was even embarrassed to see a tour bus there. I felt sorry for the tourists who obviously paid to visit such a boring place.

This was a fun place in a very unusual way. There was such an odd assortment of items. There are bakery items, cheeses, canned food and lots of snacks, etc. But there are also small items for doll houses, stuffed animals, clothing, and many great gift items for someone back home. We ate lunch here and I wasn't terribly impressed with the food served, but the rest of the experience was absolutely worth the stop. Goats on the grass roof were just a plus.

I honestly came here for the goats on the roof, but I was glad to actually check out the market inside. I loved how it has character and the item selection was quite unique and of quality. The bakery section offered plenty of options and each piece/serving was quite generous. I wish I allotted more time to visit this place because there's plenty of interesting items to look at while in the store. There's a doughnut shop beside the grocery market too that's worth trying out! The staff were friendly and were very helpful to a local tourist like me

This place is a hole. Literally falling apart and run down. It's just over-priced Asian imports. Why is this place so busy? We went on a Monday and parking was crazy. Everything was triple the price I've seen elsewhere. I cannot recommend you drive out of your way to get here. And there was only ONE goat sleeping on the roof.

Cake by the Ocean and DNCE aren't here, and neither is Joe Jonas. The Old Country Market is, and they have some ungulates, more specifcally artiodactyls on the roof. Need I state the obvious? What else is obvious? It's a tourist destination. When you see person upon person taking pics of the goats, it's obvious. This area is a little tourist trap. It's a market and they have quite a bit of merchandise that you wouldn't find in a "normal" grocery store. A lot of specialty items. I guess that's what you must do to maintain uniqueness in your target market's eyes. I did buy a loaf of the in-house garlic cheese bread to try. Quite good. Restaurant inside if you want to eat in, but I didn't get to try anything. Worth a visit if you're on your way to the west side of the island.

This place is so funny! Why and how did they decide to have goats on their roof?? We stopped here on our way to Tofino for some coffee. This small market has everything: coffee, pastries, hot food, butcher, cheese/dairy, packaged food/snacks, stuffed animals, and randomly a few Japanese items (sushi sets etc). I also purchased a fish roe onigiri! It was great.

We were actually driving to Coombs to pick up a vehicle when we drove past this building and I saw goats on the roof. My initial "What the heck?!" reaction was what made us come back. Even after a local mentioned he'd never visit "that tourist place.." But, it's so much more than that! I'm very familiar with tourist traps as I live by many. However, this market has a LOT of great products and it's a shame that particular local hasn't been here before. There are MANY great items not including all the fresh fruits and vegetables. I personally loved their selection of household items and imported food products. Unfortunately we weren't in town for too long, otherwise we would've tried many more things here. Everything that we did try was good quality and delicious. Definitely stop in if you're ever in the area. I'd recommend it to the locals as well. We will definitely be back when we visit again.

a visit to parksville will never be complete without passing by this place. always a hometown fav..i look at this place as a country wholefoods. lots of artisan stuff to buy from breads to pasta...including deli meats and chips from around the globe... every time i visit , im always amazed at the selections. in house bakery makes really good crusty bread, and the cafe serves up good country food and more! and of course, dont forget the ice cream! lol happy eating! cheers!

I was so excited to come here ESPECIALLY to see the goats on the roof.. they were not there. But I forgot about my disappointment as soon as I stepped into the market. Such a fun place. One stop shop for unique foods, kids toys, house items, you name it! Also great bakery and donut shop! 4/5 stars because of the lack of goats

A Covid nightmare! A weekday afternoon and parking lot wasn't even half full. Signs everywhere to social distance and that's about it! Except for maybe a few signs on the floor arrows that pointed one way and then another so confusing! Worst part was there were way too many people in there! People smashing into you and grabbing and reaching in front of you it was a gong show! I can't imagine a weekend. Suffering from ptsd I bolted! And by the way it's illegal to put up a big sign that says Vanilla in front of fake vanilla flavour. There's lots of that there beware!

Definitely worth checking this place out if you're on the island. They have a nice selection of some really unique and funky souvenirs you can pick up, and a great selection of delicious treats around the space. And of course, you got to check out the goats on the roof!

Well they finally wrecked what it took them so long to build up. All the old buildings are torn down. All the shops were kicked out (by the owner) and now has some kinda "vision" for it. Is vision modernize it and milk the tourists for every cent he can! With his shops.. There's nothing to go there for anymore. You can buy everything they have elsewhere for less! Kudos for wrecking the atmosphere of the place. I've heard many people state the same about it now. I'll be driving by without stopping now. Funny what greed does to a person..

The Old Country Market in Coombs is a great little afternoon destination. You can look at goats, buy some quirky souvenirs, shop for neat imported kitchenware and ingredients, and grab a bite to eat! Their cafe inside has many delicious items. You can't go wrong. I recommend getting their pulled pork, chipoltle chicken, and braised beef tacos. Their beet and goat cheese salad is also very good, although they could put more cheese in it :)

Back in April, we stopped in Coombs to have lunch, visit the goats and do some shopping. Well, the Market Cafe is where I ate and the food was amazing!! The chicken burger was SO tender and the outside was perfectly crunchy (not at all hard so it hurts your mouth). It was the best chicken burger I've ever had to be honest, and I've tried a LOT of chicken burgers!!! Also the poutine was good! Very cheesy, which I love, and the gravy was perfect. I'm sensitive to salt, so most times, ordering a poutine at a restaurant is a hazard, but this poutine was not super salty, it was just salty enough to enhance the flavour! It was *chefs kiss mwah* I cannot wait to go back to see the goats and have dinner or lunch there again!!

Coming back down from Alert Bay my wife mentioned this place (she grew up in Vancouver) so we stopped for an hour, because...'goats on a roof?' It's true; grass and goats (they didn't come out until mid afternoon, though). Inside, it was a delightful mish-mash of foods, wooden arts and crafts, little eateries, etc. Can't remember what we had for lunch, but our daughters brought a $25 homemade strawberry/raspberry (??) pie, and carried it around like that guy carried the severed head in the movie Dead Presidents (sorry; that's the pop-culture talking!). Outside, little shops going up a small road, tourist-friendly. We got there kind of early, found parking (hard to do) had ice cream at some shop. Like a little street from Italy frequented by tourists and Canadians. Or, an American married to a Canadian with 3 kids between them...and a pie. Worth a look!

I expected this place to be lame, but it was awesome. We stopped in looking for the famed Nainamo Bars and wound up getting one of those, as well as a chicken pot pie, steak and mushroom pie, and a giant sourdough pretzel. Surprisingly, the pretzel was the star of the show, but it was all good. Went back a few days later and got the marshmallow bar. That was AWESOME! There were also so many fun things to buy, and surprisingly, nothing was marked up to tourist prices. Fun for kids, fun for adults, a great way to spend a couple of hours.

When I read the goat bios on their website and it said two goats live out in the pasture behind the market I braced myself for a mini goat graveyard. Luckily (unless you're morbid) the retired goats are very much alive and can be seen roaming and munching on grass. The livelier goats are still perched atop the roof, enjoying getting gawked at. The market is full of a lot of stuff, some of it great (big marshmallows!!) some of it not (Mexican vanilla that isn't all Mexican vanilla). The produce is pretty standard like what you'd find in a grocery store, i.e. mostly imported. The deli section has a good variety of different meats and salmon jerky though. The toys also appeared to be pretty fairly priced. The ice cream place next door is also quite nice, designed like an Italian gelateria, with some nice marble bathrooms next door ("Business is good," opined my husband after a visit). I'd actually like more goats!

Cherry cream soda? Check. Marzipan bars? Check. Japanese lanterns? Check. Wooden swords and shields? Check. Beautiful, fragrant artisan breads? Check. Goats on the roof? Check. It may be a corny tourist spot but I love, love, love, love, LOVE Coombs and its rambunctious little goats leaping along the sod roof of the Old Country Market building. International delights, mouthwatering pastries, and pretty oriental dinnerware are just some of the reasons to stop in Coombs - others include local fruits, rare plants in its garden centre, and insane, delicately carved imported furniture. I just wish they'd design cooler T-shirts, ones that don't feature the warning: pooping goat road sign.

My wife and I stopped in for some Coombs BC bars for my uncle who is not well and a young lady named kacy, or Casey, or k.c. was working the pastry counter and I asked for two bars and she threw them in a bag , upside down and damaged. I told her immediately, "well, those weren't packed with love"... She's young and uneducated on customer service but that's no excuse to treat a long time customer right before Christmas. She needs to be reprimanded for her behavior and not hired back next season. I will no longer buy pastries if she is behind the counter.

Always a favourite activity when I am in the area! This market has it all... your food necessities, cheeses galore, yummy bakery (the loafs and nanaimo bars are the best), artisan everything (sauces, honey, pastas, coffee, teas..etc), a great restaurant and toys/household items! If you're lucky you'll find goats on the roof :) It's fun to browse around, eat a treat or bite at the cafe, browse again and buy little unique things! Make sure to stop by the kid's section at the Voodoo fortune dolls. Parking is best right off the highway then walking across to the market.

Came here to have a relaxing brunch with my Dad. We came at 11am on a Sunday and the breakfast was over. Have they not heard of brunch? So I ended up getting a coffee while my dad had a BLT. I was disappointed to be served coffee in a paper cup for dining in. Super wasteful and not enjoyable to drink out of. Won't be eating here again unless they start serving drink in ceramic like a proper cafe.

Goats on a roof! There are goats on the roof!! At its core this is really an eclectic, slightly strange grocery store with a reasonable cafe in the back... but there are GOATS on the ROOF! Located directly off the small side highway on the way to Tofino, Coombs is always a fun place to stop. Rain or shine you'll find this place packed with tourists admiring the goats, enjoying giant ice creams, and milling around inside the store. We grabbed some food on the way back to Nanaimo and it was pretty good cafe style food. My veggie wrap was filled with fresh vegetables and sundried tomato cream cheese, with a great little salad on the side. Although a little pricey, that's to be expected for what is basically the only locally owned store within an hour's drive (that may be an exaggeration). There's not exactly a lot to do here, but they have some cool food items, some decent deals, and the pepperoni is excellent! Well worth the visit, even if you just stand outside and watch the goats for a while!

Uhm...I think everything in the world is here. From every part of the world. Just to top it off...they have goats on the roof...yup you read that correctly. There is a cool little restaurant inside with some feel good food. We got some really good jerky from the meat shop.

I loved the market... while camping near by I couldn't resist the doughnut shop next to the market. Who can resist those damn goats on the roof.

Cute little town, with goats on the roof but other than that there's not much to do. You could walk around for 20 mins or so and pretty much see all that you need to see. There's a few restaurants and ice cream/coffee spots, and 2 little markets. This would be a great spot for grocery shopping or getting a bite to eat. There's some antique shops and other random shops as well, but I'm not really into stuff like that. In my opinion this wasn't a must see spot.

Goats on a roof? Of course we're making a detour. Other reasons for my excitement: -gnome and unicorn knickknacks -a hearty selection of gluten free foods -easy, fun and local place to pick up the cabin grocery provisions: cheeses, bacon, eggs, bread, milk, plus the extra randoms like Mozart chocolates and island coffee -the cafeteria. True, it's not gourmet, but when you've veered off the highway, bypassing every generic restaurant possible in the middle of nowhere, being able to order a BLT on a gluten free bun with a soup, salad or fries for lunch, that's pretty rad. Not to mention the possibility of seeing the goats, and while we were a little early in the season, it's still a pitstop I'd do again.

Farm animals? On buildings? This I have got to see. If you're driving up from Victoria, this isn't a bad place to stop- they have a restaurant where you can grab a bite, and a shop where you can stop up for the road- including the delicious and artery clogging Nanaimo Bar. Got a little packed in here, and they could probably use a better system for ordering at the pastry counter, but it's a REALLY cute place, although I'm a little weirded out by some of the stuff they sell. Maybe it's my California jaded-ness. Best reason to stop here? Goats on the roof. And no, customs, I was not near any livestock.

I had trouble deciding what category to put this place in, until I spotted "local flavor." I grew up on Vancouver Island, and went to school just down the road from here, so this review is heavily tainted by nostalgia. But this market has GOATS LIVING ON THE ROOF. Goats on the roof = automatic awesomeness. They even have a little house up there. awww. The OCM is a tourist trap extraordinaire. No doubt about it. But they have a great little market, plants, an Ice Cream stand that remains legendary in my memory, all manner of little shops, antiques, so forth and so on. Plus, did I mention there are goats living on the roof?

Goats on the roof? Yes? Yes. Definitely worth a stop for that. In addition, they sell delicious candied salmon--this was my first time eating the stuff, and I considered this a great introduction to it. Their ice cream servings are also massive (and, yes, delicious)--a single gets you two scoops, and a double gets you three scoops. Apparently the math works in your favour in Coombs, and I like it.

If your nerves or muscles feel goaded from being trip roaded for hours, this goat stop will get rid of all of that. I love the absurdity of goats on roofs, and it makes me smile just thinking about their invincible hoofs (i get a kick outta watching their swiftness in the caribbeans). Endless selections of every conceivable typecast of cheese. Berry cheeses, chocolate truffle cheese, beer aged or wine aged cheeses, and so on. After seeing the cheeses alone not to mention the rest of the vast emporium of breads and other taste tantalizers, my world was expanded comparable to Hubble's law. Nearby is ice cream, and I fully endorse my choice of the Nanaimo brownie bar if you wanta fanta. It'll take your tastebuds someplace else in outer space among the planets and their myriad moons.

My parents live in Parksville and every time I visit I insist on going to the Old Country Market. They have so much fun stuff to look at, to buy for cooking, to buy for serving, for playing, to wear, to eat...Oh AND they have goats on the roof!

If Trader Joe's, Gourmet Warehouse, and Ming Wo had a love child with a bit of alimony support from kitschy souvenir store and the 4H club, it would result in Old Country Market! Bakery: Feta and spinach brioche bun and cinnamon stick, were buttery and moist/flaky. Awesome! The bee sting, chocolate croissant, and various bars and tarts made my mouth water as well. Too bad I don't have more stomachs. Deli: Red Dragon cheese (had mustard seeds in it) and salmon jerky were tasty! Great selection of cold and heat smoked salmon, salmon candy and the aforementioned jerky. They also had a great variety of interesting cheeses from around the globe. Groceries: Picked up some local merlot balsamic and red pepper jelly. Impressive Mexican food items like lime powder (to make the might margarita), mole spice packets and , jarred salsas. Ice Cream: Huge! the single scoop at $3.75 was like a double scoop anywhere elseville. Good value, but the ice cream was airy and bit too sweet for my liking. Animals: Like the name says, there are real live goats on the roof! But be warned: it's super busy and maze-like inside the market even on weekdays. Overflow parking is across the street, so snag it if you can. For foodie, ice cream, and animals lovers, it's definitely worth a stop if you're in the Nanaimo area!

WOW!!!!! What an absolutely cool place! We were driving through and decided to check this place out. I found out about it by seeing all those goats pooping off a roof stickers on people's car....for some reason I see them everywhere. Anyways, back to the review... First thing - BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!! This place was packed. Lots of cars parked everywhere and people wondering about. Lots of parking though if you are just patient. The variety inside the store is just amazing. Lots of foods from around the world. Sauces, cheeses, candies, breads, pastas...the list goes on and on. Prices are just as amazing. We were so impressed with how cheap stuff was. Not only food but lots of other cool stuff. Lots of kids toys but not just regular toys - lots of toys made of wood. My son bought a wicked sword and shield for about $12!!! They sell wooded stuff for your kitchen, cool glassware, hammocks, garden stuff - all super cheap but more importantly unique. Make sure you stop here - it is really great and you won't be disappointed. Oh yeah - don't forget to say hi to the goats up on the roof!!

Oh the cheese! There are all sorts of awesome imports from the UK, and the cheese options are amazing. Goats-on-the-roof/the Old Country Market is a must-see! There is a whole little village of stores in the market area as well as great restaurants and ice cream. It's a tourist trap and most things are priced as such, but as imported food is usually a little more expensive, those prices are mostly on par. Great experience. On the island for 10 days and made three separate trips to the market. Love it!

Whoa, I clearly had not been inside the market before. Wow. So cool. Come here for more than just goats on the roof. While goats are super cute and even more amazing when they live on a roof, the market is a tasty treat all in itself. Oh my goodness, the bakery! The smells and delights coming from there made me want to buy up everything. My friend and I shared a little brie and apple pizza thing with our tea. So good. Then I bought a big focaccia bread loaf with roast tomatos, olives and garlic. Heaven. Especially with some balsamic reduction and olive oil. The San Fran sour dough was also amazing. The market carries the strangest selection of goods. Especially the world trade section. Need a hammock? They have lots. Straw mats? You bet. The food selection is pretty neat, too. They stock a ton of hot sauces and BBQ sauces. Maker's Mark BBQ sauce was on special, so I picked some up for the man friend. Bourbon makes tasty sauce. Definitely stop here if you are in there area. Great place to lose yourself for an hour. The restaurant side looks like it has some great food, too.

The store has a great assortment and layout of specialty and gourmet food options, which is worth a visit, but the restaurant (cafeteria) is overpriced and not worth a visit . . . We ordered the lunch special: beef stew and a scone. The small scone was the best part - light, not heavy, nice cheddar and onion flavour. The stew was bland and such a small portion - not worth $10.99. The chalkboard menu showed other typical lunch options overpriced as well. A bottle of Sobe was way overpriced at $3.95. Fountain pop at $2.50. Tourist trap? Pass on the cafeteria . . . .

Coombs country market is everything you hoped it would be! From ice cream, to cheeses, to fresh baked bread to the donuts, this place has it all. (Including a full produce market for those not looking to gain some pounds). If you're on your way to Tofino or Ucluelet make time for this gem. We spent an hour or so in the market checking out their offerings - they have almost every type of hot sauce! Grab a loaf of their jalapeño cheddar bread (so killer warmed up with butter) and a wheel of Qualicum Brie and you've just stepped through the pearly gates. If you're in for a treat, I highly recommend popping into the quaint donut shop attached to the market. My mom and I shared the peanut butter and jam filled chocolate drizzled masterpiece of a donut. It was insane. On fact I want it right now. In our way back to the ferry, we made sure to pop in for an ice cream. Salted caramel is a solid choice. Will be back to this market!

Great place to stop before Nanaimo! Excellent variety of toys (wooden mostly which is great!) that you won't find in other stores. Bought some great gifts for parents as well...soup in a bag so many varieties such a lovely idea! Also found some Bambo utensils at a great price. Huge selection of hot sauces, cheese and ice cream. Never saw the goats but was quite cold so didn't expect to see. Had breakfast and have to say it was really good and reasonably priced for what you got (which was quite a lot). All in all a great little place to stop, shop and eat!

I have been enjoying ice cream at OCM since I was a toddler. Sadly, I don't think I will be coming back anytime soon. I came in with my mother to get an ice cream, and we asked politely if it would be possible to have two flavours in a single size. Now, I worked at a busy ice cream shop every summer when I was in high school, and this was a regular request which my coworkers and I were always happy to fulfill. As a matter of fact, I always found it easier to make two smaller scoops than to wrestle with the ice cream bin until I could pry out one large one. For this reason, we were taken aback when the young lady behind the counter refused our request, citing a policy change. She called over another woman to deal with the "problem customers", and she reiterated what her coworker had said. Visibly annoyed, she also added that if we wanted gelato then she could put two flavours in the tiny, single size gelato cup. We went on to point out that this last part made absolutely no sense, and proceeded to leave. As we were leaving, I quite clearly heard her refer to my 64-year-old mother as a "bitch". I have worked in customer service for years, and have dealt with many customers who acted in far more unreasonable ways than my mother and I, but I never once resorted to degrading slurs. This place has really gone down hill.