![]() Kajita, on a rare break from the back of the store where everything is made, casts an eye over to the door each time it opens. Behind the counter, friendly staff steadily retrieve cookies and pastries from the case, adding them to brown paper bags or boxes. Still, regular customers abound, and new ones show up through word of mouth. Today, they go to the office and then stop in at the Tim Hortons or Starbucks in the lobby. A few decades ago, he says, people would stop in at the bakery for something to take to the office. The changes in what people are looking for in a bakery have not escaped his notice. It’s a hard-won lesson, and it means that when there are too many cake orders coming in at one time, he’s not afraid to turn down the excess in order to ensure the work is steady and all cakes are given the same care and attention. In downturns, he scales back to make certain he never has to lay anyone off. When the bakery is busy, he works longer hours. He has avoided laying off employees, and that means avoiding the varying staff levels needed in a fluctuating economy. ![]() Through the boom-and-bust ups and downs in Calgary, he has remained steadfast on one thing: his staff will not be impacted by the price of oil. Kajita has simplified his business in the last few years, shutting down wholesale production and turning down work when too many special orders are coming in. Over the years, Kajita has expanded the business, opening new locations, only to ultimately shut them down again, retaining only the Tuxedo Park store. After working in Calgary for a few years, he set out on his own, opening the original Amandine in the southeast community of Dover before moving to the community of Tuxedo Park on Centre Street north. Growing up in Nagoya, Japan, Kajita got his start in the world of small business by helping out his parents at their confectionary. In this case, though, it’s the tradition of the European pastries and breads Kajita learned to make in Germany, France and Switzerland before moving to Canada to work in Montreal, Vancouver and at the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.Shimobayashi family friend and fellow bakery owner Shotaro Kajita has also stuck to tradition with Amandine, a bakery that has been in business for 40 years. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. ![]() We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family. ![]() Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.Ĭulture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special. Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.Ĭulture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful - and this is still in our DNA today.
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