Wolseley perfumer given reprieve in dispute with city

A perfumer who sells fragrances from a store on the first floor of his home in Wolseley won’t have to close in mid-November after all.

Michael O’Malley says La Parfumerie can stay open while the municipal government processes a conditional use order, which he planned to submit Wednesday.

“If we have to go through city council again… I’ll need a lot of people from my community to show up,” O’Malley said. “I hate to have to keep doing this… I’m just incredibly grateful to the people of Winnipeg.”

He had feared he’d have to shutter the business, which he has operated in his 145 Evanson St. home for 27 years.

City of Winnipeg staff had told him he must change zoning for the store or end walk-in customer traffic and apply to have appointment-based sales.

He was given several deadlines, which were extended to Nov. 16. The city of Winnipeg confirmed Wednesday O’Malley has been granted another extension while he applies for the new conditional use order.

City enforcement will be paused while the application is processed, O’Malley said.

In 2015, his conditional use zoning permit was rejected. He and community members appealed the case to city councillors, which led to a 10-year conditional use zoning permit that expired in 2025.

If the 2026 order is denied and appealed, the process could reach into early 2027, O’Malley said.

The owner said rezoning could cost $50,000 and halting walk-in traffic isn’t feasible.

He said 30 to 40 customers walk in monthly. Seventy per cent of the revenue comes from website orders and shipments.

City of Winnipeg spokeswoman Deborah Bowers said in a statement the previous conditional use approval never authorized retail sales.

She said the city followed up on a complaint about La Parfumerie this year and found the company was operating without a conditional use approval, which is in violation of the zoning bylaw.

“While businesses can apply for conditional use approvals that would allow them to serve customers or clients in-home on a small scale, these approvals do not permit retail sales,” Bowers wrote.

“(They) also generally limit customers on site to by appointment only.”

Rules are in place to prevent small businesses from “unduly” affecting residential communities, and to ensure accessibility and fire code requirements are met, Bowers continued.

La Parfumerie launched a petition opposing the City of Winnipeg’s ultimatum in September. It has garnered more than 2,775 signatures.

Brendan Enns, co-owner of Organic Planet Worker Co-op, which is across the street on Westminster Avenue, said he’d support La Parfumerie if the owner has to go to city hall.

“We’re all happy about it,” Enns said about the extension. “(La Parfumerie has) been a member of our community of stores for a long time, and we don’t see any reason why they should have to close or change how they operate.”

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com