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Women in Business: Former leader at Penticton’s Barley Mill reflects on 13 years of memories

‘Any sort of giveback to the community is what fills my cup,’ said Kori Iceton
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Kori Iceton, events manager at the Barley Mill Brew Pub, standing by the pub’s front walkway in March 2023. The born and raised Pentictonite is moving on to work at Giant’s Head Brewery in Summerland. (Logan Lockhart- Western News)

Included in the Wednesday, May 3 print edition is our Women in Business magazine where we highlight South Okanagan women who are making a difference in the community and in the business world. Below is a profile of Kori Iceton, who is featured in the magazine.

Kori Iceton’s return home in November 2011 felt extra special when she first walked through the doors of the Barley Mill Brew Pub.

After spending parts of her mid-20s in Calgary, the Pentictonite packed her bags for home and accepted a position as the pub’s new marketing and events manager that fall.

“I want it to be the friendliest pub in Penticton,” Iceton said at the time.

Close to 13 years later, she thinks it’s become exactly that.

“It’s a comfortable environment for many,” Iceton said in March 2023, when reflecting on a decade-plus tenure at the pub. “You know, there’s a lot of people who live alone all by themselves, believe me, I’ve been in the position where I’m bored when I get home… we wanted to be that place where people can come and feel like their second home.”

Early in April, Iceton said goodbye to who she calls her “second family” at the Barley Mill and embarked on a new journey.

The former leader of the pub is now the operations manager at Giant’s Head Brewery in Summerland.

Iceton’s exit from the Penticton spot, though, hasn’t stopped her from reflecting on the impact she’s had both inside the Barely Mill and across the community.

“The Barley Mill will always have a special place in my heart,” Iceton said. “The building is beautiful, it’s part of Penticton’s history.”

She’s proud of a lot, from trivia and music nights to raising thousands of dollars every year for local charities.

In the name of giving back to the community she loves (and romanticizes over the old days of drive-in-style movies), Iceton brought outdoor film nights on the pub’s patio in July 2022. Proceeds from the movie nights went to BGC Okanagan Club.

Her story at the Barley Mill reached its climax in October 2022, when the pub was nominated for Business of the Year ahead of the 35th annual Penticton Chamber Business Excellence Awards.

“When we got that nomination, I was super proud,” she said. “I would say definitely it was the peak of it all.”

Under Iceton’s leadership, the pub located on Skaha Lake Road — which also serves as Penticton’s longest-running karaoke spot — started hosting meat draws every Sunday, in support of the Rotary Club.

“Any sort of giveback to the community is what fills my cup,” she stated.

Sunday afternoon meat draws officially gave the Barley Mill six days of events every week.

The community-minded Iceton wouldn’t want it any other way.

“I want to lead with a positive foot forward,” Iceton said. “That’s the only way to live I think.”


@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com