Bethenny Frankel's visit to B.C. city gives businesses a boost

A reality star from the Big Apple, has taken a bite out of Abbotsford.

Reality TV star, Bethenny Frankel spent two weeks in Fraser Valley shooting a movie. During her time off she embraced local restaurants and shops, posting reviews of her purchases online.

“Everyone told me there is nothing going on in Abbotsford,” Frankel posted online. “But I think it’s one of the most interesting towns I’ve ever been in.”

Frankel is known for her role on the Real Housewives of New York City – one of the earliest shows in the blockbuster Bravo franchise that highlights the wealthy castmates' lavish lifestyle and frequent blow-ups.

But the people who work at the businesses Frankel visited said she didn’t act like a diva at all.

"(She’s) really sweet, super high energy, she really does give that warm like embodiment, she wants everybody to feel empowered,” said Veda Taylor-McDonald who served Frankel at Mr. Munchies, a candy store.

“She said, ‘You’re going to lose your marbles, I’m going to make you famous’,” said Taylor-McDonald.

“All of a sudden people started asking me about her. And then our Tiktok blew up.”

But the reality star brought more than a boost to social media views, it also brought in customers, Taylor-McDonald said.

And Frankel's influence is being felt at other businesses in the city, according to Tourism Abbotsford. But beyond that – it's made people a little more proud to live in the city.

"It's created community pride. With the swell of that people are like, ‘Wow a housewife who has travelled the world is loving our community,” said executive director Clare Seeley,.

“I think what makes her the most authentic is that when she doesn’t like something, she’ll say it. So we know all the love she’s given our community – she genuinely means it.”

Eating and shopping her way through Abbotsford also landed Frankel at Lully’s, a popular hotdog stand in the parking lot of a Canadian Tire.

It’s also a business with an important mission – connecting kidney donors to people who need transplants. Owner Skully White, who donated his kidney to a customer in 2020, said the impact of Frankel's visit was almost immediately felt.

"Eleven people in 36 hours stepped forward to start the paperwork to become living donors, I was almost in tears when the dust settled in my brain,” said White, who said he typically sees somewhere between three and five inquiries per month.

White also said it was very clear why his business was suddenly booming, bringing more customers and more prospective donors to his stand.

"I talked to almost everybody that came up and said, ‘First timer?’ They’d be like, ‘yeah.’ And I'd be like ‘Bethenny?’ And they'd be like, ‘yeah!’" he said.

As for the hot dog? The New Yorker gave her stamp of approval.

"This is the best hot dog I've ever had in my life, and I grew up going to Nathan's,” Frankel said in her video.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Bethenny Frankel (@bethennyfrankel)