Terrace's Graham Avenue Podcast
Scott and Kyle host Terrace's Graham Avenue podcast—an 'unfunny lifestyle podcast about Terrace, BC.' Terrace-ites through and through, both Scott and Kyle graduated from Canada's best small university with a bachelor of commerce each.
Growing up, neither Scott nor Kyle felt that Terrace was a special place. Now that they're older and have witnessed so many people choose to move here and build their lives around everything Terrace offers, their perspectives have shifted. Their podcast highlights the amazing and interesting people who have made Terrace their home and topics about the town's past, present and future. "The community lifts us up, and we're happy to return the favour," says both of them.
We had the opportunity to ask these locals a few questions about the podcast, Terrace, themselves, and—of course—coffee. Grab a cup and dig in!
What was the inspiration for the Graham Avenue Podcast? Did you start out to highlight Terrace people and life, or was it really just to talk about the Leafs and the Grammys?
S: Our friend Spencer Bell wanted something to listen to during his work commute from Prince George to Vanderhoof. We started recording G.A.P. to keep him awake going to and from work. It ended up evolving to help dozens of commuters.
K: We like to talk about things that interest us, so chips, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and how much I hate Toronto Maple Leafs come up frequently.
Our friend Spencer Bell wanted something to listen to during his work commute from Prince George to Vanderhoof. We started recording G.A.P. to keep him awake going to and from work. It ended up evolving to help dozens of commuters. —Scott
Have you driven the bus on its evolution over 90+ episodes, or has it taken on a life of its own? What has been the biggest influence on your content development?
S: It's definitely a combination of the two. In the early days, we did brainstorming and idea creation, but we also received so many cool segment ideas from fans. I think the people that embrace and listen to G.A.P. have the biggest influence on the show. Every once in a while, I'll meet someone at an event, and they'll tell me they listen to the podcast. Hearing that always makes me want to keep recording.
K: With music, your influences play a big part in your sound and the direction you take as a musician, but with podcasting, I don't think we have any influences. I think our main influences are the people and places around us in Terrace. There's a lot of good content there, haha.
How did the podcast change during the pandemic, or how did it play a role in your experience of the pandemic?
S: It's funny; we started recording more at the beginning of the pandemic, thinking people would have more time to listen in. What actually happened was that people weren't listening during their commutes or at their desk job.
Still, we received a lot of support from the G.A.P. community and managed to get in some great online interviews. It was a great way to stay connected to listeners as well.
K: My dad got sick and passed away during COVID. He loved the podcast, and I was able to take an episode to honour him and talk about the experience of losing someone to cancer. Due to Covid restrictions, we weren't able to have a celebration of life, so I am really grateful I had the podcast to do that.
My dad got sick and passed away during COVID. . . I was able to take an episode to honour him. . . Due to Covid restrictions, we weren't able to have a celebration of life, so I am really grateful I had the podcast to do that. —Kyle
What do you do in Terrace outside of the podcast?
Scott: Outside of the pod, I like to get outside hiking, rock climbing, skiing, and taking photos. Growing up, I didn't have much appreciation for the outdoors, and I'm now trying to overcompensate for that. I also like to write food brands and demand they bring back discontinued products. I am still working on reinstating the Kettle brand Hawaiian B.B.Q. Chips and the P'Zone.
Kyle: I also never left my basement on the bench for the first 22 years of my life, but now I enjoy skiing and hiking. I also play in two bands right now, The Stanfields and Stop Motion Video. When I'm not playing music, I also enjoy reading and watching the Leafs get completely dismantled in the playoffs after finally winning a round since freakin' 2004 with three 11-million-dollar players who can't score one goal in the second round.
What is your favourite go-to coffee shop in Terrace? Why?
Scott: I like to go to the Terrace Visitor's Centre. I've been told I am one of two "regulars" that they have. It's my version of being on Cheers. Bert's Deli is another great spot for me; I love Vietnamese-style coffee.
Kyle: My two favourite places are The Fix because I am a south side nationalist and Bert's Deli - unless Richard is there… He's a Habs fan.
I understand when coffee is good, but I can drink gas station coffee and still enjoy it. —Kyle
Do you consider yourselves coffee aficionados/nerds? What are your favourite beans, roasts, and preparation? If none of that applies—do you take milk in your coffee or drink it black? How many cups a day do you drink on average?
Scott: When I was in Melbourne (which is in Australia, where I lived), I learned a lot about coffee. Mainly, I learned how to be pretentious about it. I'm more on the light-medium roast side and primarily a proud, twice-a-day, french press, black coffee drinker. That being said, I love a good flat white.
Kyle: Before Scott moved in, I drank Keurig coffee and loved it. I understand when coffee is good, but I can drink gas station coffee and still enjoy it. If I had to choose, I would say I like a French-pressed coffee steeped for about 20 minutes because I forgot I was making coffee. I am a hard-nosed guy, so I prefer my coffee black.
Tune into The Graham Avenue Podcast on Apple Music or Spotify.