Residents and visitors alike walking along Fourth Street and Beacon Avenue in Sidney are sure to have noticed a man sitting outside, making various bead designs.
That man is Robert Schram, known to many locals as Mr. Beads.
Moving here from a recovery house in Vancouver, Schram began his business in the summer, five years ago.
Since then, he has had many people come up to him, requesting various bead designs.
“I do anything, anything anybody asks me, all different types of pictures,” he told the PNR.
He has been doing his bead work for 35 to 40 years and said his favourite piece to do is images of killer whales. That design, he said, tends to sell the quickest.
His pieces start at $300 and go up, depending on the picture.
Mr. Beads has created wolves, bears, ravens, logos for various businesses and more.
Each design takes him around three months to complete. He said feedback has been great from the community and he has been able to meet many different people.
“I meet tourists, I meet regulars, I meet everybody and I’m always polite to them when they come by.”
Schram said he makes around $35 a day form his work and in community donations. He said he uses the money to pay for his materials and groceries.
When asked what his goal is in the future he said, “Just to keep doing it and make people happy.”