After almost three decades of helping women find the perfect fit, Jackie Carter is closing Night Owls Lingerie today at Broadmead Village Shopping Centre.

"It's been a wonderful business with so many loyal customers ... it was a hard decision," said Carter, who specialized in fitting brassieres as well as selling lingerie and sleepwear. She founded Night Owls on Oak Bay Avenue in 1983 and moved to Broadmead five years ago.

Carter recently turned 65 and wanted to spend more time with her four grandchildren instead of signing another long-term lease. "The last three weeks have been incredible with people coming in and saying they'll miss us," said Carter. She was grateful to her long-term staff - Peg Brimbacome, who has worked at Night Owls for 12 years, and Lorraine Jasmin and Hilary Sing, each with five years. A native of Britain, Carter got her retail start at Harrods and later became an flight attendant for British Airways. She moved with her husband who was in the hotel business to Bermuda and eventually to Victoria.

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Former BBC and CBC broadcaster Deirdre Roberts is the new chairwoman of the Victoria Foundation. The foundation also added two new directors - Karen DeMeo, a cabinet analyst in the Office of the Premier, and Judy Pryce, a chartered accountant and certified management consultant, while Pryce.ca Consulting Inc. owner Steve McKerrell will continue as past chair with returning board members Gloria Back, Sandra Harper, Andrew Jackson, Mark Litwin, Peter Malcolm, Heather Raven and Bob Worth. Chuck Burkett, Kathryn Dawson and Richard Izard leave the board - Burkett to become president of the foundation's honorary governors.

Past-president Ian Izard will remain a member of the honorary governors. The Victoria Foundation also announced the appointment of Rita Lord, CA, as finance director and Stephanie Slater as communications director. Lord was previously director of financial planning and analysis at Coast Capital Savings and replaces Susan Lucato, who now has a financial consulting practice. Slater had previously worked for Royal Roads as director of community relations. She replaced Shannon DrewBurrows, who is now senior admissions associate at St. Michaels University School.

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On The Move: Gardening store Dig This is moving out of Market Square to an exterior spot at the Bay Centre at 636 Fort St. That space was previously occupied by Feyes + Hobbs Catering Arts Inc., which is reopening at 2249 Oak Bay Ave. ...

Long-time tenant Marlin Travel is leaving Hillside Centre and setting up in Cadboro Bay Village opposite Peppers Foods.

Manager Janine Varney said the new office will open Wednesday at the corner of Sinclair and Cadboro Bay Road. The phone number remains the same 2505951181 ... Chartered accountant Erin Solbakken has moved her practice to 202-830 Shamrock St. Call 250-590-5211 ... Former Copeland designer Brad Felt has launched CreativeJuices, a design, branding and advertising agency. Call 250-508-1409 or check www.creativejuices.ca ...

Ideba Marketing Inc., which has offices in Victoria, Seattle and Portland, has added James Rice as chief digital officer. Rice will be based in Portland where he previously worked at Ascentium ... Tom Syer and Denise Dalmer have left provincial government posts to join the Business Council of B.C. Syer will serve as VP of policy and communications and Dalmer as director of environment and sustainability, with both reporting to chief policy officer Jock Finlayson.

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Greg Warren is opening a new sign business on the West Shore Monday. The Sign Pad will provide all types of indoor and outdoor signs, vehicle wraps and promotional products and embroidery at 103-2675 Wilfert Rd., just opposite Lee Valley Tools in Colwood. Warren has been in the business for a decade and learned the trade with his parents Jim and Sue Sutherland who owned a sign business in View Royal for many years. Both the Sutherlands and Warren's brother, Lyle, will help out. It will also bring Jim Sutherland, who spent 32 years as a Victoria cop, out of a brief retirement after leaving Steve Drane Harley Davidson as general manager last fall. Call 250-590-7785.

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The Oak Bay Marine Group's Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort in the Bahamas has been named one of the top five hotels in the Caribbean - and the only one to make the list in the Bahamas - by TripAdvisor, which compiles the data based on votes from travellers. Marine group CEO Bob Wright acquired the property on four miles of white sand in 1991. It has 20 bungalow rooms and 20 villas on Long Island, a 40-minute flight from Nassau. The resort is managed by two Canadians and is the largest employer on Long Island with 50 local staff. Cape Santa Maria made the cover of Frommer's 2010 guidebook for the Bahamas.

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Hats off: Margaret Lucas, manager of the Hotel Rialto, has won the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Victoria. Lucas has been involved in the local hospitality industry for more than 25 years and has been a tireless advocate of rejuvenating downtown.

dkloster@timescolonist.com