Hmetown Business

Meet your friends and neighbours, who are also your hometown service providers.

Our Friends and

Neighbours
provide us with local services daily.
It takes character, industry and imagination
to be successful in this rugged landscape.
Read the stories on the next
few pages for an insight
into the origins and scope of how they
operate their businesses today.

Valley Firearms
2012 Ltd.

We offer more than

just firearms
1281 Bay Ave, Trail BC
250-368-2242
Toll free 1-866-785-2246
Owners: John Urquhart Sr, John Urquhart Jr.

Valley Firearms started in 2008 in the Pend dOreille Valley, and

moved to downtown Trail in August of 2012. We opened the store
because we saw a lack of service locally for outdoor enthusiasts
looking for quality products. The store is run by father and son ...
with a lot of help from mom. The Urquhart family has been in the
area for five generations.
We have some of the worlds best outdoor recreation at our back
door. Customers drive from Revelstoke, Osoyoos and the Elkford
regularly to shop at the store, then return home. Hunting is the only
real free range, organic protein supply, but we offer a lot more than
just firearms and shooting supplies. Other products include hiking
boots, fishing gear, sausage making supplies, wool pants, backpacks,
dried food, flashlights, and optics for birdwatching.

Our business allows us to personally interact and assist customers in

their quest for outdoor enjoyment. We enjoy the challenge of finding
new products and services to offer our customers.
John Jr. was a game warden in Manitoba for eight years, and John
Senior was an auxiliary RCMP member for thirteen years. Our staff
are very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. They bring
so much knowledge and experience from prior employment and
ventures, having worked as hunting guides and adventure leaders.
Our future plans for Valley Firearms involves having more of an
online presence. The people in the Kootenay area have been so
supportive of our business. This is home for us and our family.
Pennywise

May 26, 2015

PAGE 31

Hmetown Business

Meet your friends and neighbours, who are also your hometown service providers.

Lil Ts Caf

A little bit of everything!

2905 Hwy Drive, Trail
250-364-2955 Liltcafe@shaw.ca
Owner: Teresa Lucas
Teresa Lucas, with the help of her sister, opened Lil Ts Caf over
fourteen years ago in Trail, BC. Teresas sister stayed involved
in the restaurant for the first ten years. One of the best parts of
running a restaurant in Trail, according to Teresa, is that It gives
me a chance to meet a variety of people from all walks of life. A
question you will hear all the time is Where are you from? and
the conversation after that is always interesting.
Teresa adds that there is great local support for the restaurant.
Everyone knows each other, and has respect for each other.
Even though we have forgotten a tea bag in the tea cup on the
odd occasion!
People come from far and away too, and then have left glowing
compliments like this one from Trip Advisor:
What a lovely cafe in Trail. Stopped in for lunch and what a
wonderful lunch it was. I ordered a burger and fries and they use
real potatoes for their fries. No one uses real potatoes any more.

Front row: Teresa, Chris Back row: Cindy, Melba

The burger was huge. There was beef in the burger, no fillers just
beef and it was soooo tasty. OMG Foothills ice cream for dessert!
A friendly and comfortable place for a meal.
Teresa buys locally, from the local grocer no big chains. Produce
is also fresh and local, to spread the business to all of us. Now
serving dinner, with an expanded menu including gluten-free
options, at Lil Ts Cafe there is also fully licensed patio dining.

The ONLY solution is Auto Solutions

8045 Old Waneta Road 250-368-8110
kootenayautosolutions.com
Owner Karl Folvik and Manager Bill Messer were born and raised
in this area and attended J.L. Crowe school. They have known each
other all their lives and have been car people since they were kids.
Karls passion for working on vehicles when he was growing up led
him to the apprenticeship program at Selkirk College, completing
the program as a Journeyman in 1988. Bill apprenticed locally as
well and now the two mechanics have their own apprentice, Vicky.
Another employee, Rob, is a full time technician at the garage.
Auto Solutions was officially opened on November 1st, 2014. This
venture has given Karl and Bill an avenue to do what they love
work on cars and help people out. With Karls fondness for European
cars contrasting with Bills preference for Detroit muscle, the two are
an unlikely but effective and versatile duo, and they admit they work
well together.
PAGE 32

May 26, 2015

Pennywise

Expansion of the business is presently in the works. The company

has ordered two more hoists and a wheel alignment machine. These
should be operational in June. Bill and Karl also plan to stock a
greater number of tire types and brands, and expect to eventually
hire another mechanic.
We hope to keep doing the job
for the next long while. We have a
passion for auto repair and helping
people in this tight knit community.
People here give back, and help each
other. We look forward to being here
for the next twenty years, helping
people in the Kootenay Boundary
with their cars and trucks.

Hmetown Business

Meet your friends and neighbours, who are also your hometown service providers.

Selkirk Security Services Ltd

Do You Use Protection?

250-368-3103 www.selkirksecurity.ca
Selkirk Security opened its doors in 2006. In 2014 William Trowell
bought out his business partners and became sole owner of the
company which now has over 50 dedicated staff, including Security
& Fire/Safety Technicians, Security Guards and Alarm Responders.
Its guard division has expanded immensely with many high profile
clients, and the team is in demand from local government, Vancouver
companies and even international firms planning or currently doing
work in the Kootenays. In the coming year William plans to increase
the Fire and Safety Services Division even more.
Selkirk Securitys technical division now boasts the largest team of
qualified technicians in the Kootenays, including ASTT Certified
Fire/Safety Technicians. Combined, the staff has the knowledge and
experience of over 100 years in the professional security and safety
fields. They understand that everyone has a choice of security and
safety service providers and they take pride in their high level of
customer service and in offering the best pricing that their clients
deserve. It is because of their clients that Selkirk Security Services
has won the Kootenay Best in Business Award for the last eight
years, and they thank each and every one of them for that honour.

Its a standard truth within the security industry that a close relationship with the RCMP is invaluable. Through their established
relationship with the law enforcement community, Selkirk Security
helps to deter vandalism and crime in the Kootenay & Boundary
Regions. Since the staff is working in their own back yard, they are
especially motivated and equipped to carry out the company values
of Professionalism, Respect, Knowledge and Trust.
Since 2006, William Trowell (founder & owner) along with Joya
McIntyre (manager) have dedicated their knowledge, experience
and community pride to the growth of Selkirk Security and both
are proud of their team. They put their clients and community first,
with donations of equipment or services to community organizations. Some of the cornerstone events they assist with include Trail
Smoke Eaters games, Robson 2014 & 2015 Firefighter Games and
the Rossland Winter Carnival.

Well Keep You Talking!

Ta
1235 Bay Ave, Trail 250-364-1004
250-3
BV Communications started way back in 1979 as Beaver Valley Electronics. By the mid nineties it had outgrown its basement location
and in 1997 Neil and Leslie Walker bought into the business as principal shareholders. The two now work with their son Brandon, who like
his father is also an electronics technologist, and three other knowledgeable and hardworking staff.
The electronics communication market is always changing and
everyone at BV loves checking out emerging technologies. Every day
is a challenge coming up with new ideas on how to implement the
technology to give their customers the best bang for the buck.
They recently rolled out the areas first wide coverage digital radio
network which allows one to communicate instantly throughout
the West Kootenay/Boundary area with the press of a button. While
similar businesses are shutting down their radiotelephone networks,
the Walkers are breathing new life into their system with VoIP communications which allows users toll free calling throughout North
America.
Besides serving their customers in the store on Bay Avenue, the network infrastructure in the backcountry must be serviced regularly.

Many years ago, Neil and a co-worker had to access a site in the high
alpine. When we parked the truck we could see, not far below, a very
large male grizzly bear digging for food, Neil relates. After hiking up
to the site, we could still look down and get a good view of the truck,
and the bear which was still there. By the time we finished, a fog had
rolled in and we could no longer see below. Scrambling down, we
turned the last corner and were about 200 feet from the truck and
there was the bear grunting at us. With not even a bear banger, we
spent the longest ten minutes of our lives trying to ward off the bear,
yelling and banging rocks together. Finally, the bear sauntered off.
At the truck, I radioed my boss and told him of the situation. I asked
him what I should have done differently. He laughed and told me
Repeat after meOur Father, Who art in Heaven
Pennywise

May 26, 2015

PAGE 33

Hmetown Business

Meet your friends and neighbours, who are also your hometown service providers.

Discover the Great Outdoors in the Kootenays

Discov

1470 Hwy 3B, Fruitvale 250-367-6216

Toll Free 1-888-989-1615
www.barretthondayamaha.com
Gordon Barretts mom and dad started Barrett Motorsports &
Equipment in 1952, selling Terry travel trailers and Wacanda boats.
They began selling Honda motorcycles in 1960. Gordons brothers,
Allan and Brian, also worked in the business until Gordon took over
in 1995.
Barretts is one of the oldest Honda dealerships (if not the oldest) in
Canada. They sold some of the very first S600 Honda cars in Canada.
Gordon started to ride a Honda motorcycle when he was 3 years old,
and still loves to ride today.
Gordon enjoys getting to know people, so having a small, family-run
business allows him to get to know the customers on a first name
basis. It is an opportunity to help other people enjoy the things he
loves to do most: ride motorcycles, go snowmobiling, and explore
the unparalleled beauty of the West Kootenay by ATV. And he loves
that the staff bring their dogs to work as Barrett greeters.

Gordon grew up in Fruitvale, and he still thinks the West Kootenay has the most beautiful scenery, and fantastic areas to explore,
everywhere you look. It is the perfect place for anybody who loves
the outdoors, and he cant imagine living anywhere else. He also like
living in a small community where you have the chance to get to
know people better than you might in a larger centre.
This may date him, but Gordon has been dealing with some of his
customers for over 40 years, and he is putting their grandkids on
motorcycles today. His main mechanic, Sandy, has been with Barretts for over 15 years, and he too loves being out enjoying the West
Kootenay.

DJM Contracting Ltd.

2096 Second Avenue, Rossland
250-362-2151
www.DJMContracting.com
Owners: Justin Tanguay, Mark Daugherty

DJM Contracting Ltd. started business in November, 2011, when

Justin Tanguay and and Mark Daugherty merged their separate
companies. Says Justin We have well over 30 years experience
between us and can offer a wide range of services. Merging the
companies into DJM gave us more manpower, equipment and
resources with which to grow the business. In three short years we
have exceeded our goals and are continuing to exceed that in 2015.

The business is challenging and always progressing. It gives us

the opportunity to offer our services for commercial and highend residential custom homes with the guarantee of top quality
professionalism. Were a company that backs up what we do,
knowing we will be here tomorrow. This offers peace of mind
to clients. We provide our contracting services as far as the
Okanagan and the East Kootenay as well.

We have a decent sized crew that is working year round, and we are
proud that we can offer such stability to our employees. Each of us
has a family with young children and our wives have supported us by
allowing us to work long and sometimes unpredictable hours.

We love this area. Everyone in our families love outdoor

recreation, and this area offers pretty much all that we like to
do ... and its safe and peaceful.

PAGE 34

May 26, 2015

Pennywise