After 30 years, a major labour strike, a pandemic, and more than one supply chain crisis, Borealis Kennels is still standing firmly on four paws.
The Yellowknife pet supplier celebrated 30 years in business this past month. But as founder and owner Jo-Ann Cooper explains, the journey hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 been without its roadblocks.
Cooper, who has lived in Yellowknife since 1964, first opened the store on April 27, 1992. SA国际影视传媒淭his was actually a double wide trailer that we gutted and remodeled inside, and then attached a warehouse on one side, and a boarding dog kennel on the other side,SA国际影视传媒� she says.
Little did she know that almost immediately after opening, Yellowknife would be rocked by the Giant Mine labour strike and its resulting violence. SA国际影视传媒淪o there was a lot of turmoil in the city at that time,SA国际影视传媒� says Cooper.
SA国际影视传媒淪o it was kinda like, well, I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to happen.SA国际影视传媒�
Despite the turmoil, the store survived, and Cooper was able to open a second location downtown in 1997. Cooper says this store caters more to smaller animals, like hamsters and rabbits, while the Kam Lake location still primarily serves cats and dogs.
More recently, Borealis has been challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly the resulting supply chain crisis. When it comes to stocking products pet owners depend on, SA国际影视传媒淚 canSA国际影视传媒檛 get it because the distributor canSA国际影视传媒檛 get it. And the distributor canSA国际影视传媒檛 get it because the manufacturer canSA国际影视传媒檛 make it, because the manufacturer canSA国际影视传媒檛 get the raw materials to make it.SA国际影视传媒�
Last yearSA国际影视传媒檚 wildfires in B.C. caused their own supply chain disruption as well. SA国际影视传媒淭hey have all these fish over here. But thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no way to get from B.C. to Alberta, because all the highways are closed. So like I said, itSA国际影视传媒檚 cause and effect, and everything, basically, has a problem down the line.SA国际影视传媒�
Not every milestone has been negative, however: Cooper still remembers the days before the inauguration of the Deh Cho Bridge, when the supply chain would be down for weeks during both the freezing and thawing of the Mackenzie River, when neither the ferry nor trucks could safely pass.
Beyond the major disasters of the past three decades, keeping up with the changing retail landscape can be a challenge as well: Cooper says pet owners are more conscientious about what they feed their animals now than they were 30 years ago, and demand newer, luxury products like freeze-dried ice cream. Cooper also has to compete with SA国际影视传媒� or rather, avoid competing with SA国际影视传媒� big box stores like Walmart and Canadian Tire. If a product is sold at a major outlet, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 little point in trying to sell it at Borealis.
To mark 30 years in the business, Cooper says she has some a few things planned, including a customer appreciation day coming up in July. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e just finalizing the details for that. And then ISA国际影视传媒檓 talking to all of my distributors and getting products and stuff from them. And then weSA国际影视传媒檙e gonna have some freebies here as well. And weSA国际影视传媒檙e gonna do a big barbecue on a Saturday, we just havenSA国际影视传媒檛 figured out which Saturday weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to do it.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 mean, our customers have always been number one,SA国际影视传媒� says Cooper. SA国际影视传媒淎nd I try my hardest.SA国际影视传媒�
