After a long and challenging process, Jennifer Baerg Steyn has emerged as the new owner of Yellowknife Book Cellar, taking over from founder Judith Drinnan.

The transition of ownership was put in motion 14 months ago.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot to take on,SA国际影视传媒� said Baerg Steyn. SA国际影视传媒淲e had a friend offering business advice and they said it would be like a rollercoaster, which it definitely was. Fighting with the bank about getting money sorted. In the end, we had to get help from our family because small businesses are not what the banks want to put money behind right now.SA国际影视传媒�

The biggest remaining challenge is staffing, an issue common among small business owners, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淩ight now, ISA国际影视传媒檓 trying to balance my ownership side of things with filling in for staff who canSA国际影视传媒檛 work,SA国际影视传媒� said Baerg Steyn. SA国际影视传媒淏eing aware that I was doing that a bit earlier in the month and just working until 7 (p.m.) and then doing Saturdays or Sundays, itSA国际影视传媒檚 tough.SA国际影视传媒�

There were other difficulties as well, such as keeping the secret of new ownership SA国际影视传媒� made official on Jan. 4 SA国际影视传媒� from becoming public knowledge until the time was right for an official announcement.

SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want people to feel like Judith wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 present or that there was this great uncertainty of who the person would be, because I understand ISA国际影视传媒檓 not a long-term Yellowknifer,SA国际影视传媒� said Baerg Steyn, who comes from Vancouver. SA国际影视传媒淭his is a precious institution for people and I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want there to be this panic of, SA国际影视传媒極h, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 an outsider, and who knows what sheSA国际影视传媒檒l do to the store.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 understood just how significant this was,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

As for DrinnanSA国际影视传媒檚 future? Retirement isnSA国际影视传媒檛 on her to-do list right now. She will continue to do consulting work and keep her fingers active in the literary world, according to Baerg Steyn.

SA国际影视传媒淚n my experience of Judith, she doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 really have a slow down phase,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

While striving to maintain the legacy of what Drinnan created in the Book Cellar over the past 40 years, Baerg Steyn also noted that she does have some changes coming to encourage community engagement.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think the reality is that the store has to also evolve with the community. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know weSA国际影视传媒檙e the same community that we were 42 years ago when Judith first started the store, or any time in the last 42 years,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e gotten some good feedback, people want an open mic night. I had some suggest that maybe we do art showings. ISA国际影视传媒檓 open to making this more of a community space, because we have those in town, but it would be nice to just add one more to the list.SA国际影视传媒�

With the current Covid-19 situation, however, Baerg Steyn continues to be observant of the pandemic restrictions so as not to risk transmission among staff or customers.

Moving forward, Steyn hopes for continued local support for the Book Cellar, and other small businesses, especially during the pandemic.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think about every small business SA国际影视传媒� the restaurants, the yoga centre,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淵es, we have the big box stores like Walmart and Canadian Tire, but we have a lot of small places that have done their best to get through this, and as a community, we really need those places.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey are what gives diversity and life to this community.SA国际影视传媒�