Lindsay Chung
Tribune Contributor
It was a chance to live and work in a small town and a chance to move out west.
When Brad and Nancy O’Neill came across the opportunity to buy the Williams Lake Canadian Tire store, they found many reasons to say yes.
The O’Neills purchased the store in mid-April and arrived here in May. They call Ontario’s Niagara region home and moved here from Richmond Hill, Ont., where they also owned a Canadian Tire store.
Brad said it was an easy decision to come to Williams Lake.
“It was a great business opportunity for us,” he said. “It’s a great store, a great community. It was a step ahead for us. It’s a great place to live and work. We love the smaller-town, small-city feel — you’re close to the community, and everyone knows you. When the opportunity came up, we jumped at it. My wife has always wanted to live on the West Coast, and it gave us the opportunity.”
Brad and Nancy said they like living in small towns, and before buying the Canadian Tire store in Richmond Hill, they lived and owned a store in a small, rural town in Newfoundland.
“It’s a more relaxed way of life and you feel more at ease in a small town,” said Brad. “We have a good nucleus of long-term employees, and they give the business instant credibility and stability.”
For Nancy, she enjoys and appreciates the friendliness and openness of the people of Williams Lake.
“Just that whole atmosphere — everyone’s so community-minded.”
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Before becoming a Canadian Tire owner/operator, Brad spent 23 years in the newspaper business, working as a financial executive. As the industry changed and he found himself needing to give employees bad news, he started to look for new opportunities.
“We started researching franchises to find out how we could control our own destiny,” he says.
Nancy had a career as a public health nurse for 18 years and together the two also raised a son and a daughter who were both athletes very involved in hockey and soccer.
With their children leaving the nest, the couple determined Canadian Tire was their best opportunity to travel, work and try something new.
“We thought now was the time to start our own adventure,” Nancy said, noting their 28-year-old son and 25-year-old daughter are both currently living in the U.S.
In 2007, the O’Neills purchased their first Canadian Tire store in Prescott, Ont. Williams Lake is now the fourth store they have owned.
She describes them as both very involved, hands-on owners who can be found at the store most days and credits their decision to be a part of the Canadian Tire franchise with seeing the country.
“We would never have gone to these communities otherwise.”
Nancy said they have really enjoyed the Cariboo so far. They have been getting to know the area, driving down through the Fraser Canyon, driving to Whistler, hiking, golfing, horseback riding and whitewater rafting.
“The scenery here is so beautiful. There’s so much here to keep us entertained,” she said, adding they’re excited to be in Williams Lake.
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“We’re certainly looking forward to becoming citizens of the city and being part of the business and social community,” added Brad. “We love our business and love our staff – they are the heart and soul of our business. We love to spend time in our store and want people to come in and introduce themselves.”
The Williams Lake Canadian Tire store has 40,000 square feet of retail space and about 85 staff members. Brad said it is a challenge finding staff, as they work to grow the business and they are looking for more, which is something he is hearing from several businesses in the area.
Looking ahead, the couple have some remodeling and new product introduction plans for the store. Customers will start to see those changes come to fruition late this year and into next.
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