Nicholas Donaldson
After 30 years of ownership, Greg and Shelly Gustafson have passed The Great Bear onto new owners.
Jordan and Katie Stus officially took over the business on March 1 and are excited about the opportunity.
Katie Stus (nee Cuthbertson) grew up in the area and went to Thunder Bay to pursue her post-secondary education, where she became a licensed massage therapist.
She has worked in the area since moving back here about eight years ago.
Her husband was born and raised in Atikokan, and previously worked for Ontario Hydro, which meant he was going all over the area.
Jordan Stus was working away for the first six months of his daughter’s life (she is now one year old) and decided he wanted something closer to home.
“Working away from home all of the time, I had to find a different job,” he explained.
“We had looked at maybe buying a fishing resort before this,” said Katie, though adding they never really jumped on anything.
But when the sale of The Great Bear came up, they decided to try it.
At first they were hesitant to take this on because of their young daughter, Brielle.
“Once we had talked with Greg and Shelly, we knew we could do this,” Katie noted.
“I asked her straight up, ‘Is this doable for us?'”
Katie explained the Gustafsons were in a similar situation when they started the business, with a young child of their own.
This convinced Katie that they weren’t “completely crazy” for trying this.
Still, the task was more than they expected.
“We didn’t really know what we were getting into completely,” admitted Jordan.
“You see gas station and resort but it is so much more.”
Jordan has been working at The Great Bear for about six months now, learning the ropes and getting used to the business, which is located on Highway 11 a few kilometres east of the Noden Causeway.
“I’m still not even close to knowing all of it; this is just the start,” he conceded.
Jordan noted the Gustafsons most likely will stick around for two-five years to help them out.
“They want the business to succeed,” Katie stressed.
There is still a lot to learn, with new little things popping up every day.
“You have to stay on top of it,” Jordan said. “And if you don’t what to stay on top of, it is difficult.”
The couple also said how grateful they are to have a knowledgeable staff to lean on.
The staff know what to do and have been teaching them about the daily tasks that need to be completed.
“It’s a whole new exciting experience,” Katie remarked.
The couple has announced that the Stix & Stones brand has been brought into the store, which was done completely by the new owners.
Katie explained it was mostly her work as she was home with their daughter.
“I was too busy learning the books and everything,” noted Jordan.
The brand is an outdoor clothing line by a graphic designer and an angler from southern Ontario.
It previously has been available online only but decided to put their clothing in The Great Bear.
“We were the very first ones they said yes to,” enthused Katie, adding a store in Manitoba now may be the only other one to carry the brand.
It already has been a hit with customers.
“There are already people asking if we are going to keep this in here,” noted Jordan.
“I always tell them yes, as long as people keep buying it.”
He added he also wanted to get more tackle in the store and appeal to more anglers.
But for now, the new owners are focusing on running things as is, maintaining the Shell name, and adding things in later.
“Run things as they are for now,” Jordan reasoned.
“Then we’ll put our own little twist on it,” added Katie.
The couple said they’re excited about running the business, but did have a few reservations along the way.
“There have been things that made us think, “Oh man, are we sure?'” Katie admitted.
“If we didn’t have those moments, we’d be crazy” she added.
“It still beats working away from your family,” Jordan concluded.
Jordan said that while working for Ontario Hydro, he was in Geraldton, Thunder Bay, Dryden, and Kenora.
“Everywhere but Fort Frances,” he joked.
The couple said they were ready to take the plunge back in August, but the process was more difficult than they initially thought.
“It was supposed to happen earlier but these things take time as we have learned,” Jordan explained.
With their marriage, the birth of their daughter, and the purchase of the business all in the past year, the couple definitely are looking toward the future.
“I don’t know how we are going to top it next year,” Katie laughed.
The couple recently went on a vacation with their daughter and family at the end of February.
They agreed it was a nice break before they officially took over The Great Bear.
“We will be vacationing every year,” Katie said, adding they know they need to keep a personal life and not be all business all the time.
But for now, the couple said customers can watch for sales to clear out some winter inventory.
A grand opening to celebrate the change of ownership also is in the works.
