By Derek Cornet

Drifts and Waves owners preparing for month-end closure after 25 years

Aug 21, 2018 | 12:00 PM

It’s been 25 years since the owners of Drifts and Waves first opened their business and now the couple are preparing to close their doors for good.

 “We do want to thank the community for supporting us over the years,” said Elaine Klassen, who owns Drifts and Waves with her husband, Don. “We’re very grateful for people shopping locally.”

The Klassens opened their business in May 1993 doing prop repairs and selling Arctic Cat snowmobiles. The first few years were a struggle, Don Klassen said, noting there was no marine line at the time but they were doing boat repairs. As more doors began to open, he added the store began taking in more brands and had many available in the 2000s.

About 12 years ago, the Klassens also opened The Fox Store in a separate wing of the building to meet the clothing needs of people in the region. Elaine Klassen noted she and her daughter, Chelsie Breeze, designed it as a way to bring the city to the North.  

“We managed to bring a bunch of popular brand names to the town,” she said. “Everybody who shopped here supported it and we are grateful we did open that department, because [customers] didn’t have to run to the city.”

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With the last day of operations set for Aug. 31, the Klassens have already sold much of their inventory. The Fox Store has been relocated to Air Ronge’s Your Dollar Store With More and Don Klassen added they’ve also had offers on their full line of parts. An open house could be held in October to sell anything products not sold before then.

Don Klassen also contributes the success he and his wife have achieved to the support from residents of northern Saskatchewan. He said being an entrepreneur also comes with a lot of hard work, noting sometimes they’d work 18-hour days, seven days per week. With much more time on their hands soon, Don Klassen said they’re going to make the most of it.

“There’s anticipation not knowing what’s going to happen next,” he said. “The nice thing is we’ll be able to doing things we weren’t able to do before.”

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno