Happy Valley-Goose Bay business owners map road to success in small, remote town

Even though there are less than 10,000 people in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, business is booming.

It is, at least, for entrepreneurs who identified distinct gaps in the town's services, and jumped at the opportunity to fill them.

Business owners in the community will tell you that responding to specific needs and providing good quality work and service is enough to keep you going.

Terry Whey is one of them.

He took his shoe repair business to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in 1992 after learning the town was in need of one.

Because he was moving from St. John's to a rural area, he was able to get a hand setting up shop from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

The shoe repair shop was busy, but after a little while he learned customers were often looking for specific canvas products that weren't locally available.

That's when Whey's focus shifted into manufacturing canvas tents and knapsacks, and Terry's Tents was born.

"We don't go looking for work. It just keeps coming in the door," Whey said.

"I think people have seen our products and they're happy with them, and then they just tell their friends … and sometimes good products just sell themselves."

Whey works six days a week and hasn't spent a dime on marketing in the last 20 years.

The work isn't slowing down, but he is. After 32 years, Whey is preparing for retirement.

He's trying to find a buyer for Terry's Tents, but if he doesn't find one his booming business will have to close its doors, and people in Happy Valley-Goose Bay will have to look elsewhere.

MÓR Meats is a specialty butcher shop in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Owner Niamh Roche said business is good, but could be better, so she's decided to expand. (MÓR Meats/Facebook)

Niamh Roche, meanwhile, only opened her butcher shop in 2022. But after 18 months in business, she's ready to expand.

"We feel that we've kind of maxed out what we can do in our current location," Roche said.

"I feel in order for the business to survive, it really does need to take this step. It's a huge investment for us and it's a huge risk, but we feel that we've built up a strong customer base."

Roche believes a larger and more centralized storefront for MÓR Meats will help grow that solid customer base.

"I just know instinctively that we are onto something," she said.

Some days, Roche said, business can slow to a trickle. Anything from the weather to community events can keep people from walking in the door.

"You can't get hung up on that," she said. "You have to look at potential."

Mamattuk focuses on using seasonal, Labrador ingredients for fine dining in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. (Mamattuk/Facebook)

Julianne Griffin, CEO of Labrador North Chamber of Commerce, said the business environment in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is strong because it's a long-standing service district, with government offices of all levels busy providing for much of the Big Land.

"We're accessible by land, sea and air, so that high volume of traffic is always there no matter the season," she said.

Griffin said there's a strong sense of camaraderie among the town's small group of entrepreneurs — something that undoubtedly adds to their successes.

"It's a strong business environment, and it's competitive … but businesses aren't necessarily competitive with each other," said Griffin.

"Last year when we hosted our first business awards with the Chamber, a lot of the nominations that were coming in were nominations from business owners who were nominating other business owners. So it was really about the collective success of the community. It wasn't so much about businesses wanting an award on their own shelf."

Andy Turnbull, CEO of NunatuKavut Community Council, speaking at Mamattuk's grand opening in January, 2024. (Mamattuk/Facebook)

Taking risks, as Roche mentioned, is required for growing businesses in small towns.

A new restaurant in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is banking on its high-end feel and support of local vendors to make it the town's next big venture.

"I do believe we're different than anything else in town, and that's intentional," said Andy Turnbull, CEO of Nunacor.

He's in charge of developing businesses for the NunatuKavut Community Council, which has built Mamattuk to be central Labrador's first upscale restaurant.

"We are stretching the limits a little bit in terms of creating a new dining experience, a new way of dining."

There's as much locally made art lining the walls as there are locally grown crops and freshly caught fish on the menu, which will change throughout the year to keep things fresh and in season.

And in a place known for supporting its own, the restaurant already has a head start.

"We've been overwhelmed with the amount of community support and the positive feedback we've been getting so far," Turnbull said.

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