Our dream is to create a great Canadian company over a lifetime. We want to build the kind of company that stays rooted in Canada and contributes to our country with good jobs and opportunities, a company that we can be proud of, a company that gives back. We believe we can do it one community at a time.
In that last few weeks Gibbons closed a deal in Squamish on a place once known as The Living Room Restaurant and Lounge, located in the Executive Suites Resort on Tantalus Road. Under Gibbons it will be reborn as Norman Rudy’s.
It’s the first time we’ve ventured beyond Whistler in the Sea to Sky corridor. Squamish is an exciting town these days and we’re equally excited to be a part of that vibe.
On a personal note, this deal also feels like a sea-change in our organization. In the past, I’ve always driven the deals at Gibbons from the top down; Norman Rudy’s is different. I brought the opportunity to my senior team several months ago… and then sat back to see what would happen. Would someone on our team rise to the occasion?
Our director of beer and spirits, Brad Skerrett, jumped all over the opportunity. Brad has already proven his mettle at Gibbons, taking Deep Cove Brewery and Distillery to new heights. His track record speaks volumes. Better yet, Brad was hungry for this deal. He has a vision for what he can do in his hometown. He is passionate about the community in which he is raising his family and he wants to run a business that’s equally passionate and connected to the heart and soul of Squamish.
This is the core of our business model at Gibbons — connecting with community, being a part of something bigger and more important than ourselves.
That’s what made Norman Rudy’s a golden opportunity — aligning passion and experience. That combination, as we see time and again in our Whistler businesses, can make magic.
Norman Rudy’s isn’t going to set the world on fire but this way of thinking will.
So, why the name Norman Rudy’s? Norman was our family dog growing up, a rescue dog. He came from nothing and became the best dog ever. Rudy is Brad’s dog, adopted from the Whistler animal shelter and reborn again as part of his family. And Rudy, thanks to the true story of the Notre Dame footballer, is also the classic underdog story. That’s how we see this business.
Norman Rudy’s is just the beginning. There’s a subtle shift in our mindset at Gibbons. The hard work of the last several years, setting the stage for growth, is starting to pay off. Our team is taking charge, creating assets they are passionate about and that they want to grow. They are invested in our success as a whole with an eye to thinking bigger than Whistler, to Squamish and beyond. One community at a time.
I can’t really think of a better way to build our company over a lifetime.
Feature Image: Michael Whyte, Wikicommons