Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 08/99) - Axe, hammer, plywood and nails. Paint, too. Karl Lust helped build Yellowknife into a city.

The Johnson's Building Supplies owner came to Canada from Linz, Austria in 1953 -- a young man with an eye for adventure and a talent for making cabinets. Little did he know that by 1958 he would find himself in a place called Yellowknife, working for Oscar Johnson of O.I. Johnson Construction.

"Originally, I was heading from my hometown to South Africa, but terrorism was starting to get bad at the time. I decided to come to Canada instead," Lust says, settling into his chair behind the counter at Johnson's.

"I knew very little about Canada back then. All I knew was they were welcoming immigrants."

His first stop in Canada was Winnipeg, where he promptly started making cabinets for a small company. A friend of his found work at Giant Mine and was soon urging Lust to join him in the untamed North.

"He convinced me to write to O.I. Johnson so I did. The reply to my letter was a plane ticket," Lust remembers with a smile.

"I was a little shocked to step off the plane and see a 16 by 16 foot airport terminal. I decided then just to take things as they came."

His intentions were to work for a year and "experience the North." As so often happens, the people and land captivated him. It wasn't long before he was promoted to construction supervisor, then estimator.

Lust describes the people back then as "a big family." When he came, the population was 1,800. Some customers from the early days still come into the store to chew the fat, but not like the old days.

"Back then there was a feeling of belonging and it's a big reason I stayed," Lust says.

"What I miss most is the closeness with other people that's somehow not in existence these days. Most who come to town now don't like to make Yellowknife their home. That's a shame because it has everything."

He said being a businessman in the North definitely has its challenges. During freeze-up and break-up, getting supplies in can be difficult. A growing city also means challenges from big-box stores.

"Because of Canadian Tire, Beaver Lumber and Wal-Mart, the competition is greater," Lust says.

"Although that's not much of a worry to me because we've been here long enough to build a customer clientele that's loyal."

Being accessible and helpful seems to be his motto. If someone is in desperate need of something he sells and it's after store hours, he won't hesitate to open up because "business is business."

But there's also people in the community who know if they need wood for their stove, there's a good bet Karl will help them out.

"I found people who could use the scrap wood that collected so we let whoever needs it have it," he says.

"It's just another way of helping people in need."

A tattered, 1950s O.I. Johnson Construction apron hangs on the wall behind Lust's desk. Even though he's been owner since 1971, after buying the company with Doug Finlayson (who has since passed on), the name stuck.

Under the Johnson's banner, Lust supervised the building of Stanton Hospital in 1965/66. He estimated and supervised the construction of the Cunningham building and the former CBC digs, which now houses Subway.

"In 1968, the building supply side of the business was growing so Oscar Johnson and I decided to drop the construction aspect. That's why the name was changed to read `building supplies,'" Lust says.

"Johnson's was established in 1938. When Doug and I purchased the business, we didn't see any reason to change the name. Johnson's is part of Yellowknife history and we were proud of that."

Lust takes a moment to help a customer. He disappears behind a wall of tools and emerges with a handful of giant hinges. A transaction takes place and he returns to his desk. He talks proudly of his daughter, Sandra, who works summers in the store. He enjoys returning to Austria but says he'll probably run out his days in Yellowknife.

When asked about his future plans, he reveals his contentment with the life he's built here. While talking, he keeps a watchful eye on the rest of the store.

"I had two heart attacks about 10 years ago and the doctor told me I couldn't go back to work. Two weeks later, I was back at work and feeling fine," the 65-year-old says.

"Some days I think it was fated that I end up here. I think it's natural to miss your family. I still go to Austria for a visit once in awhile, but this is home and I enjoy it."

The store is filling up. Lust fidgets, his instincts beckoning him to dive into the ruckus, which he does almost apologetically. Minutes later, he returns to add a final comment.

"Oh yes, don't forget to thank all my clients for their support. Tell them I look forward to serving them for years to come," he says before disappearing into the paint section.