Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Sep 21/01) - Beckett Business Services has been have growing pains.

Owner Mary Beckett explained that her business, which she founded in 1992, had grown too big for its Mack Travel Building location. So as of Aug. 1 she took possession of the building along Mackenzie Road which formerly housed Inuvik Sports and Leisure.

The sign may not have changed yet, but Mary Beckett has bought and is renovating the building which formerly housed Inuvik Sports and Leisure. She owns Beckett Business Services. - Malcolm Gorrill/NNSL photo

Beckett moved her business to the second floor of her new location about a month ago, but emphasized renovations are still being done on both floors.

She explained she offers a wide variety of services, from setting up accounting systems, bookkeeping and office management, writing reports and proposals, and desktop publishing.

"I'm not stopping what I'm doing, I'm just adding to the list," Beckett said.

Beckett and her husband and vice-president, Dave Kaufman, have also continued with the bed and breakfast operating within the building. The Cut Above hair salon is still operating on the ground floor.

"The bed and breakfast is new for us. It's working very well, we're enjoying it," Beckett said.

Before long a photo lab will also operate out of the building.

Five offices are to made available to rent out downstairs, plus an office manager's office will be set up. A full-time office manager is to start work the first of October.

A reception area will be created downstairs to service everyone.

Beckett said this arrangement should be ideal for small businesses that don't need a lot of space, or for travelling business people who perhaps only need a presence in town for a short time.

"Shared office space is getting to be very, very popular in southern Canada and the States," Beckett said.

A grand opening will take place once renovations are completed, which is expected to be in a month or so.

"It should be pretty exciting. We're going to have lots of things to do," Beckett said. "I think it'll be a really well used service around here."