Andrea Markey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 26/05) - After almost 20 years of catering to hunters and anglers, Wolverine Sports is holding a going out of business sale this weekend.

"It's sad to see it go," said Nick Mansell, chief operating officer of Behcho Ko Development Corporation. "But you just get to the point where it is a good business decision to wind it up, so that's what we're doing."

Dale Johnston started the store in 1987 and sold it to the Dogrib Rae Band in 2000. Behcho Ko Development Corp. formed in 2002 as a holding company for the Rae Band's business activities, including Wolverine Sports.

"Wolverine Sports faces continually escalating competitive pressures from all different places - Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart," Mansell said.

"The store has been marginal in the last few years."

Wolverine Sports moved to Stanton Plaza from its downtown location a few years ago to improve visibility and parking. "Even though Wal-Mart was across the street it was felt it was a better traffic area," he said.

The focus of the store also shifted to include more specialty items and higher-end fishing equipment so as not to have to compete with the major stores in terms of their base commodities, he said.

"And it just hasn't been successful," he said.

"People support us - if the prices aren't too high," said Will Partridge, manager at Wolverine. "Accessories are where we make our money but we just can't compete. Big stores sell the products for what we buy them at."

With the profit margin from guns $100 at most, it is hard, he said. Cold weather last spring also played a part in lower than usual sales, he said.

The two permanent employees and a number of part-time and casual employees will have jobs in other Behcho Ko Development Corp. companies if they desire, Mansell said.

Blaine Kelly, owner of Martin's Fishing Supplies and The Map Place on Franklin Avenue, said small stores just don't have the purchasing power of big box stores.

Kelly bought the store in April from Scott Martin, who also runs MFS Manufacturing and Wholesale Distribution.

"I am still on the learning curve and trying to hit a niche market," said Kelly.

"We carry different products that the big stores don't and customer service is really the key. Wolverine Sports was good at that and I'm sorry it's closing."

Having the maps is also an important part of his business and Kelly will soon carry a line of guns that will fill the hole from the closure of Wolverine Sports.