Crystal Everest, left, and her husband Dallas bought the store from Rita Geortzen (right). (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

milestone

Everests purchase Home Hardware from long-time business owner

Feb 16, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Rita Goertzen has owned and operated Home Hardware for more than three decades, but Tuesday marked a milestone as she handed over the keys to new owners.

Geortzen sold the company to well-known local businesspeople Dallas and Crystal Everest, who owned La Ronge’s KFC for many years before selling it in 2019. Geortzen will remain at the store for a period of transition to assist the Everests, but noted the time will come when she’ll leave the community for a larger centre.

“Eventually I will be in Saskatoon because my family is all there,” she said. “This is my home and I call it my La Ronge family. I just want to thank the community and all my customers for the support. It’s bittersweet and I’ll miss them.”

Goertzen and her late husband Ivan moved to La Ronge in 1988 after purchasing the store. She explained it has always been focused on hardware, appliances and furniture, but there have been changes as technology developed. The store also underwent an expansion about 18 years ago.

Since owning the store, Geortzen mentioned it’s been rewarding getting to know so many people in town as she’s made several friends and enjoyed visiting with customers. She said the most important advice she could give a new entrepreneur is to pay attention to customer service.

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“Just keep it real. Customer service is big,” Geortzen said. “You have to have customer service 100 per cent. It doesn’t matter what business you are in.”

Dallas Everest, who is also a former town councillor, said himself and Crystal are looking forward to being back in retail and dealing with staff again. At this point, the store has three full-time employees and Everest currently isn’t planning any changes.

Everest also said he’s happy for Geortzen’s upcoming retirement.

“She’s put in a long time and served the Town of La Ronge and area well,” he said. “We’re obviously happy and we support her. She’s going to stick around and help us out a little bit, but anything she’s looking at doing in the future I know she will do well.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno