Opening a new business in the middle of a pandemic isn’t what most people would think of doing, but Woodlands County resident Mark Smith and his wife Chelsea Ryan decided to go for it.
Smith and Ryan are the owners of Western Canada Coffee Company, located off Highway 43 in Whitecourt.
The pair opened the new business on January 4, despite COVID-19, after deciding to pursue their idea of starting up a local coffee shop.
“My wife and I saw an opportunity to start a business and went for it,” says Smith. “We never let it (pandemic) stop us, it just added an extra barrier.”
The impacts on the economy due to the pandemic played a role in Smith and Ryan deciding to open a business now instead of waiting, as they hope they can contribute to the local economy as much as possible.
“You see an opportunity I think right now, especially with the virus and all that sentiment to support local business,” Smith explains. “So doing everything we can on our end to promote the western Canadian economy at a time when we can all use it.”
The store is located in the log cabin off Highway 43 next to Green Gables. Smith says they chose the location because of its proximity to the highway and because the cabin adds to the western Canadian culture and aesthetic Smith and Ryan were going for.
Construction on the business started in August using local companies, with the intention of initially opening in November but the date got pushed back because of the pandemic and heavier provincial restrictions.
The new coffee shop is completely independent and uses products sourced from Alberta and western Canada as much as possible, as Smith says they want to showcase the spirit of Alberta and the west.
“We wanted to give people a product that was as convenient and reliable and open the same hours as the bigger corporations, but give them an opportunity for a good quality product that is locally sourced and locally made.”
Smith adds, “The resource sector has taken a hit. Obviously, with one coffee shop, we know we’re not changing the world but we surely want to do everything we can to keep Albertans employed and western Canadians employed on the greater scale.”
Smith and his family have farming and oil and gas backgrounds and he says they are proud of the western Canadian and Alberta culture. They have paid tribute to that culture by naming their products in relation to the West, with names like “Ranch Hand,” “Northern Light,” Driller,” and “Cowboy Coffee.”
Since opening four weeks ago, the coffee shop has done well. Smith says business has been steady and they’re seeing locals come in regularly.
“It’s exciting. We’re very grateful for that and actually amazed at the local support that we’re getting. We were hoping for success to be involved in our community with all the activities and stuff that we have going on in the Whitecourt area.”
Smith also credits the Whitecourt business community for their support and for making the new business feel welcomed.
“It’s been really cool to get into that kind of partnerships with people in a small town and the creativity that comes out of people and how we can keep everything local and everything vibrant and thriving in our community.”
Since opening, the business has only been able to serve customers through its drive-thru and walk-in take-out orders. With the provincial government set to start easing more restrictions as early as next week, Smith says he’s looking forward to people getting the chance to sit down and enjoy the atmosphere inside.
“The log cabin is a pretty cool, unique setting. We put some money into the seating area with the intention that people were going to sit down, so we’re anxiously awaiting people to come in and enjoy it and really get a feel for what we offer and how we’re trying to represent our culture.”
The cabin also offers a patio that Smith hopes will be able to get used in the summer months.
Aside from looking ahead to fewer provincial restrictions and warmer days, Smith says for now they will continue to serve locals the best products they can to keep them coming back.
“We are truly thankful and grateful for the local support we’ve seen. The overwhelming majority of the business has been people from Whitecourt that have come by and tried it out and tried something new.”
