A slew of local businesses change hands

In the words of Jimmy Buffett, the three well-known Point Roberts businesses have recently changed hands as their owners decided on “changes of latitude, changes in attitude.”

After almost 60 years, ownership of Nielson’s Building Center has passed out of Nielson family hands, but not much will change, even the name.

Lorne Nielson, who bought the business from his father Ron in 1990, said the sale of the business to Fred Pakzad was finalized on December 31, 2021. Pakzad is a local resident who also owns the Chevron gas station and Point Pantry.

Few changes were proposed, Nielson said. The business will remain Nielson’s Building Center and longtime employee Michelle Schwalback will take over operations as general manager. “She has been here 16 years and knows everything,” he said, adding Pakzad will be more of a silent partner than involved in daily operations.

Ron and Bev Nielson opened Nielson’s Lumber and Supply in 1963 after buying a store owned by the Thorsteinson family on the corner of Benson Road and Tyee Drive. Prior to the sale, Nielson said he was looking through old documents and photographs, even super-8 film of Bev serving tea at what he thinks was likely the opening of the lumber yard. He will be putting together a history of the business, which will run in the next edition of the All Point Bulletin.

Just down the street from Nielson’s, Lynne and Snyder Vick, owners of the local gas station, store and shipping office for 17 years, have sold the Shell Center on Tyee Drive. Lynne said the sale of the property was finalized on the last day of 2021.

When the Vicks purchased the gas station in 2004, it was a Texaco station with a small convenience store. They rebranded as a Shell station because it was more familiar to Canadians, and set about upgrading the store.

“There were no espresso shops on the Point, so we attended an espresso school and hired a consultant who recommended roasting our own premium coffee beans imported from around the world,” Vick said. “Unused coolers at the back of the store were replaced with small coffee roasters, and Canadians began to visit us for our beans.” They added a wine section and expanded their offerings to include pizza and a variety of fresh baked goods. Having added a warehouse to the property, the Vicks were able to add a shipping and receiving business.

Improvements in technology allowed the Vicks to return to mission work in Central America while running their business remotely for part of the year, and in Roatan, Honduras, they met Chuck and Tia Laird who came to Point Roberts to manage the Shell Center. “They came up with the idea of reconfiguring the front of the store to look like a village and added the popular seating area at the back of the store,” Vick said.

The Lairds started the Calvary Chapel in the old house at the corner of Benson Road and Tyee Drive and after telling the Vicks they wanted to spend more time devoted to their ministry, they said it was the right time to sell the business.

The new buyers, Pinder and Robin Kallu of Kallu Enterprises, are working with the Lairds, who will continue to manage the business during the transition.

Ten years after she opened Auntie Pam’s Country Store on Gulf Road, Pamala Sheppard will be handing over the keys and flying south right on schedule.

“I always thought I would run it for 10 years and then sell it,” Pamala said. After their return from Puerto Vallarta at the end of 2021, where she and husband John had discussed retiring, the pieces seemed to fall into place to make that happen.

Neil and Krystal King came into her store and expressed interest in buying it. An hour later, a local resident came in offering to buy the Sheppard’s house when they retired.

“It was like standing on the top of a ski slope looking down and all of a sudden someone gives you a push,” Sheppard said. They plan to move at the end of March.

Sheppard opened Auntie Pam’s Country Store in spring 2012 in the space where she had been managing McFrugal’s discount store.

“I’d been a shop girl for a long time,” she said, having run her own store on Vashon Island and having worked in numerous other retail businesses. “My vision was to have a place for the community to buy fun and creative things, a place to sell my line of personal care products, and a place for community fundraisers.”

Over the years, Auntie Pam’s has hosted a variety of fundraisers including the Miniature Art Show, cookie contests and flea markets, raising funds for a number of local organizations.

Today, Sheppard said the back room of the store has turned into her garage sale as they downsize while preparing to move.

The Kings will take over Auntie Pam’s Country Store in March, she said, and rename the business Kora’s Corner Country Store after their new baby girl.

“They will be bringing in new products, so there will be fresh ideas but it will have the same flavor,” Sheppard said.

“And if we couldn’t laugh, we’d all go insane,” sang Jimmy Buffett.