About Us
Bob grew up in the west coast logging industry, started working on chainsaws in 1949 at the age of ten, while living at the Nanaimo River Camp. Having little to do all day on weekends and evenings, he was inclined to hang around the shop. Fearing he might be hurt; his step father had recommended a safer environment to go hang out in the saw shack where they worked on the saws. As he continued to travel to school 30 miles each day getting chauffeured in the camp crummy by one of the camp foreman Tony, in which he became a very close mentor. Through his child hood Tony taught him to drive as he reached his teens and also taking his driver’s course with the crummy that astounded the instructor. As Bob reached adult hood, he had an opportunity to move to Victoria to be with his Nana and took a job as a Car Jockey at a dealership in 1956 where he used his knowledge of the automobile.
In the early 1960s, Bob moved back to Nanaimo and went to see Olief Fedje, who had the falling contract at the Nanaimo River Camp. Olief addressed Bob, (well kid you ready to learn the ropes?) this sent Bob to Gold River, where Bob did scaling and some mechanic work. From there, to Fair Harbour and Kyuquot working as a scaler to falling and starting to do some bull bucking. This is where Bob organized his first power saw shop in Fair Harbour as it was greatly needed.
1963 living in Nanaimo again Bob took a job at Island chainsaws in Duncan.
Bob married Holly In 1964, their eldest son John was born in 1965. Bob was getting tired of the city life and needed to get back to the bush. They decided to move with their son John to the end of the island known as Hollberg. Bob starting working for Sales Brothers in 1966 their second son Donald was born.
In 1967 Bob decided to take a job as a handy man on the road crews. He did multiple jobs as a grader operator and driving low beds with some Dump truck hauling. Driving logging trucks was one of his fondest passions. This reminded him of his father who had drove and took Bob along many times over 45 years.
By 1968 the Walker family had enough of camp life and commuting back and forth from each end of the Island to be with family and wanting better opportunities for the family. They decided to move back to Nanaimo. Bob took a job at Woodland Supplies as a chainsaw mechanic for a few years, but after a few years Bob had the opportunity to be a sales rep for McCullough Chain Saws travelling all over B.C. Sharing his knowledge with other Chainsaw Dealers and their Technicians. Through this time, he listened and helped the West Coast Fallers. Bob has always enjoyed being able to accommodate and share his knowledge while gathering information to make a chainsaw run more efficient and safer. As he had experienced some close calls that some of this knowledge could have helped him out of in the past.
And then the fun began. Bob realized that by making the Saw more powerful it could cut quicker to get the faller out of harm’s way faster, opening up the muffler makes the saw run cooler. While working at Woodland’s Bob started modifying saws for the fallers in which built his reputation more and more.
By 1975 the Walker family is growing and having fun with Bob on the road working as a technician has brought friends from far and wide.
By the late 70’s Bob and Holly have been tossing the idea around of starting a business of their own, as the boys are getting older. They both agreed that when the boys moved out this is what they would do, for the house was not big enough.
By 1980 the recession hit bad. Bob’s job was terminated, so he and Holly had a lot of decisions to make as their sons were still in school in grades 12 & 10. Having a business was now becoming a reality. With their sons still at home they modified the family home the best they could. With Bob working at home modifying saws for fallers that wanted him for his knowledge kept the bills paid. The family remembers a lot of early mornings waking up to Bob grinding cylinders; this was the sound of money for them from now on.
1980-81 they opened up as a proprietor ship with having to buy saws and parts from other dealer’s, starting a business they all had a part in it now. Holly did the books and orders, their sons helping with whatever Bob thought they could manage.
Holly took every opportunity to keep the kids involved with Bob and his accomplishments as they grew up. If there was a way she and the kids would go with Bob and make a vacation out of every working situation. Bob has always included his decisions with her and the boys as they grew up. When he was working or not, he was a scout leader for many years for his boys and sharing his knowledge of the outdoors that he gained as a child and teaching his boys the same. Holly getting involved in bowling as well as her children. When in Sooke at a function one time called “Sooke Days” Bob and Holly had overheard people at the logger demonstration. Quite curiously they started talking with them about ideas that would better the show. Well before you knew it, they had Holly at a meeting and elected her to be secretary. This was a turning point in the logger sports of B.C.as Holly set up the rules and regulations. She became treasurer and competed throughout B.C. and in Alberta as well then became head judge of Cana log and president for a short term.
With the boys getting older and Bob and Holly keeping them involved in opportunities, their youngest son Donny was rather good at the mechanic end of things Bob was doing. This made Bob get into Go-Karts to keep both Donny and John busy. Bob and his boys started travelling and competing up and down the island and throughout B.C. and the Pacific Northwest. Needless to say, the “MODIFICATIONS” came easy to Bob with Donny enjoying this very much, sharing their knowledge with others along the way.
1985 Bob and Holly’s sons are now finished high school and doing vocational courses in mechanics, Donny helping at the shop with Bob learning the trade. John ventured into automotive machine work. Now graduated they both went on to work, Donny had to take a job outside the family business in order to get an apprentice ship. John stayed in town working at both his dads shop as well as the machine shop.
While Bob and Holly’s children are off doing their education, jobs and personal life, Bob and Holly are busy running the business and getting bigger with Bob hiring people when he can to do the extra’s he needs done and the boys to help when they can if they are home. Bob and Holly start renovating and adding on the home business and building another work shop.
Donny went to Williams Lake for a year working at a Saw Shop, had a bad accident and moved home to recover. Then he ventured to Toronto to work in construction for a short time. He then found a job at another Saw Shop learning there was a go kart shop as well, he befriended the owner to have the opportunity to work with go kart engines and race for them as well. Raced for three years in Toronto area then moved back home, went to Zeballos for two years working at another saw shop meeting and working with more of the industry Bob had done in the past.
1988-1990 Bob and Holly have been growing their business while their children have been working at different places until they started working together. In 1991 they became a Limited Corporation Company. In 1997 Bob and holly became a crown dealer selling the most chainsaws in Canada for Husqvarna.
In the late 2000’s John bought the business from his parents. With the business still growing and finding the shop shrinking around those with almost no place to expand, John had an opportunity to move the shop.
In 2014 the business has a bigger location with much more space and room to grow, has brought a lot of business from all over the world. Now having a larger staff and sales, the business keeps growing every year.
In 2013 John’s daughter Cheyenne started working part time and continued till graduation and now works alongside her father and Uncle with the guiding influence from her grandmother and grandfather, Bob and Holly.
Bob and Holly are now happily retired and enjoying life to the fullest.
