When Bill and Jennifer Leclair bought the business that would become The Snack Shack 33 years ago, he was told that it wouldn’t be profitable enough to make a living from, but over more than three decades he has proven the nay-sayers wrong. Tinkess Photo
CHESTERVILLE – Thirty-three years is a long time, no matter how you look at it, and for a small business in a small community, to not only survive, but prosper is an incredible feat. Today, many small businesses don’t make it to the five-year mark, and even then, they may be losing money for much of that short lifespan.
So, what is the secret that allowed Chesterville’s Snack Shack to be able to provide a living for Bill Leclair and his family for such a long period of time? What did they do differently that allowed them to build such a large and loyal customer base, both locally and others who would drive a distance for a quick meal, a snack, or something sweet?
Whatever it was, it came to an end late Saturday afternoon when The Snack Shack closed for the final time.
Sadly, I must admit that I had never been to The Snack Shack, but when I learned of its closing, I knew I had to learn more about this local institution while I still had the chance.
I had heard The Snack Shack described as “little more than a chip stand,” and I guess on the surface that might seem accurate: it is, after all housed in a small trailer in a parking lot across the road from Mike Deans Grocery. Life has taught me though, that relying only on first impressions is not the best way to judge anything. This required a much closer look, which revealed several things to me:
- The premises was very clean
- The menu, while I wouldn’t call it extensive, was much more than basic. There seemed to be variations of just about everything they had to offer
- Prices were fair
- There was little room for misunderstandings. In a plexiglass cabinet next to the menu were all the different sizes of containers that the food would be served in, so you knew when you ordered exactly what you were getting
- Staff, even on their last day of business were extremely friendly
- The food was high quality and well prepared and presented
Conclusion: I could clearly see why people would come back again and again, and I was sorry that I would not have that option.
I spoke to the owner’s daughter Jen, who manages the Snack Shack, and was informed that Bill and Jen were at the Chesterville Arena, where they run the concessions. She said that the couple weren’t quite sure yet what they would do in the future. “I’m not really sure what their plans are,” said Jen. “I think he’s ready for a bit of a rest. They are doing the arena for the rest of the season, and then, well, he’ll go from there, I think. But he’s ready to slow down a little bit.
She acknowledged that the community had let it be known that they would be missed. “Definitely, a lot of sad faces the last few days, for sure, lots of well wishes, though they know Bill’s ready to retire and start the next chapter.”
I caught up with Bill and Jennifer at the arena. In June of this year they renewed the contract to run the concession and will continue to run it at least till the end of the winter season.
While Bill was happy to talk, it was obvious that he still was dealing with something that had been a huge part of his life for the past 33 years. Did he have any idea when he started out, that things would run this long?
“No,” he said. “I was working in the heating trade, and I got tired of it. I decided I’d try it (the fast-food industry) so I went to the previous owner, and I asked him, is there any chance that I could make a living at it? And he said, “No, you’ll never make a living at it.”
“Well, I fooled them, and we did,” said Leclair, with a smile. “I’d hate to say how many tons of potatoes we went through in all those years.”
Leclair says that one reason the business was a success was consistency. “You can’t have a cook that does it this way, and another cook that does it that way. We were very fortunate, we had one cook, she retired, and she was there 25 years.
“My daughter Jen, she started, I think, when she was 14. So, she’s got 20-something years in.”
Ending a business, even when it is on your own terms, is not an easy thing to do, and Leclair says he really struggled with the decision. “I had a hard time, it took me the year to decide,” he said. “I’d think okay, yeah, we’ll sell and then oh no, I don’t want to. The girls kept saying, what are you going to do, Dad, what are you going to do?
“It was hard. It didn’t really bother me until we posted it, and when my daughter hit send. But it’s like I was just saying, you know, all those years, I’ve never been able to barbecue in my backyard in the summertime at five o’clock at night or six o’clock at night. I’m going to be able to do that now.”
While it will be a change for both the Leclairs, Bill’s wife Jennifer is looking more to the positive side of things. “We missed out on a lot of things that we’re really looking forward to,” said Jennifer. “We can go and watch the grandkids play sports, instead of just, you know, looking through the window here, every once in a while, or run to a half a game or something, just like ball in the summer.
“We have a pool too, so the kids can come and spend the day or whatever, you know, just fun things.”
They know they will make things work, just like they have for the past 33 years, and they are humbled by the many offers of thanks and well-wishes for the future that so many people have sent their way. Their hope is that someone will decide that they too can follow their dream and make a living serving good food at fair prices to their neighbours.
“We did well there,” said Leclair. “We made a living, and we had some fun doing it. Met a lot of nice people, and for a lot of people, it’s a big thing, the social aspect of it. It’s nice to know that you were well-liked, and that you built something. I can’t say enough about the community.”
Terry Tinkess is a professional photographer, educator and journalist. He has been making a living with a camera and keyboard since 1999 and has been featured in such publications as The Ottawa Citizen, Cornwall Standard Freeholder, The Globe and Mail, The Miami Herald, Ottawa Construction News, The Ontario Construction Report, Ontario Home Builder Magazine, Reed Construction Data, Canadian Potato Business and most recently, The Record and Eastern Ontario AgriNews. Terry lives in Ingleside, Ontario with his wife Brenda, Mia the anxious Pittie and cats Wally and Chubbers.