West Hawk Marine preps new capital region store

RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF MACDONALD — Manitobans in need of a bigger boat — or any boat at all — now have a new retail option near Winnipeg.

West Hawk Marine Ltd. is opening its third store in the province. Located at 2585 McGillivray Blvd., the new location sits at Winnipeg’s southwest edge in the RM of Macdonald. It will carry a range of boats, plus used cars, trucks and SUVs.

Company owners Kevin Henwood and Cassie Lewis already have sites at West Hawk Lake, where the business was started, and Lac du Bonnet. The company also includes a marina and rental business at West Hawk Lake, and a service and storage facility at Falcon Lake.

Henwood said he’s wanted to open a store near the provincial capital for years. It will allow the company to serve Winnipeggers who own cottages in the western part of the province.

“People looking for a boat don’t necessarily want to go to West Hawk Lake only to bring it to Brandon or Clear Lake,” Henwood said.

West Hawk Marine is Manitoba’s exclusive dealer for a number of brands, including Barletta (pontoon boats) and Nautique and Moomba (boats primarily for waterskiing, wakeboarding and wakesurfing).

The retailer also has exclusive deals with Regal, Centurion and Supreme. Additionally, it is one of two retailers in Manitoba that carries Bennington, a luxury pontoon manufacturer.

“I’m just excited to bring my stuff to Winnipeg where we can get more exposure (and) more eyes on it,” Henwood said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for West Hawk Marine and the crew — our workers — with lots of room to expand.”

The 15,000-square-foot building is fewer than five years old and was previously occupied by West Coast Auto & Leisure, an RV retailer that appears to have gone out of business earlier this year. It sits on 21/2 acres of land near FortWhyte Alive.

Henwood and his staff had just started moving vehicles onto the property when the Free Press visited last week. While the store is technically open, Henwood said, it won’t be fully operational until later this month or early October. The store will eventually employ 10 to 15 people.

West Hawk Marine currently staffs around 30 people during peak season. Headquartered some 145 kilometres east of Winnipeg, in the Whiteshell Provincial Park, the company was established in 1986.

Henwood and Lewis bought the business in December 2007. They also own the Shell fuel station at Falcon Lake.

Henwood was born and raised in Winnipeg and grew up camping at West Hawk Lake every summer. He said he purchased West Hawk Marine because he enjoys sales.

“You’re selling someone memories,” the 58-year-old said. “They’re going out on the lake, skiing or tubing or hanging out on the pontoon boat with the family (and making) memories for the family. It’s very satisfying.”

The new store is across the street from J&D Penner Ltd., a landscaping specialist that has been located on McGillivray Boulevard for around 30 years.

Company president Dick Penner said he’s excited West Hawk Marine has set anchor in the neighbourhood.

“It’s a very busy street,” Penner said, noting there’s a Costco big-box location nearby. “I was glad to see that they (West Hawk Marine) would move in. I’m happy for them. It’s a great location (and a) great investment.”

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca