3 interconnected ventures, 1 goal

Robert Johnston has made a career transition fewer than 10 years before he reaches retirement age. Call it a leap of faith.

The 58-year-old was running his own financial services firm when he purchased Aviva Natural Health Solutions last fall from company founder Nathan Zassman.

After Zassman shut the doors at the Winnipeg company’s previous location on St. James Street in October, Johnston reopened the business at 100-1821 Wellington Ave. the following month.

In recent weeks, Johnston has added two ventures to the space: GME Clearance Centre is a charity store featuring new, antique, surplus and furniture items; and GMissions Café is a coffee shop offering drinks and snacks.

Both the charity store and café support the work of Global Missionary Enterprises, a Christian charity Johnston’s parents started in 1986. With an annual budget of around $1 million, GME provides financial assistance for a range of ministries and projects worldwide, including in Mexico, Jamaica and Nigeria.

Johnston wasn’t interested in taking over Aviva when he first contacted Zassman — he just wanted to buy the building so he could establish a Winnipeg presence for the charity store and café. (Global Missionary Enterprises already operates GME Thrift Emporium and GMissions Café in Portage la Prairie.)

Eventually, Johnston decided to purchase Aviva as well. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In addition to offering supplements and health resources, Aviva carries Opus, a line of proprietary water filtration systems Zassman developed. The store is also the Manitoba dealer for Kybun, a line of therapeutic shoes made in Switzerland.

Aviva has seven full- and two part-time employees. Johnston said the business will support him and wife Jonita as he increasingly dedicates more time to volunteer commitments with Global Missionary Enterprises.

“My mom was a nurse and she was into natural health products, so we grew up kind of with that emphasis in our lives.”

It’s not the couple’s first business venture. From 2005 to 2012, they operated Northern Flavours, an eatery in Thompson.

There’s a family connection that makes owning Aviva a good fit, according to Johnston.

“My mom was a nurse and she was into natural health products, so we grew up kind of with that emphasis in our lives,” he said. “She believed in finding natural solutions to problems and making sure that you take your vitamins and all that kind of thing.”

Zassman said he sold Aviva so he can retire. He’s glad the store will continue.

“I love helping people improve their health,” the 78-year-old said by phone from Mexico, where he lives part of the year.

“It was a tremendous benefit for my customers, but it was also tremendously rewarding for me.”

Zassman is something of a Renaissance man.

Raised northeast of Boston, in Beverly, Mass., he began studying trombone and voice at an early age. He earned degrees in music performance from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City and the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago.

In 1974, he moved to the keystone province to join the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, where he played trombone until 1995.

Along the way, he taught at the University of Manitoba, trained to be a professional photographer, founded two computer companies, studied nutritional therapy in the U.S., and started Aviva.

“It was time for me to move on and I was fortunate to find Robert,” Zassman said of selling the business. “It’s not an easy task (starting) a new career in your 50s, and kudos to him for being brave and taking this risk.”

“It’s not an easy task (starting) a new career in your 50s, and kudos to him for being brave and taking this risk.”

If taking over Aviva was indeed risky, Johnston doesn’t let it show.

Sitting at a table in GMissions Café, he tells a reporter how it makes sense to run the business alongside two ventures that support his non-profit.

Ultimately, he wanted to create a space where wellness isn’t just about products, but about community, education and giving back. He’s already thinking about expanding the offerings at 1821 Wellington Ave.

“We have more space in the back here that we’re potentially going to make use of — quite a bit more space,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Johnston and his employees are planning a grand opening celebration for the three interconnected ventures that will include a program, free food and prizes.

It takes place June 12, starting at 9:30 a.m.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca