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This article was published 22/10/2018 (2815 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Be nice, have fun and make money.
“The first two worked out pretty well,” Prairie Sky Books founder Grant Pastuck said, laughing.
Prairie Sky’s half-serious mission statement is just one example of the easygoing mentality behind a business that’s been thriving in Wolseley for the last four-decades.
The gift store at 871 Westminster Ave. celebrated its 40th anniversary on Oct. 22 and with it the end of an era for Pastuck, who has transferred ownership of the store to long-time manager Aynsley Anderson and her husband Campbell Martin.
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We weren’t the only ones shaping the business, our customer base was.
Pastuck was working as a biochemist when he purchased the space with a friend in 1978. Neither had any experience running a business, but opening a dharma — or spiritual — bookstore in the heart of Wolseley proved to be a smart venture.
“We had no real goals, just to see what would happen,” he said. “I had a background in science so I knew how to add and subtract and I understood problem solving… it was remarkable how quick it kicked in, I must’ve had some business karma or something because we just got the hang of it.”
For the first 20 years, the owners focused solely on books before branching out into other things.
“Because it was a little bit alternative, whimsical and out-there, there were sidelines that would make sense,” Pastuck said. “You can make the leap from selling yoga books to selling clothes from India or statues.”
Today, the store’s busy interior and eclectic stock offerings of gifts and home décor is a reflection of Anderson’s “unbridled enthusiasm for interior decorating,” as Pastuck calls it.
Anderson has worked at Prairie Sky for the last 15 years, but had envisioned herself working at the store for much longer.
“I always thought I would work here,” she said. “The first time I ever saw it I was 11 and I just knew.”
Anderson was working for McNally Robinson Booksellers when Pastuck offered her a job while she was shopping at Prairie Sky one day. A kind of Cinderella story unfolded after Pastuck realized he didn’t take down his soon-to-be new employee’s name or number. The two eventually connected again and Anderson fondly remembers her first day at work as a trial by fire.
“I had worked here for honestly three hours and he gave me the key and the alarm code and left,” she said.
“It worked out OK,” Pastuck added.
As for the future, Anderson says shoppers shouldn’t expect any major changes in the store.
“It’s worked for 40 years and we’ve always tried to adapt to what people are looking for and sort of grow with the community here,” she said, adding that she’s been the store’s main stock buyer for the last number of years. “I just want to keep Prairie Sky, Prairie Sky.”
Both Anderson and Pastuck agree that the community and dedicated regulars have been the best part of working in Wolseley.
See PRAIRIE SKY on page 9
Prairie Sky continued from page 8
When a fire ripped through the store in 2001 residents showed their support for the business in a variety of ways — including a group from École Laura Secord School that hosted a runathon to raise money for Prairie Sky.
“It’s like they become your friends or family, you look forward to seeing them and they look forward to seeing you and it’s almost like the store is a strange attractor,” Pastuck said. “We weren’t the only ones shaping the business, our customer base was.
“I think it’s pretty magical.”
The staff marked Prairie Sky’s 40th with an in-store celebration on Oct. 20.
Be nice, have fun and make money.
“The first two worked out pretty well,” Prairie Sky Books founder Grant Pastuck said, laughing.
Eva Wasney
Prairie Sky Books founder Grant Pastuck, new owner Aynsley Anderson and longtime manager Francine Martin stand behind the store’s register.
Prairie Sky’s half-serious mission statement is just one example of the easygoing mentality behind a business that’s been thriving in Wolseley for the last four-decades.
The gift store at 871 Westminster Ave. celebrated its 40th anniversary on Oct. 22 and with it the end of an era for Pastuck, who has transferred ownership of the store to long-time manager Aynsley Anderson and her husband Campbell Martin.
Pastuck was working as a biochemist when he purchased the space with a friend in 1978. Neither had any experience running a business, but opening a dharma — or spiritual — bookstore in the heart of Wolseley proved to be a smart venture.
“We had no real goals, just to see what would happen,” he said. “I had a background in science so I knew how to add and subtract and I understood problem solving… it was remarkable how quick it kicked in, I must’ve had some business karma or something because we just got the hang of it.”
For the first 20 years, the owners focused solely on books before branching out into other things.
“Because it was a little bit alternative, whimsical and out-there, there were sidelines that would make sense,” Pastuck said. “You can make the leap from selling yoga books to selling clothes from India or statues.”
Today, the store’s busy interior and eclectic stock offerings of gifts and home décor is a reflection of Anderson’s “unbridled enthusiasm for interior decorating,” as Pastuck calls it.
Anderson has worked at Prairie Sky for the last 15 years, but had envisioned herself working at the store for much longer.
“I always thought I would work here,” she said. “The first time I ever saw it I was 11 and I just knew.”
Anderson was working for McNally Robinson Booksellers when Pastuck offered her a job while she was shopping at Prairie Sky one day. A kind of Cinderella story unfolded after Pastuck realized he didn’t take down his soon-to-be new employee’s name or number. The two eventually connected again and Anderson fondly remembers her first day at work as a trial by fire.
“I had worked here for honestly three hours and he gave me the key and the alarm code and left,” she said.
“It worked out OK,” Pastuck added.
As for the future, Anderson says shoppers shouldn’t expect any major changes in the store.
“It’s worked for 40 years and we’ve always tried to adapt to what people are looking for and sort of grow with the community here,” she said, adding that she’s been the store’s main stock buyer for the last number of years. “I just want to keep Prairie Sky, Prairie Sky.”
Both Anderson and Pastuck agree that the community and dedicated regulars have been the best part of working in Wolseley.
When a fire ripped through the store in 2001 residents showed their support for the business in a variety of ways — including a group from École Laura Secord School that hosted a runathon to raise money for Prairie Sky.
“It’s like they become your friends or family, you look forward to seeing them and they look forward to seeing you and it’s almost like the store is a strange attractor,” Pastuck said. “We weren’t the only ones shaping the business, our customer base was.
“I think it’s pretty magical.”
The staff marked Prairie Sky’s 40th with an in-store celebration on Oct. 20.
