After 41 years of running a gas station and repair shop on Highway 101, Vanderkemp Sales & Service has moved its operation into a new building on the same property.
Canco now operates the pumps, however, the electrical and mechanical work that built the family business remains firmly in the hands of John Vanderkemp.
Not quite ready to hang up the wrench, both John and his co-worker of 35 years, Brian, decided to relocate their workshop up the hill.
“Neither of us really wanted to stop working,” says John. “We just wanted a pace that lets us take a few days off when we want.”
Although their new shop with a rather large VANDERKEMP sign is tucked behind storage buildings up the hill from the highway, it can be harder to spot than the old front-and-centre gas bay at 7408 Highway 101, just south of Powell River.
Electrical work remains the heart of the operation. Vanderkemp Sales & Service rewinds electric motors, rebuilds starters and alternators, tracks down wiring faults and services water pumps, skills which are in short supply on the upper Sunshine Coast.
The shop also repairs and stocks parts for recreational vehicles, handling propane, electrical and plumbing systems. John, along with his front-end co-worker Nancie, also operates a U-Haul depot.
Vanderkemp Sales & Service also offers storage, with five fenced buildings offering heated and unheated lockers. Plans are underway for outdoor RV stalls.
The service list includes light mechanical work on domestic vehicles such as oil changes, inspections and small repairs.
“If it’s something we can’t handle, we’ll point you in the right direction,” explains John.
Most customers are locals, although summer travellers still roll in with trailer troubles. John has noticed more residents choosing to holiday close to home and fixing up older rigs rather than buying new. That suits the repair trade.
“I love the thought process of figuring things out,” says John. “Putting your mind—and sometimes your body—to work keeps me going.”
Electric Motor Services, founded by John’s father in the late 1960s, became Vanderkemp Sales & Service when the company incorporated in 1978.
John and his brother bought the gas station in 1983 and gradually expanded, adding tenants such as Columbia Fuels and Superior Propane, then constructing storage buildings, including the one that now houses the shop.
“Our legacy is that we were always here when something needed fixing, whether it was a pump, a motor, or just helping someone with a moving truck.”
For more information, call 604.485.9774.
