Southern Bolt Supply and Redneck Chain & Rigging have moved to a new location.
As of April 1, the two businesses merged and are now offering the entire product line at 516 Nesbitt Drive, behind Power Dodge.
Bernie Bjorndalen, who runs the business, said that while they were thinking about moving and merging businesses for a long time, buying a building in Estevan turned out to be a better option for their needs.
"It was always our intent to amalgamate the two businesses back together. (But there were) space limitations that we had … So we started looking for rental property and what was available in town and then came across a pretty good bargain on this building. So that's why we decided to go this way," Bjorndalen said.
Some of the current incentives offered by the City of Estevan to business owners and other conditions made this deal even more attractive.
"Part of it is taking advantage of some of the city incentives, tax incentives. You take on a new property and improve your signage at the front, and … take advantage of some of the tax breaks that the city put forward. That was good timing for us too. And interest rates are fairly reasonable for purchasing now versus what they were or what they might be," Bjorndalen said.
The new building is about double the size of the area that was utilized by the two businesses before, and Bjorndalen said they have a lot of plans for it.
"We'll be increasing some of our product lines … We're working on some deals to increase our product offering," Bjorndalen said.
The increased storage capacity also allows them to keep a higher quantity of seasonal or more popular items, which will help to get the product to customers in the shortest times.
"(We'll be bringing in more supplies) for people that are renovating, some specialty screws and some fasteners, things like that to go along with it. And then some more adhesives, sprays, and maybe some paint and things like that."
The building, formerly utilized by Acadien Oilfield Services, came in really handy with shelving and display areas already set up to meet the needs of the new owners.
"It was ideal for our business," Bjorndalen said.
Some final things are still getting organized at the front and the back, but Bjorndalen said that with the help of employees they were able to move and start working out of the new location really quickly. The first day they saw customers coming in was March 22, and now they just keep setting up supplies and organizing workspace, making sure everything works properly.
"We're still feeling our way around, getting things sorted out, putting stuff on the shelves, picking it up and moving it … That's nice to have all this space."
The business has four full-time and several part-time employees, and Bjorndalen said they will be looking to add at least one more full-time position.
Southern Bolt Supply was under the Bjorndalens' ownership for about four years, and for about eight years before that, the business was run by different owners. All that time, they were operating out of a building on Fifth Street.
Southern Bolt Supply offers a wide variety of bolts, fasteners, chain and rigging materials, tools and supplies that go hand in hand with that. They also have some safety supplies and much more.
Their operation hours currently are Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Saturday mornings, and their phone number at the new location is (306) 634-5778.
