They sit side by side in their home on Robinson Rd. Behind them, picture windows frame an expansive view over the Georgia Strait, with the mainland as backdrop. Sometimes Nan and Bud Massender finish each other's sentences as they reminisce about the time, 20 years ago, when they came to Bowen to start what has become an island institution: Cates Pharmacy.
Nan says, "We really love living on the island. We came for almost two years before we started the business. We would just get on the ferry and felt like we were coming home."
The Massenders admit that the transition wasn't smooth. At first, the business didn't grow as fast as the couple had expected. Bud says, "I think we didn't really take into account how easy it is for people to shop on the North Shore. So we had to develop a loyalty in our customers and that took a while."
Nan nods and says, "The first few years were kind of rough in a way." Bud adds, "It was four or five years before we felt that we were making a decent living."
Nan laughs. "Actually, Bud is hiding the fact that he is an excellent buyer and that's how we survived. The cash flow was pretty low because we weren't having enough customers. A lot of people didn't realize that we were here or didn't think that we were a full pharmacy."
Bud explains, "There are two ways about it, one is to spend a whole lot of money and stock the shelves and make it look like you are a prosperous business. And the other way is to do what we did and just buy as we sold but keep very careful track of what the demand was. We didn't have a lot of money to spend on inventory then."
"Our whole idea was for it to be a community-style pharmacy," Nan says. "So we've always had Birkenstocks and we've always had Belgium chocolates and some giftware. And when we talk about the front store stock, there was enough variety for people to choose from a number of shampoos. They were maybe only two deep but people had a choice."
Before coming to Bowen, the Massenders had a pharmacy in Fort Langley for 18 years. Bud says, "We had a pretty good idea what products were in demand. So we just stocked what we could afford. And then, as people came in and asked for things we didn't have, we imported them and gradually built the inventory up."
"With our wholesaler, we have always been able to have delivery within a day except on the weekend," says Nan. And Bud adds, "and it is still that way."
Bud says, "We had to convince people that we could fill their prescriptions. And I had enough experience to satisfy 90 per cent of the demand that I would get." Nan says, "But we loved living here from the beginning. We rented above the store for the first year. We would get up in the morning, drive to a different part of the island and park the car. Then we would go with the dog, probably trespassing on people's properties. That's how we got to know the area."
The Massenders had been interested in relocating to an island for some time when Bowen came to their attention through a newspaper advertisement looking for someone to open a pharmacy here. Bud says, "When we answered the ad, we found that it was a doctor."
The connection did not lead anywhere but, Bud adds, "that sort of planted the seed. And a short while after, the Seymour Medical Clinic decided that they wanted to try a satellite office over here and one of the first things they wanted to have was a pharmacy. So they contacted us and asked if we could set something up. So we did. That was August 27, 1991."
Nan says, "We opened the store underneath the pub where the gift shop was. We had just a dispensary at first. We commuted for three months from Fort Langley, six days a week, and moved to Bowen in November." Bud adds with a smile, "And we had the glorious prescription volume of about 10 or 12 prescriptions a day by the time we moved into the new store."
This volume was a fraction of what it is now and Nan says, "the business is gradually growing every year." Bud clarifies that "by city standards, it's not a big business. It's still a small business but it's enough to keep two families happy." But it is not only the owners who reap a benefit. The pharmacy's staff is loyal and full of praise. Nan says, "We've always treated [staff] like we would wish to be treated and try to be fair in all respects, salary-wise as well. And it worked."
In the beginning, only Nan and Bud worked in the pharmacy. Then they hired a part-time helper. Bud says, "That was a few months after we opened where we are. And then it was probably a couple of years before I could afford to have a part-time pharmacist, somebody for one day a week. Now there are three pharmacists counting myself. And how many front store people do we have?"
Rather than come up with a number, Nan says, "There's Elaine, Catherine, Sheila, Gillian and Laura, the summer girl. She is a student and is going back to New York - where she is going to shine. We have very nice staff." And Bud says, "We are very lucky."
Nan is retired but doesn't stay away entirely. She says, "I stick my toe in the pool around the store sometimes. Every now and again, I go with the girls on buying sprees." After a stab at retirement in 2003/2004, Bud is back to working three days a week. He enjoys his job and is full of praise for Shahzad, his business partner and Simin, who is the third pharmacist.
In addition to work, both Nan and Bud like to sing, she with the Madrigals and he with the Squires. Bud also plays badminton and ran the program for a few years. They are firmly entrenched in island life and have quietly, and generously, given back to the community.
Bud says, "We believe in supporting the community. And people appreciate that. It builds loyalty." Nan adds, "We are both very similar. We don't yell, 'Oh, look at me, I've given this to so-and-so.' And sometimes the projects we've been involved in, we felt that there should be some discretion. That's just how we feel."
In short, it is a success story that will be celebrated on Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Village Square when the pharmacy hosts its 20th anniversary party.
Nan says, "There will be lots of prize-giving and gift-giving on that day. We'll also have balloons and chocolates. We'd love to thank our customers and all the people who did support us. We formed great friendships with a lot of them."
