In 2004, Gene and Susan Minard decided to take a risk right in the middle of farming and raising a family. They had little time for leisure activities, but discovered they could RV close to home and slip away for a day or two and in what became known as their “happy place”. Whether it was a day on the lake with friends or family or an evening spent sitting by a campfire they began to really value these mini retreats. Aware of how much the RV lifestyle improved their own lives, they felt a need to share what they found with others and Minard’s Leisure World was born. Starting with just six employees and a handful of trailers, they embarked on an ambitious journey into the world of owning an RV dealership.
There was a ton to learn not only about the product but also what would be necessary to have in place to service them and continue to expand their selection.
Manufacturers aren’t always willing to take on “new” dealers as they want to know their product will be well represented and be placed where it has the greatest chance of being seen and sold. Susan and Gene attended the large US trade shows year after year and made the necessary connections so they could offer their customers more & more selection.
Weyburn and Watrous are not large centers, so they focused on bringing in products with a good reputation and then marketing, marketing, marketing to build their brand. As they saying goes “If you build it they will come” and come they did. In addition to promoting our locations they took the RV Shows on the road in numerous Sask locations including Regina, Moose Jaw, Yorkton and this past year Saskatoon. Within a few short years, they quickly became one of the largest RV dealers in Saskatchewan and with customers from not only the prairies but all corners of Canada.
The business was expanding so fast they ran out of room and took another risk in 2012 by investing in a facelift which included more sales offices, a front reception area, washrooms, and a large glass meeting room that is referred to as “the fishbowl” as well as multiple service bays. Their hard work did not go unnoticed or unrewarded. In 2015, they were awarded Saskatchewan’s ABEX Business of The Year award and Marketing award, in addition to being the one and only RV Company to achieve the prestigious Canada Best Managed Designation. Seeing an opportunity to expand to further into Saskatchewan, they opened a second location in Watrous in the fall of 2019.
Always on the move, always growing and ever changing the past 20 years have flown by and brought both highs and lows, but the overarching mission has remained the same. Allow people to experience the RV lifestyle for themselves.
Join us as we sit down with CEO Susan Minard for an interview, where she reflects on the past 20 years and shares insights into their remarkable journey.
