Family-owned, Community-focused. Built to endure.
Our Commitment to Community
As long-term owners and developers, we believe real estate should strengthen the communities it serves. We work with local stakeholders and partners to ensure our projects contribute positively today while remaining resilient and relevant for generations.
Ladysmith Roots
The story begins well before the name 49th Parallel. Verna and Arvo Mackie built a home on the corner of First Avenue and Symonds Street in the 1930s. By the 1940s, the front of the home had evolved into a small café where Verna served what many locals remembered as the best coffee and soup in Ladysmith. As logging and other industries expanded, “Mackie’s Fish and Chips” became a popular gathering place and an early example of the site’s role as a community hub.
On December 5, 1951, the Mackies sold the property to Frans and Lempi Paivarinta. Days later, on December 14, the business reopened as 49th Parallel Grocery, named for Ladysmith’s unique geographic location. The Paivarinta family lived and worked on-site, adapting the original building to meet changing needs and steadily growing the business.
In 1960, the Paivarintas constructed a new 3,000 sq. ft. grocery store next door, reinforcing their long-term commitment to the site. Even as ownership evolved over time, the property remained continuously occupied by a business serving the community under the 49th Parallel name. The store was referred to by locals as “the 49th” and continued to grow as the community grew.
Local History
The images below reflect the evolution of the 49th Parallel presence in Ladysmith, from early storefronts and construction milestones to community moments and the current commercial presence.
Richmond Family Stewardship
In 1977, Wayne and Harmina Richmond entered the picture through a lease of the store and business, and in 1981 the Richmond family purchased the property outright. Over the following decades, they invested steadily in its future, eventually acquiring the surrounding lots and, in 1990, constructing a new grocery and liquor store facing Symonds Street. Further upgrading and expansion followed in 2010, resulting in today’s modern facility.
Over these years, the family also invested into other communities, culminating with five stores, including locations in Chemainus, Cedar, and two stores in Duncan, BC. Several of the store properties were purchased, developed, and then resold as the business continued to grow.
Local Employment and Community Service
At their peak, the Richmond family were operating five full-service grocery stores and employing over 400 local people. One interesting statistic is that the company had over 2,200 team members pass through its doors, many of whom were working their first job and learning important long-term life skills.
Alongside their stewardship of 49th Parallel Grocery, the Richmond family also owned and operated 49th Parallel Printers, a locally focused printing business, from 2006 until its sale in 2025. Together, these enterprises reflected a consistent commitment to honest service, local employment, and long-term relationships within the community.
The family was proud to give back and fully immerse themselves into the community and food industry. They were proud members of many organizations, including the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, where the 49th received several top awards, including the Arnold Rands Heritage Award in 2021.
Recognition
In 2021, 49th Parallel Grocery received the Arnold Rands Heritage Award, given to the top scoring retailer from across Canada that has operated a family business for at least two generations and 35 years in the same community.
Other awards included Chemainus Chamber Business of the Year in 2018, finalist recognition in the Vancouver Island Family Business Awards in 2020, Duncan Chamber Black Tie Awards top Business Achievement in 2021, and Vancouver Island top retail business recognition in 2022.
The company was also responsible for bringing a Guinness Book of World Record to Ladysmith for the world’s largest street hockey tournament in 2007, among many other proud community moments.
The Next Chapter
Now marking more than 70 years as a Ladysmith institution, the 49th Parallel Grocery reflects a rare continuity of purpose across generations and families. In 2023, the grocery business itself was sold to another Vancouver Island-owned family business, Country Grocer, ensuring that its tradition of local ownership and community focus continues.
This history of patient ownership, reinvestment, and respect for place directly informs how Har-Way Holdings approaches real estate today.
Looking ahead, the planned redevelopment of the corner of First Avenue and Symonds Street represents the next chapter in this long relationship with Ladysmith, an opportunity to create a thoughtfully designed mixed-use development that serves current needs while becoming something the community can be proud of for generations to come.