It’s a one stop shop: landscaping, tool rentals, gravel-work and retail sales.
A year and a half ago Rob Worosz and Kevin Fairweather purchased an abandoned fourplex near Glenmerry overlooking the Columbia River and transformed the property into the epitome of luxury.
Now, Kootenay Outdoor Living is a multi-faceted venture offering everything from hot tubs and swimming spas, to barbecues and cooking classes, patio furniture and heaters.
In addition to the surplus of high-end retail items, Worosz and Fairweather offer specialty timber-framing, power-paving, sprinkler installations and lawn irrigation.
“We owned a great property and we wanted to do something with the view and this building,” said Worosz. “This whole property from last year until now was a major transformation.”
The duo spent roughly 6,000 man-hours working on renovations.
“It was completely gutted,” he said about each upgrade.
A timber deck addition was added at the back of the house, and a slightly smaller deck resembling the Esplanade was built below the property for patio furniture displays overlooking the river. The two also managed to create clean-cut timber frames along the exterior of the entire property.
Today, the building is clean, quiet and full of goodies for outdoor enthusiasts.
“We figured we might as well carry some of the retail stuff for landscaping too,” Worosz explained, while gesturing to aquatic accessories. “We wanted to use the building for something cool that lends itself to what we do (as contractors) anyways, that’s why we started up the hot tubs and patio furniture.”
He noted that decorating the exterior of a house is like doing a room renovation inside of a home, and the pair can cover all of its bases including designs, tool rentals or contracts.
In addition, a professionally-trained chef will be conducting cooking classes for people to learn how to use lump charcoal and fire pellet fuelled barbecues, a pizza stone, a pepper hanger or a barbecue walk.
“It’s the next level of barbecuing,” Worosz said.
“The flavours are superior if you cook on a lump charcoal or fire pellet barbecue.”
Along with the demonstration, Worosz expressed excitement for a professional chef preparing specialty marinades.
“Not only are we going to show them how to use it, we’re going to sit down and enjoy the dinner,” he concluded.
The plans for classes are still being roughed in, but he predicted that cooking classes will begin in mid-September.
“We don’t want to sell people an item and send them on their way,” said manager Llora McTeer, “we want to show them how to use it.”
For more information call 250-368-5552, visit www.kootenayoutdoorliving.com or drop by 2910 Highway Drive in Trail.