Feature Article February 27, 2002
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Interview with Paul and Gisele Beaupreby David BrisonGrandmas Country Kitchen in Sharbot Lake has been closed this winter season. Gisele Beaupre and her son Paul Beaupre recently called The News to request an interview to respond to what Gisele described as, rumours in the community about the restaurant - rumours that they say are unfair and without any foundation.
There has been a lot of talk about the restaurant this winter. Many in the community have wondered why it has been closed. The rumour has circulated that the tables and chairs have been seized, along with other equipment, and that the restaurant will not open again for the summer season.
In part, the talk stems from a series of articles which have run in the Kingston Whig Standard over the course of the winter.
The Whig Standard has published stories on a corporation, Global Silver, that operated for a while out of Kingston. The Whig claims that Global Silver Inc. sold distributorships for silver jewellery and then shipped cheap imitation jewelry to the distributors. The Whig says that hundreds of people have lost the money they invested in the distributorships. In the most recent of these Whig stories (Godfrey man key figure in jewelry firm tied to scam, February 19, 02), they have said that Paul Beaupre was one of the principals in Global Silver, and cited sources that said there was a connection between Paul and Grandmas Country Kitchen.
Paul and Gisele were interviewed in the restaurant on Sunday February 24. Paul says that Global Silver was one of several business ventures that he has invested money in. He describes Global Silver as a failed, but legitimate, business in which he had invested $200,000 and says he lost all of that money when the company declared bankruptcy.
Further, Paul says that there is absolutely no connection between Global Silver or himself and his mothers restaurant. However, the February 19 Whig article contains quotes from Tom Clayton, of Hendrix Hotel and Restaurant Equipment and supplies. According to the Whig, Clayton said he sold equipment to Grandmas Country Kitchen, and that the bills were paid up front by cheques from Global Silver.
For
her part, Gisele wanted to clear up several matters.
First, that the decision to close the restaurant during the
winter season was made because she had taken a big loss during the
first winter. She said
that she had closed on the advice of her financial advisors, and
because she believed that there was not enough business in town to
support three restaurants - hers, The Sharbot Lake Motor Inn, and
Loves To Cook - during the winter.
During the time she has been closed, she has painted the
restaurant, had the tabletops sent out to be refinished (the legs and
table standards are still in the restaurant), and repaired the air
conditioning system.
She plans to open on March 15, and in preparation, has hired a new chef and a cook. She will feature a more extensive wine list and a vegetarian menu. The mini golf course will again be open as will the ice cream parlor.
She does however plan to regularly close every winter.
Gisele says that she is personally hurt by the gossip in town, I have invested a lot of money in this town and it has provided a tourist facility and employed a number of local people.
She opened the doors of Grandmas Country Kitchen, in the spring of 2000. The restaurant is centrally located on Road #38, next to the beach and Medical Centre, and has a beautiful view of the lake. It is immediately seen by anyone entering Sharbot Lake from the south.
She was warmly welcomed by most of the people in the area, who were pleased that someone was willing to invest money locally. Further, the restaurant was attractively renovated, and as an added bonus she restored the miniature golf course and built a climbing apparatus for children.
I hadnt planned to come to Sharbot Lake, but I fell in love with the view of the lake and beach from the restaurant and decided to buy, she said. Daughters Linda and Josee moved to Sharbot Lake with their mother and all three have purchased houses. Giseles husband died during the winter. It has been a rough winter for me, says Gisele.
Late last week, prior to the interview, in an effort to refute the Whig stories, Gisele sent a letter to The News, which was signed by Donald Stevens. He identifies himself as the owner of Global Silver Inc. The letter states that Global Silver fulfilled all the terms of its contracts with distributors and shipped them the jewelry that they were promised; that Stevens personally lost a considerable amount of money which he had invested in Global Silver; that Paul Beaupre was also an investor in Global Silver and that he too lost money when the company was unable to make a go of it. Stevens claims in the letter that the Whig has yet to find one dissatisfied customer in the surrounding area.
Paul Beaupre says that Global Silver is one of about eight companies that he has invested in. My main job is related to land development in Mexico. I am hired as a consultant there and go to Mexico every month. It is unfortunate that my connection with one of these businesses, Global Silver, has caused troubles for my mother, he says.
There have been no charges laid against any of the principals associated with Global Silver, but The News has learned that the RCMP is actively investigating.
