Frontenac Outfitters floats on under new ownership

Jonas Bonnetta | Apr 27, 2017

This weekend is Frontenac Outfitters 33rd annual spring sale and although the idyllic location near Frontenac Park may be familiar to some this year's sale will be the first one for new owners Kiley and Zack Fiddis who recently took over this South Frontenac paddlesports business.

For Kiley, Zack, and their 2-year old daughter Lyla, it's not only a significant lifestyle change but a dream come true.

“This is something we've wanted for a long time,” Zack, a former heating and air-conditioning technician and long-time paddler, told Frontenac News. “The stars kind of aligned.”

“It seemed like it was now or never,” Zack said when asked about why they made the move. “Our daughter is young and we'd been looking for a lifestyle change when we found this backyard oasis.”

Kiley, a former social worker, was equally as thrilled about the change, excited to be able to spend more time raising their daughter amongst the lakes and woods of South Frontenac and running the business from home.

Kiley and Zack purchased the business from Larry and Christine Showler who had posted the sale online looking for the right buyers. For Larry Showler, who originally purchased the business in 1994, this meant someone that would continue to run Frontenac Outfitters with the same appreciation of the business' natural surroundings and a love for paddling.

The Fiddis family made it through the vetting process and have since moved from Bowmanville, Ontario to the Sydenham area and taken over the operation.

“I've been paddling for 20 years,” Zack said as he excitedly described all the new boats that are premiering this weekend at the sale.

Larry and Christine have stayed on temporarily to help the Fiddis family transition into ownership and to share their knowledge and enthusiasm of paddlesports as well as to introduce Zack and Kiley to their faithful clientele.

“We've had a great response from the community,” Zack said. “We've been meeting so many awesome people.”

When I visited Frontenac Outfitters on a rainy Easter weekend Zack was quick to take me on a hike of the property. The tour started at a building stacked to the rafters with shining new canoes and sea kayaks then wandered amongst tall trees and Canadian Shield through 7 campsites they maintain and rent out and finished right at the water's edge on the quiet and beautiful Pearkes Lake where you can try your boat before you buy it. The entire time Zack was walking me through some of the brands that Frontenac Outfitters carries and the latest technology that goes into boat building from the volcanic ash interweave in H20's new canoes to the unbelievably light kayaks they have for sale on site.

“Any day you come out here you can test paddle any boat we have,” Fiddis told me.

The annual sale begins on Friday and runs until Sunday with company reps on hand, competitive sale pricing, a wide selection of boats and gear, as well as the opportunity to get out on the water to test the canoes and kayaks. Add free coffee and donuts to that list of perks and a chance to say hello to the owners and you've got yourself a nice little day trip in South Frontenac.

For more details on the sale you can visit Frontenac Outfitters online at Frontenac-Outfitters.com.