The Spike Pub & Liquor Store - ABLE BC

The
Spike Pub &
Liquor Store
by Jonathan Niven
An Award-Winning Part of the Berezan Hospitality Group
It’s well known that achieving success in the pub industry is not an easy
endeavour. Long hours, stiff competition, ever-changing regulations, and fickle
customers contribute to the daily stresses that all pub owners and managers
face. So having a strong business partner can be a huge asset.
Cheryl Semenuik has been in the hospitality industry for about 30 years, starting
as a hostess, then becoming a server and bartender. After a brief stint with a
law firm, Cheryl realized she wanted to buy her own pub and make it her career.
She also realized that her best chance for success was to find a partner with
a solid track record, who could also provide financial support. She contacted
Gord McCormick and asked him to find her a pub and partnership opportunity
that would be a good fit. Through Gord, she and her life partner, Jeff Palidor,
met Ralph Berezan and went into business together in 2001 at the Spike Pub
in Port Moody, however, Jeff retired from the Spike in 2008. Named after the
last spike driven in Canada’s national railway, the Spike is a 250-seat pub and
liquor store located on busy St. John’s Street.
Cheryl quickly realized there was much more to operating a pub than serving
customers, but her experience as a server gave her a solid understanding of
the floor operations and a healthy empathy for her staff and patrons alike. As
Cheryl’s confidence grew, she knew she had to become involved in the local
community in order to grow the business and survive in what is essentially
a small town with a large urban environment. She got involved in the local
business association and served as its president for four years. Her philosophy
is to do as much business locally as possible, including hiring local trades,
sourcing local suppliers, and hiring local bands. While that may be the only
option in isolated communities, it’s not the case in the Lower Mainland: it
simply makes good business sense.
Cheryl’s community spirit also extends to supporting the community through
various fundraising efforts, including raising over $150,000 for Canuck Place
in just three years. The pub hosted a large community beach volleyball
tournament for ten years with proceeds to the local hospital. Every year,
truckloads of sand were dumped in their parking lot for the volleyball courts,
until a condo development adjacent to the property forced them to cancel the
tournament. The Spike continues to support about 50 different sports teams
and groups on an ongoing basis.
This commitment to the community has not gone unrecognized. Numerous
awards including Overall Favourite Business 2004, Spirit of Business Award 2006,
and Community Spirit Award 2007 represent just some of the recognition the
pub and Cheryl has received through the years.
Along with the support of Canuck Place came a close association with the
team, and Cheryl began to build a culture and atmosphere around the Canucks.
The pub became known as “the place” to be for a hockey game, and their
association with the team allowed them to acquire numerous pieces of Canuck
memorabilia, which were in turn auctioned off for Canuck Place.
Cheryl is quick to point out that although she is there everyday, her partner,
The Berezan Hospitality Group, provides huge support in many aspects of the
operation. Currently Berezan Hospitality owns 4 pubs, 10 liquor stores, Agave
Restaurant, Chateau Cargill, and the Hemlock Valley Ski Resort. With that many
properties, the group has significant buyer power. As an example, all liquor
purchases for the liquor store go through head office, freeing up the liquor store
manager to concentrate on staffing, promotions, and floor issues. While each
property has autonomy to stock locally popular items, group purchasing just
make sense and it allows all the properties to take advantage of volume buying,
special promotions, and a coordinated approach to product and merchandising.
20 The Publican