Download The Keith Beedie Story - Beedie Group

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THE KEITH
BEEDIE STORY
One of Keith’s handcraft ed
record cabinets.
“That money felt
different than any
other I had made.
It felt like a big
deal.”
PART 1: LAYING THE FOUNDATION
CHAPTER 5: BUILDING ON BUILDING
BEAT THE PEAT
The building went up and the plan to beat the peat appeared to
be working. Keith and Carey moved in the equipment from the old
workshop in Marpole and purchased additional machinery to help
them craft the desks, tables and cabinetry they wanted to sell. Once
again Keith was on a steep learning curve, but in no time he and
Carey were putting out high-quality furniture.
Since they were making larger pieces than he and Fred had made in
Marpole, they could command higher prices for their work. “Th e initial
sale out of that shop was for a group of tables we sold for $700,” says
Keith. It was the biggest single cheque Carey and Keith had earned in
the furniture business and they were thrilled. “I was such a kid,” says
Keith. “Th at money felt diff erent than any other I had made. It felt like
a big deal. I marched into the Royal Bank with the cheque and asked to
see the manager.” Th e manager was summoned, but he wasn’t impressed
when he realized he’d been brought out to deal with a simple deposit.
“Th ere I was, all excited about $700. I had no idea.”
THE BUILDER TAKES A WIFE
The $700 order was followed by others; the pace of
production quickened. The furniture was selling well and
the building was kept level. Keith and Carey felt good about
how things were going. They worked hard during the day
to fi ll the steady stream of orders and in the evening they
would sometimes go out to blow off steam. In addition to
sharing a business, the partners shared an after-hours
passion – roller skating. They had met while skating at the
Roller Bowl several years before and spent regular nights
out after the shop was closed. One evening, as they were
skating around the rink, the pair happened to hook up with
two young ladies who were best friends, Lee and Doris. The
foursome clicked and started skating together casually.
One evening, it became clear that both young men were
interested in walking the girls home. The question was, who would
go with whom? “It was a problem that Carey and I decided to settle
with the fl ip of a coin,” says Keith. So Carey and Doris went in one
direction and Keith and Lee went in another.
Both couples hit it off and started dating. “Lee was lots of fun,” says
Keith. “She was a nice-looking girl, just a tiny bit of a thing, only 5 feet
2 inches and 105 pounds. We had some good times together.” It wasn’t
long before Keith asked Lee to marry him. “Th at’s how things worked
in those days,” says Keith. “Th at’s the way it went.” Lee accepted his
proposal and the two were married on September 13, 1947. Keith was
21 years old.
Keith had a business to support himself and Lee, but he didn’t
have a home for his new bride. “As a wedding gift , my parents
gave us a frame, hitch and wheels to build a house trailer. Th e
plan was for me to build a trailer we could live in,” he says. While
Keith set about putting together a structure to fi t on the trailer
frame, he and Lee moved into a motel near Renfrew and 22nd
Avenue. On mild autumn evenings, Keith worked on the trailer.
In no time, he had a 25-foot-long by 8-foot-wide mini-home.
Th ey parked the trailer in the backyard of the workshop. “I was
quite proud of my handiwork and remember the trailer as comfortable
enough. But it wasn’t really a very good place to live. Th at trailer was
cramped but it was livable, just barely.” At least Keith didn’t have far to
go to get to work.
Keith and Lee (Leona
Candaele), 1946.
“Thatʼs how
things worked
in those days.”
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