Hudson Bay to today: NorthMart employee marks 45 years with company

Don Baryluk wasn't expecting well-wishers when he arrived at work on Wednesday morning. For him, it was just another day managing the deli, the bakery — all the fresh foods at Inuvik's NorthMart.

But thanks to a thoughtful Facebook post made by his wife marking Baryluk's 45th anniversary since he joined the Hudson's Bay Company — whose Northern stores department was eventually sold to the North West Company — that's exactly what he got.

The accolades from an appreciative community came quickly.

"He's getting phone calls from family and friends... it was a nice day for him," says Jane Baryluk.

Don himself was more reserved, but evidently proud, when talking about his anniversary.

"The Facebook article was a surprise to me, I didn't know she had done it. And the only reason I found out is because I had customers and some of the staff come in and congratulate me in the morning."

"I just wanted to recognize what a great man he is. He's been an excellent father, an excellent husband, a great grandpa — he's just a good guy all around," says his wife.

Somewhere totally different

In September 1971, Don was reading the Regina Leader-Post when he says he saw an advertisement from the Hudson's Bay Company for jobs in the North.

"The idea of going somewhere remote and totally different from the prairie provinces was really intriguing," recalls Don. 

"I thought this would be a golden opportunity to see the Arctic and do a little travelling."

His first posting was in Assumption, Alberta. Over the next five years he worked in Fort Vermilion, Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, Rocky Mountain House and Hay River.

"I applied originally for the High Arctic, Cambridge Bay, Resolute, Spence Bay back then... but they send you at the time where they need you."

In 1975, a grocery manager position opened up in Inuvik and Don agreed to head even further north. He and Jane met as co-workers at the store the following year.

In for the long haul

Over the decades Don has seen many changes, including at least 12 store managers.

"There's been a lot of great people come and go over the years, and no one really sticks out because everybody had their own little niche and thing that made them stick out," he says.

And the highlights of the job?

"There's just too many. I don't think I could even pick out one, there would probably be hundreds of them," he says.  

"I'm just dedicated and I liked what I was doing. It's all about liking what I was doing and doing it for my family. Also for me, but for my family."

Jane highlighted that dedication in her Facebook post.

"He is a salaried employee so there is no extra pay for the endless overtime hours he puts in during a week… [and] he declined career promotions because his family did not want to relocate."

He also barely missed a day of work — only when "he was faced with life-threatening issues a couple of times," Jane wrote. 

"There wasn't many at all," agrees Don.

"I learnt that from my father. My father was very dedicated, he always used to say, 'If you're not in the hospital, you're not sick.'"

'The retail business has always been my vice'

After all these years, could he see himself doing anything else?

"Not really. I've done different things over the years. I started off in the oil industry out of high school. So there's different things. But the retail business has always been my vice — I always liked it.

"I started as a school kid... and worked part time when I went to school. And then when I seen this ad, I thought it would be an opportunity to apply and see and do something different in the business, and it has been very rewarding.

"It'll be a little bit more time yet; there's not really a time set in stone.

"When it's right, I'll definitely let them know I'm retiring and move on."