LaFever's Bullwinkle's, West Yellowstone
Pub Date: 1/1/2003
Jackie LaFever, along with her husband, Dennis, has been running Bullwinkle's in West Yellowstone for 12 years (eight in its present location). In that time, the small town's streets and sidewalks were paved and, just last year a log room was added to Bullwinkle's.
"We're doing alright," says Jackie. "I've been doing this kind of work for 35 years'; I guess It's what I was meant to do."
The addition allows the LaFevers to serve 40 more customers. "It's a nice, cozy room," says Jackie.
"Cozy" is the operative word for how closely connected the LaFevers are to their community, too. First, by way of Jackie's constant marketing efforts and, in the way Bullwinkle's supports the local community.
Jackie believes that her business begins with the locals'; without them, they wouldn't be able to stay open year around. "Oh, yeah, April and November are pretty slow, but we want to be here for the community and for travelers going to and from Idaho and Montana," says LaFever.
"We cater to the locals who support our efforts, like the hotels, motels, gas stations and gift shops which display the menus I fax them every day." Jackie then adds, "We thank them with invitation-only parties in the spring and fall," at which, she adds, "We discuss the community's needs on an informal basis'; ideas get flowing between us and things get done."
For example, last year Bullwinkle's sponsored an auction benefit for a local lady who suffered from a stroke, enabling the LaFevers to hand the woman's family a check for over $1,000. That's just for starters.
Big supporters of West Yellowstone's high school boosters organization, Bullwinkles is constantly helping the school to pay for items the sports teams just don't have the money for.
Unique to West Yellowstone is the way many businesses there have agreed to support the maintenance of the 500 miles of snowmobile trails traversing the area. Being open every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Bullwinkle's pays its $1,000 share as well as a contribution towards the Rendevous Ski Association's cross-country track in town.
Bullwinkle's staff does its part, too. "Last year," says Jackie, "our staff helped with the cooking over at Gus's Restaurant to provide 224 meals to people who had no place to go for the holiday. They did that on their own for free." Bullwinkle's and some of the other restaurants in the area paid for the food.
Says Jackie LaFever, "It's pretty crucial that we all pitch in because there are so few businesses in town'; fact is, there are so few businesses that give enough." However, she thinks the taverns in West Yellowstone do more than their share of giving.
Marketing and contributing. That's a pretty good forumla for maintaining a successful business.
Source: Special Reports, Jan. 2002, published by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite, Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.