If someone owns a legacy home or cottage in the Muskoka area, they don’t need much encouragement to tell you all about its storied history.

The same can be said for local legacy businesses that have been passed from family to family, or generation to generation. That is certainly the case for Weed Man Muskoka.

We’ve been in the area for over 50 years, with a few twists and turns along the way. It’s a story that involved a lot of hard work, as well as motorcycles, take-out windows, and life-changing dump runs.

With that in mind, here is a brief look at the story of your local Weed Man.

The Early Years: Planting the Seeds

Weed Man Muskoka was a family-run business from the very beginning.

The first owners were Bob and Katie McDonald, who partnered with Weed Man’s original founder, Desmond Rice, back in 1970. Bob and Katie co-signed a 50-year contract with Des, with permission to sell provided the business was continued in the franchised area.

They would go on to run the business for the next 18 years, working tirelessly to establish Weed Man as a trusted name and laying the root structure for what would come later.

The Next Generation: Strong Growth

Fast forward to 1988. Bob and Katie are thinking about selling their business to the perfect local buyers, and they find Gary and Ellen Lachance.

Did they find their next would-be owners through their local Chamber of Commerce group or Rotary Club? No, they met them at their local motorcycle club. And, in true Muskoka form, almost nothing about the rest of the transaction is conventional or took place in an office.

In December of 1988, Gary and Ellen received the contract to purchase the franchise through the dumbwaiter in the take-out window at the old McDonald's in Innisfil. An OnRoute stands in that spot today, but real Muskokans remember that McDonald's. Gary and Ellen signed the contract on a nearby picnic table… and got fries with that franchise.

The Next Chapter: Family Roots

Gary and Ellen took over from there and took an all-hands-on-deck approach to running their business.

They did all the calling from their kitchen table from their home in Orangeville, and then later in Bracebridge. Their daughter, Steacie Lachance, recalls fond memories of stamping Weed Man while watching TV or eating dinner, while her parents filled out invoices for the following day. This continued until Gary and Ellen built the current warehouse and moved the business there in 2003.

The next big move came in 2008. On a day like any other, Gary and Steacie were making a dump run to the local landfill site. Gary talked about his desire to begin the retirement process and asked Steacie if she would be interested in taking the reins. At the time, Steacie had three young boys and had recently left a different industry in search of a much-needed change. She jumped at the opportunity to own her own business and keep the business in the family.

With years of the most hands-on on-the-job training anyone could ever hope for, Steacie took over the business that her parents had run for 20 years. And, of course, Gary and Ellen couldn’t be prouder to have their daughter take over.

Of course, Gary and Ellen are still regular fixtures around the warehouse. We still call Gary for odd jobs that require his expertise, while we always look forward to Ellen stopping by to grace us with her amazing smile and style.

Today: Growing Stronger and in New Directions

For nearly 20 years, Steacie has proudly continued the family’s legacy in the Muskoka area, serving the old regulars, building a clientele, and expanding the territory serviced. She also obtained multiple licenses and continues to provide some of our more specialized services in the area, including a district contract here in Muskoka.

Over those 20 years, her 3 young boys have grown into men. And like their mother, Tyler (oldest), Zach (middle), and Wyatt (youngest) have all chipped in to work in the family business in some capacity over the years, with Wyatt returning to work for the family business this season.

In fact, Zack eventually married Emma, whom Steacie has groomed into our Technical Manager. The family roots continue to run deeper and deeper.

Today, not only are we a proudly local and family-run business, but we are also a proudly female-run business here in Muskoka, Parry Sound, and Haliburton.

What does the future hold for us? Nobody knows. But we know our future will hold even more family, friends, fun, and fertilizer.

Having issues with your lawn? We would love to talk to you about it. You can start by answering a few questions about your lawn right now.