Trapper’s Den Wildlife Emporium

For John and Cindy Wells, Fort Nelson is the ideal place to live, and both have called it home for decades. In fact, Cindy's family has been here for generations. Her mother lived at the Old Fort as a teenager and helped cater to the many workers who helped to build the Alaska Highway. Business, particularly serving the tourism industry, was undoubtedly in Cindy's blood. Her parents ran a local gas station, campground and motel where they met thousands of tourists over the years. Cindy and John continue to serve tourists today who stop in looking for a souvenir of their visit to the north, or who just like to listen to John regale them with stories of his days as a trapper and hunter.

Both John and Cindy are deeply rooted to Fort Nelson, and neither has ever had the desire to go elsewhere, though they like to get away on camping trips from time to time and explore other parts of BC's north. They love the friendly people who live in Fort Nelson and couldn't imagine living in a city where neighbours don't get to know one another. Being so close to everything is also another of their favourite perks of small town living. "It doesn't take all day to get from one place to another," Cindy notes.

John and Cindy feel privileged to promote the town of Fort Nelson to so many out-of-town visitors and even visitors from other countries. They believe that Fort Nelson has many gems when it comes to business. Cindy adds that Fort Nelson and area is also home to many wonderful artists and artisans who add culture and whose works add ambiance to the area and they even showcase some of the local talent in the store.