A family-run sporting goods store in Lac La Biche, Alberta, is marking a half-century in business this month, crediting its longevity to a strategy of constantly diversifying its product lineup to match the changing interests of the community.
Albert Moghrabi opened Lac La Biche Sporting Goods on Sept. 26, 1976, drawn by the region’s abundance of lakes, which once attracted visitors from across the province to fish. Moghrabi says that natural draw was the reason he saw an opportunity to open the store in the first place, noting that all the local lakes were open to fishing when the business launched and that people travelled from all over Alberta to visit the area.
From Fishing Gear to ATVs
When the store first opened, its shelves were stocked mainly with fishing, camping, and hunting supplies. The business expanded its offerings in the 1980s to include ATVs such as trikes and three-wheelers, which Moghrabi says became widely used by people in the workplace during that decade. Recreational boats have also remained a staple of the store’s inventory for the full 50 years, reflecting demand tied to the area’s warmer-season lake activities.
As hockey grew in popularity in the region, the store broadened its stock to include sticks, pucks, and protective equipment, and it later added gear for summer sports such as baseball. Moghrabi says this continual diversification of product offerings is what has allowed the business to survive for five decades, and has also helped it compete against retailers in larger centres by giving local customers a wide range of options without needing to leave the community.
A Personal Motivation Behind the Milestone
Moghrabi says the biggest reward tied to reaching the 50-year mark is connected to a promise he made to his mother, who died in 1965 when he was 11 years old. He says he has worked to honour her through his efforts in the decades since, describing his career as something he has approached as a lifelong mission.
To mark the anniversary, the store is holding a celebration on Sept. 26 that will include giveaways, among them an ATV, with attendees able to enter a draw whose winners will be announced before Christmas. Moghrabi said the event is intended primarily as a thank-you to the community for its support of the business over the past 50 years.
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