Mini golf represents a new business frontier for Kaulin Melnyk and family.
Kaulin and Cindy Melnyk are the new owners of Sicamous’ Frontier Mini Golf. The two have been seasonal residents of Swansea Point for about 12 years, and have played at the mini golf course several times with their kids, ages 11 and seven. Over time, Kaulin said they got to know the former owner Bob Trevors, who had been trying to find a buyer, and eventually asked the Melnyk’s if they were interested.
“My wife and I have actually been looking for a small business in the Sicamous area for quite some time,” said Kaulin. “We’re both entrepreneurs… and we know we’re going to retire there.
“Frontier wasn’t what I was originally looking for but mathematically it made sense.”
Kaulin says former Frontier staff will be brought back. However, a key selling point for he and Cindy is that the mini putt would be a family venture, where their kids can learn the ropes of running a business.
“Our children can work there, they don’t get paid because they’re just minors, but they get an early MBA… because they start to learn customer service, basic math, interacting with the public, a sense of ownership,” said Kaulin. “I think they’ll learn a lot and go from there.”
Kaulin says the course will receive a bit of a refresh over the coming months, with a grand re-opening anticipated for May long weekend.