Miramichier Leaves the River Seeking Opportunity Elsewhere — It’s a familiar headline. We’ve all heard that story before. But a growing number of Miramichiers are rewriting the ending, choosing to return to the river and find their opportunity right here.

Victor Somers, owner of the Fourmen Lodge, is one of them.

“The opportunities are here,” he says. “When you’ve lived away and seen what other communities are doing, it becomes painfully obvious that those kinds of things can be done here. Be inventive. Take risks. Use your imagination. Just do it!”

Victor grew up on the Miramichi but like many young people he moved away, settling in Colorado where his wife, Jodi, is from. He knew he wanted to move home.

“This is where we wanted to raise our children,” he says.

They were looking for a place to rent and wondering what to do about employment when they heard the Fourmen Lodge was for sale.

”That became an opportunity for us,” he recalls.

Although Victor had never worked as an outfitter before, he had experience in the hospitality industry so he wasn’t concerned about the business.

Victor and Jodi bought the Fourmen Lodge in the spring of 2000. They took possession of the property about a week and a half before their season opened.

“Sometimes you gotta have faith,” he laughs.

General Electric (GE) built the lodge in 1953. Historically, it’s only been open for the spring black salmon season, but Victor and Jodi have been gradually expanding their season.

The lodge was used as a retreat for GE Executives and their clients. After the spring season it was shuttered and closed for the rest of the year.

In it’s hey-day; GE devoted a lot of time and effort to making the Fourmen Lodge experience a memorable one.

They commissioned a documentary that aired on NBC in 1963. Songs were also written about the lodge and recorded onto LPs.

Victor has copies of this memorabilia as well as a large collection of old photographs.

“It’s a beautiful old lodge. The curtains are the same. You really feel like you’re stepping back in time,” Victor says. “If they had charged what the history is worth, nobody would have been able to buy it.”

After GE, many prestigious corporations got involved with the lodge including Dupont and Canadian Tire.

Although he grew up on the Little Southwest Miramichi River, Victor didn’t really know anything about the Fourmen Lodge before they bought it.

“In the past, people weren’t welcomed,” Victor says. Because corporations always privately ran it, very few local people had even seen it.

That’s all changed now. Victor and Jodi encourage local people to drop by and visit with them.

“We’re the best kept secret on the Miramichi,” he laughs. “I’d like to be busier, and I know we will be.”

When they started this venture they wanted to keep the clientele that came with the Lodge.

“You’ve got to hold onto your sustainability,” Victor says.

So, they’ve been focusing on corporate groups with Dupont being their biggest client. Victor says now it’s time to branch out.

Clients are coming back year after year. They’ve renovated, expanded, but held onto the history of the lodge. And this winter they plan to attend some Trade Shows to drum up new business.

The industry has changed since the 1950’s, when it was fine to open for the five or six weeks black salmon season and then close for the rest of year.

“I don’t think that’s viable anymore,” Victor says. “You have to be into salmon, big game hunting, bear hunting, bird hunting. We need to do a lot of different things and use all of our seasons.”

He believes diversity is the secret to sustainability in this industry.

“Not putting all your eggs in salmon basket, so to speak,” he grins. “Use your imagination. Think about what people would like to do.”

They’re looking at expanding the business to get into more hunting and ecotourism, like canoeing and bird watching. They plan to continue to expand their capacity and upgrade facilities.

The Fourmen Lodge sleeps eight, has beech rock fireplaces, and all sorts of original knick-knacks and memorabilia. It’s open for rentals.

Victor says hopefully they will be able to have an official Open House next year but in the meantime he wants everyone in the community to know their door is open and they would love for people to drop by and see the lodge.

“Call or just stop in and see if we’re home.”

The Fourmen Lodge is located in Exmoor on Northwest Road. For more information visit their website at www.fourmenlodge.com Call Victor or Jodi at 506.836.7755 or email info@fourmenlodge.com

Kellie Underhill is the editor of Bread 'n Molasses. Her writing credits include The Moncton Times-Transcript, The Brunswick Business Journal, The Atlantic Chamber Journal and The Reader magazine. Send comments about this article to editor@breadnmolasses.com.