Your Lafrance fur may well become a collector’s item at the end of the month when owner Marc Lafrance locks his family business’ doors permanently after 113 years of serving the North.
Established in Chapleau in 1908 by Marc’s grandfather, Adelard Lafrance, A. Lafrance & Sons Ltd. (Lafrance Furs) moved to Sudbury in 1921. Sudbury became the headquarters for raw fur buying, but expanded into manufacturing, retail, storage and servicing.
In 1946, the family opened a location in North Bay, and in 1951, a store in Sault Ste. Marie. Run by Adelard's four sons, Edward, Lawrence, Yvon, and Adelard Jr., the stores employed hundreds of workers.
Lafrance fondly remembers holding fashion shows in Sault Ste. Marie during the Bon Soo celebrations in the 1960s through early '80s, awarding a fur to the Queen of Bon Soo.
Speaking of royalty, while he was cagey in talking about celebrity customers, Lafrance did let slip that even Prince Phillip has a Lafrance Furs hat.
Want to read more stories about business in the North? Subscribe to our newsletter.
Due to waning demand, in the mid-1980s, the Sault store closed, followed by the North Bay store in 1994. Operations were consolidated to the main Sudbury location, where Edward’s sons, Marc and Gerard, carried on the business. Gerard retired in 2006. Marc’s wife Claire also managed the business with him in the final years.
Lafrance is bittersweet about the closure, seeing it as the end of an era for his family, but is excited to see what retirement holds for him and his wife.
“All our four children worked in the business at one point, but then they went on to university to study different things,” the almost octogenarian said. “My children are rooted in their chosen professions now, so it’s time to say goodbye to the business while still in good health.”
Lafrance furs designed fur coats, hats, mitts, footwear, as well as restored, recycled, remodeled and reinvented fur garments.
Lafrance has turned old fur coats into blankets, pillows, and teddy-bears, to keep them loved and in use. They also stored, cleaned, and sheared furs.
The store’s furrier has purchased the majority of their equipment with the intent to open a new enterprise in the fall.
Lafrance said that their label has always represented quality workmanship and that they prided themselves on fair, friendly service.
When asked if he has any advice for entrepreneurs, Lafrance said: “You will have good years and bad years, but if you treat people fairly, and offer your best, they’ll do right by you; they’ll be repeat customers and will recommend you too.”
No challenge was too big for Lafrance, and he particularly enjoyed the jobs that required going above and beyond, whether it was designing an extravagant coat, chasing skins to match a job from as far away as Vancouver, or meeting a tight deadline for a milestone anniversary gift.
One customer of note had been in a serious car accident and was left with circulation issues, so the challenge was to find ways to keep them warm. Lafrance’s solution included a cape, mitts, and footwear, all warm and breathable fur and skins.
Since announcing their closure, Lafrance has been touched by the outpouring of support and the retirement gifts he’s received.
“If even a fraction of the well wishes from our former customers come true, life is going to be great,” said Lafrance. “It has been our privilege to serve such wonderful customers, and employ such dedicated people over the years.”
But Lafrance doesn’t have time to think about spending time at camp with family just yet, as the store has been extremely busy clearing out their final merchandise.
Their website also looks like business as usual, not mentioning that the business is closing on March 28, 2021.
Lafrance smiled this past week when he overheard a customer at the cash register saying: “Good, now I have my Lafrance Fur.”
