KMS Tools Launches First Saskatchewan Location in Saskatoon's Riversdale Neighborhood
Saskatoon – In a significant expansion move, KMS Tools & Equipment has officially opened its first Saskatchewan store in the Riversdale district of Saskatoon. The new 25,000-square-foot location occupies the former Giant Tiger Building near 22nd Street West and Avenue F South, representing a strategic push eastward for the family-owned company.
A Personal Connection to Saskatoon
Store Manager Rod Markewich revealed that the decision to establish a presence in Saskatoon was deeply personal for the company's ownership. "Saskatoon has always held a special spot for our owner," Markewich explained. The business is named after Kathy, the wife of owner and president Stan, with Marilee being their daughter. Kathy, originally from Saskatoon, had long expressed a desire to see the company open a location in her hometown.
"There was an opportunity to purchase a building of the right size for what we needed," Markewich continued. "It was just a good time to invest in the Saskatchewan market." The store features a memorial plaque honoring Kathy, who passed away last year. Stan and Kathy were married at the Bessborough Hotel in the 1960s while attending school in Saskatoon.
Expansion Strategy and Product Offerings
Founded in Coquitlam in 1983, KMS Tools now operates approximately 17 locations across Alberta and British Columbia, with the Saskatoon store marking its Saskatchewan debut. "The plan was to expand east," Markewich noted. "This probably won't be the last expansion we do in the near future. We are always looking for opportunities in new markets."
The Riversdale location carries an extensive inventory of approximately 20,000 different SKUs, with access to hundreds of thousands more through suppliers. Product categories include:
- Power tools
- Automotive tools and parts
- Welding and metalworking equipment
- Woodworking tools
- Construction tools
- Hand tools
- Body panels
Most products are available for purchase through the company's online store, with convenient "buy online, pickup in store" options that typically have orders ready by 10 a.m. the following morning.
Competitive Advantages and Customer Service
Markewich emphasized several factors that distinguish KMS Tools from competitors. "The selection is the big one," he stated. "Other stores in similar markets don't have the tool selection we do. Even if we don't have an item in stock locally, we can often access it quickly from one of our other locations."
The company offers a price match guarantee with any competitor in Canada, including Amazon, and provides an extra year of warranty on power tools – a feature Markewich claims no other market competitor offers.
Perhaps most notably, KMS Tools has focused on hiring staff with practical industry experience rather than traditional sales backgrounds. "I didn't want to just hire salespeople," Markewich explained. "I wanted people who have worked in automotive, welding, metalwork, and woodworking. We try to have employees who know what they're talking about from experience, not just from reading it in a book."
The opening represents not just a business expansion but a homecoming of sorts for a company with deep personal ties to the Saskatoon community, while bringing specialized tool expertise and competitive pricing to Saskatchewan's growing market.
