He grew up on a small farm in the RM of Abernethy, which, for those who aren't sure where that is, is about 3.5 hours from Dauphin in southern Saskatchewan.
He went to the University of Regina and met his wife, Jennifer, in Saskatoon while working at Dominos.
They moved in together in Edmonton, and he worked for three different Canadian Tire stores within the city of Edmonton.
His journey has included being the general manager at the store in Camrose.
Years later, Jeff Bonnor and his family now call Dauphin home. On July 24, Jeff became the new owner of Canadian Tire in Dauphin.
"That was the call I was waiting for. I had completed dealer training in March," said Bonnor. "It was pretty great, we had a family reunion that weekend, so I was able to share all the great news with my extended family about where we're heading and what lies in store for us."
Jeff and Jennifer have two kids. 10-year-old Nolan and seven-year-old Devon. The family moved to town at the beginning of September, and Nolan and Devon have since enrolled in school here.
Jeff's first day at Canadian Tire was on Friday, October 17. He says the first few weeks have gone very well.
"There are always new and interesting things that pop up, and interesting challenges that we get to deal with every day," said Bonnor. "The main thing that both Jennifer and I are committed to doing is getting a little bit better every day. We can start to see it, and we're hoping the people can start to see and feel it in here as well."
If you haven't visited Canadian Tire in the past few weeks, Jeff invites you down.
He does ask for some patience and leeway as they transition the store into something special and a must-visit for folks in the area.
"We would love to have everyone in the Parkland come here to shop. We understand we might not be the largest Canadian Tire, but we do have access to the full catalog of assortment that Canadian Tire carries," continued Bonnor. "From somebody growing up on the prairies, this is home. If you want to experience the hometown service that you love and deserve, come on out and give us a try."
Since taking over a few weeks ago, Jeff says it's been a true pleasure getting to know customers.
"These are some of the friendliest people that I have ever encountered," commented Bonnor. "Everyone here has been super welcoming. We are privileged to be in such a great part of the country, and I want to say thank you to everyone for being so welcoming to me and my family."
On another note, there has been plenty of talk over the years about a new building for Canadian Tire. That is something that Jeff is unable to comment on.
"What I can tell you is we are committed to making the facility that we're currently in the best that it possibly can be," ended Bonnor. "Anything outside of that is outside of my scope. We'll make the current facility the best experience that we possibly can."
There's a new owner in town, and Jeff Bonnor and his wife are looking forward to making your next visit to Canadian Tire the most enjoyable one yet.
