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Taste of Mexico comes to Cowichan with BC crafted Sueños Artisan Tequila

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 17:20:48 GMT

Gord Erickson Returns to His Roots with Re-Acquisition of Iconic Salmon Arm Pub

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:05:29 GMT

From first pub to full-circle—Gord Erickson and partners bring new energy to a familiar local landmark in Salmon Arm.

SALMON ARM, BC — In a full-circle moment that blends local legacy with fresh energy, entrepreneur Gord Erickson has re-acquired the Crown & Anchor Public House—the very same location where his hospitality journey began decades ago, when it operated as the Hideaway Pub.

The re-acquisition was completed in February 2025, with Erickson partnering alongside Denny Loughan, Dave Kral, Matthias Zieglmueller, and Jakob Isaak to take over operations and bring a renewed focus to quality, community, and experience.

“It’s surreal and special to come back to where it all started,” says Erickson. “This place was the launchpad for a lot of what came after—not just for me, but for many of us who worked, laughed, and learned here. To return with a team of trusted partners and new ideas feels like the right next chapter.”

Now operating as the Crown & Anchor Public House , the pub remains a local staple in Salmon Arm. Under the new ownership group, guests can expect a continued focus on great food, warm service, and a welcoming space where locals and visitors alike can gather.

While the team has plans to refresh the offering and fine-tune operations, Erickson emphasizes that the heart of the business won’t change.

“The names may evolve, but the spirit of the place is still about connection—between people, between stories, and between past and future,” he says.

The re-acquisition marks another chapter in The Sueño Company’s growing portfolio of hospitality and lifestyle brands across British Columbia, Alberta, and Mexico. For Erickson, it’s more than just a business move—it’s a personal one.

“Sometimes you build something and move on. Other times, you get the rare chance to come back and build it better.”

From the Shuswap to the Shores of Jalisco

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:01:34 GMT

Salmon Arm’s Gord Erickson Builds a Cross-Border Brand with Big Dreams and Local Roots

For most Salmon Arm residents, Gord Erickson is a familiar name — the guy behind local staples like Moose Mulligans , Canooligans , Hideaway Liquor Store , Downtown Liquor Store , Spectrum Signworks , Strong Storage , and Village West Plaza . But while his business ventures are well-known around town, few realize just how far his latest project has taken him.

All the way to Melaque, Mexico , in fact — where he now owns a boutique hotel, a beachfront restaurant, and soon, one of the only Canadian-owned tequila brands on the market: Sueños Tequila , launching in May 2025 .

“Salmon Arm is home,” says Erickson. “But the dream has always been bigger. And now we’re connecting what we’ve built here to something exciting down south.”

From the Shuswap to Mexico — and Back Again

Erickson’s company, The Sueño Company , has grown from a single pub into a multi-armed hospitality and development group with restaurants, liquor stores, signage, storage, and real estate under its belt. The Mexico connection started as a personal escape — a beach town visit that sparked a bigger vision.

Today, that vision includes:

Sueño del Sol , a boutique hotel in Melaque, Jalisco
The Rusty Compass Cantina , a beachfront restaurant
Vista Palmar , a condo development for snowbirds and travellers
And Sueños Tequila , grown and distilled in Jalisco, and launching in both Canada and Mexico

Back in Salmon Arm, Erickson hasn’t forgotten his roots. In fact, his Mexico ventures have deepened his investment in the community.

“We’ve used our local marketing team, sign shop, and designers to help bring the Mexico properties to life,” he says. “It’s opened up new business, new inspiration, and a chance for our teams here to engage with what we’re doing globally.”

He’s even had team members visit the Mexico operations — not as bonuses or benefits, but as a chance to see the company’s vision in action, experience the culture firsthand, and contribute ideas from the front lines.

“When someone who works in signage here gets to walk through a hotel in Melaque and see their design work on the walls — that’s special,” says Erickson. “It brings pride to the whole team.”

Salmon Arm-Powered Tequila

Sueños Tequila is distilled and bottled in Mexico, but the brand, the strategy, and the operational backbone are firmly rooted in the Shuswap.

“We’re not trying to be the next celebrity tequila,” Erickson says. “We’re focused on building something real — with story, place, and people behind it. Salmon Arm is part of that story.”

And while he’s optimistic about national growth, he’s keeping the launch close to home.

“We’re taking it slow, starting in places where we already have strong relationships. Just like we did here — one handshake at a time.”

The Future of The Sueño Company

With so many ventures on the go, even Erickson admits that defining his company is a moving target.

“Some days we’re liquor retail. Other days we’re developers. But at our core, we’re hospitality — we create places where people can connect and dream a little bigger.”

And for Erickson, Salmon Arm isn’t just where it started — it’s still the centre of it all.

“Every time we expand, every time we build something new, the talent, the creativity, and the values come from here. Salmon Arm powers everything we do.”

From Small-Town Pub to Global Dream Builder

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:39:49 GMT

How Canadian Entrepreneur Gord Erickson Is Navigating Trade Tensions, Tequila, and a Cross-Border Business Empire 

When Canadian entrepreneur Gord Erickson first touched down in the sleepy surf town of Melaque, Mexico , it wasn’t to scout real estate or source agave. It was a vacation. A break. But somewhere between beach walks and mezcal cocktails, something clicked.

That moment of inspiration has now become a full-blown cross-border business empire.

Erickson, based in Salmon Arm, BC , is the founder of The Sueño Company — a hospitality group that now includes five restaurants in Western Canada, a boutique hotel and cantina in Mexico, a condo development, and a soon-to-launch tequila brand. While it may look like a carefully crafted international expansion plan, Erickson admits it didn’t start that way.

“It all evolved organically — from being a visitor to slowly learning how to build business in Mexico,” he says. “There was no grand plan. Just passion, curiosity, and a willingness to figure it out.”

Tequila, Trade, and Two Countries

At the centre of this web is Sueños Tequila , one of the only Canadian-owned tequila brands, expected to launch in May 2025 with distribution in both Canada and Mexico.

Launching a premium tequila brand as a foreigner is no easy task. Beyond the agricultural and production complexities, tequila — like Champagne — is a protected designation of origin , subject to strict regulations. And the bureaucracy doesn’t end at the border.

“Everything from permits to land ownership, employment law, taxes — it’s all different in Mexico,” Erickson says. “The tequila side was even harder. You’ve got to meet every regulation just to be able to call it tequila.”

That complexity has only increased in the wake of U.S. trade tensions with both Canada and Mexico. When American liquor brands were pulled from Canadian government store shelves during peak tension, it became a wake-up call.

“It really highlighted how dependent we are on U.S. suppliers,” says Erickson. “Being one of the only Canadian-owned tequila brands feels like a real opportunity to do something different.”

Building a Business That Builds Dreams

The Canadian side of Erickson’s business includes five restaurants and pubs — Moose Mulligans, Canooligans, Brothers Tavern, Crown & Anchor Public House, and Cobblestone Pub. While the Mexico operations may seem like a separate venture, they’re anything but.

From custom signage and design created by his Canadian sign shop, to branding support and marketing from his Canadian team, The Sueño Company has quietly built a vertically integrated cross-border business.

“We’ve found ways for our teams in Canada to help the projects in Mexico, and vice versa,” says Erickson. “It’s even become a way to reward our people — we’ve given away trips to Mexico, and it’s an affordable vacation option for our team members. That’s something I’m proud of.”

He’s quick to credit his partners in each project, many of whom bring more than just capital — they bring complementary skills, insight, and help keep the vision on track.

“Most of my projects involve partners who not only participate financially, but also help develop the business. We couldn’t do it otherwise.”

From Frontlines to Vision-Casting

Erickson’s entrepreneurial career started, as so many do, with one local pub. He was hands-on — in the kitchen, on the floor, running the day-to-day. Two decades later, he’s had to let go of that control in order to focus on vision and growth.

“That was hard,” he admits. “But I’ve learned to step back and let my team manage operations. That’s allowed me to spend time on creating new opportunities — the fun stuff.”

He describes his leadership style as focused on trust, vision, and support. “I try to give my team room to grow. I’m not trying to be in the weeds anymore. I want to build a company where people can dream — and we’ll do everything we can to make those dreams real.”

What’s Next for The Sueño Company?

That’s a question Erickson and his team are still figuring out.

“We struggle with that all the time — are we liquor retail? Are we food & beverage? Are we developers?” he says. “The truth is, we’re hospitality — but we’re getting better at building vertically integrated businesses that support each other.”

His son, Colby , now runs his own business within the group — Marquee Kitchen & Bath and Salmon Arm Paint Centre — learning the ropes from the ground up. While Erickson isn’t positioning The Sueño Company as a family business, the sense of legacy is there.

“It’s not just about me. It’s not just about Colby. It’s about the team — creating something bigger than ourselves.”

And with tequila set to launch, condos selling out, and a beachfront cantina serving Canadian tourists in Melaque, Erickson is proof that in a divided world, business can still bring people together — especially if it comes with a good margarita.