From the Shuswap to the Shores of Jalisco

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.”