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Shady Rest

Shady Rest Story

Born in 1884, Thomas Kinkade Jr. was son to the area's premier pioneer settler Thomas Kinkade Sr. Their family homestead is located on what is now a Federal Heritage site in the Marshall-Stevenson Wildlife Sanctuary only a few kilometers north of where The Shady Rest stands today. Early life on the east coast of Vancouver Island was rugged, but Qualicum Beach was quickly becoming a popular destination for tourism, and after a stint as a Fisheries officer, Kinkade Jr. saw an opportunity to change careers. In 1924 The Shady Rest Hotel was constructed as one of the very first buildings to occupy Qualicum's waterfront. The Shady, as it became commonly known, was renowned for its relaxed air of hospitality and proximity to the ocean, fishing and camping. Mother nature and her bounties were (and still are!) some of the area's biggest draws, and Kinkade Jr capitalized on his fisheries background to help guide his guests to the best fishing spots around.

A family venture from the outset, Kinkade Jr. passed on the business to his son Gerald in 1944. With a keen interest in public relations, Gerald ran the Shady until the 70's when he, too, handed the reins to his son, Tom Jr. In total, it would be three generations of Kinkades spanning 61 years of Shady ownership before the business was eventually sold to Wayne Duncan in 1985.

Duncan, formerly of the Prairie Inn Pub in Sannich (outside Victoria), began extensive renovations, and it was over a number of different phases that the Shady transformed into its current layout in the mid 1990s. Duncan and his newly renovated Shady Rest wowed the locals with a renewed vigor for the quality and consistency of food that could be offered within a Pub environment, as previously peanuts and pickled eggs would have had to suffice.

Within 10 years of Duncan's ownership it was time to introduce another of his family to the folds, and he hired his young son, Tom, to help wash dishes in the kitchen - hey, a guy's got to start somewhere! Little did Tom know, but someday he, too, would play a part in the long line of family heritage that has kept The Shady Rest open for business ever since.

Today, as Qualicum Beach's oldest continually operating business, The Shady Rest would like to thank you for helping us get this far. We're proud of our deep roots in the community, and we look forward to continuing to serve the area's locals and visitors as we uphold our legacy of local tradition. Cheers!