Business owners, Ryan Renshaw and Meagan Lake, believe that the hearth is always at the center of a home. Providing a sense of warmth and comfort to families in Nova Scotia has been a top priority for them. Renshaw and Lake, the co-owners of Good Fellas Stoves and Chimneys Ltd. aim to bring quality and care to their business by delivering safe installations and 5-star-rated cleaning services.

Renshaw and Lake applied their business and entrepreneurial experience from a previous venture and incorporated Good Fellas in April 2020. They steadily built the business through word-of-mouth recommendations and became well-known for their raving client reviews.

“This is a service-based business. We want to make sure our clients’ experience when heating with wood energy, is the best it can be. Chimney care and maintenance is recommended annually, by insurance agencies” says Renshaw, who has been in the field for nearly 10 years. “We thrive during the winter season.”

They are planning to develop an online platform that will replace the need for a traditional storefront. This approach will guarantee that clients will have all the benefits of shopping in person but without bearing the costs of a brick-and-mortar storefront.

Lake explains that this has allowed the company to keep operating costs low and focus on perfecting its services. They provide a red-carpet installation and cleaning experience, unlike other local chimney companies.

“We are able to keep our prices competitive and affordable and service a variety of clients and projects all with different needs,” says Lake. “We are currently working on financing options and hope to offer financing in the near future.”

Good Fellas offers a wide spectrum of services, including chimney cleaning, wood and pellet stove maintenance, masonry repointing, sales and installations, WETT inspections, and free consultation. They have grown a lot over the last two years, have added another maintenance vehicle to the road and are looking to hire two new team members this year.

“We will continue to grow so we can meet the service demands of people who want to heat their homes with wood-burning energy,” says Renshaw. Cleaning chimneys can be challenging and if done incorrectly, can create quite a mess. The company has a process for cleaning that leaves the areas around the hearth spotless. Good Fellas lay down protective neoprene mats that act as barriers, protecting the floor and can be removed without leaving any dirt or debris behind.

Renshaw says it’s a top priority to respect the homes of the people they visit.

“We’re always complimented on how clean we leave the area around the stove or fireplace,” he says. “We’re told how refreshing it is to have found a chimney company that doesn’t leave their home a mess.”

Good Fellas offers free consultations for people interested in having a wood-burning appliance installed. A heating solution more people will turn to as the weather gets colder.

“We’re finding a lot of young people who are living on their own and looking for a more affordable source of heat in the winter,” he said. “We have a large Facebook presence and are getting a lot of positive responses from the online community.”

Lake adds that the community is very supportive of young businesspeople like themselves. “People want to support local, and every day more people are starting up their own businesses. The response has been very welcoming.”

“It’s proven to be a unique challenge, trying to manage a family and making sure the company is doing well,” she says. “It’s a lot to juggle at times but I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”

“Everything that we’ve learned and have had work for us has been learned through trial and error when it comes to running the business. Those learning experiences have shaped us into the thriving company we are today,” says Renshaw. Good Fellas’ plans include building on a new product they manufacture – wood-fired hot tubs. They are the only manufacturer in Atlantic Canada and want to expand into the wellness sector with wood-fired hot tubs, cold plunges, and eventually saunas.

Good Fellas is also deeply involved in the community and sponsor the Pashkoshi Bandolero Racing Team, made up of Beaverbank community youth. They contribute to the QE2 and have supported youth in Halifax through bottle drives and other community events. They also have an annual wood stove giveaway and are currently holding a contest for a free wood-fired hot tub.

Renshaw believes that it is important to do something you love, in business, no matter what it is.

“Meagan and I always encourage other people to branch out on their own and to pursue their dreams,” he said. “We have found a lot of positive feedback and growth by doing this. Helping people, bringing warmth and security to our neighbours, families, and friends – that’s important to us.”