Brenda Neufeld (née. Turple) says she doesn’t put much stock in job titles, but functionally, she is the general manager (and part owner) of one of Western Canada’s most established and historically significant motorcycle dealerships, Turple Bros. Ltd.  Located in Central Alberta on the outskirts of Red Deer, Turple Bros. Ltd. has grown from a small, rural business founded by Brenda’s father Glenn Turple and her uncle Rex Turple in 1956, to a thriving, modern enterprise occupying 46,000 sq. ft. with showroom space and an accessories department that rivals many big city dealerships.

Glenn and Rex Turple started their fledgling enterprise in 1949 when they became a ‘sub-dealer’ selling Nortons from a garage on the family farm near Red Deer.  By 1950, Turple Bros. signed on to handle Triumph.  Then in 1956, the Turples moved their business to Gaetz Avenue - then the main highway between Calgary and Edmonton - in the small city of Red Deer.  Glenn says they initially dealt in British and German motorcycles – Triumph, BSA, Norton, BMW and NSU – but they also had an active trade in used Harley-Davidsons, especially 1942-43 WLC war surplus bikes.  And in 1959, the brothers took a gamble and signed up to carry a new, a little-known Japanese brand – Honda, making the little prairie shop one of the first Honda dealerships in North America.

In the fifty-plus years Turple Bros. Ltd. has been a going concern, Glenn and Rex’s contribution to motorcycling has been so significant that the Reynolds-Alberta Museum (which focuses on mechanized history and is owned and operated by the Alberta Government), recognized them as ‘pioneers of motorcycling in Western Canada’ in the award-winning major exhibition Life & Times of the Motorcycle held in 2005-06.

In 2001, Turple Bros. Ltd. was restructured and Neufeld bought into the company.  Ownership is now split among Gordon Turple (Glenn’s son), Brenda Neufeld (Glenn’s daughter), Terry Morris Sr. and Glenn Turple (company co-founder.) 

As general manager, Neufeld is keenly aware of the good will and impeccable business reputation that Glenn and Rex (who passed away in 1990) worked tirelessly to build up in the fifty-two years the dealership has served Central Alberta.  Neufeld says the importance of preserving that reputation is always top-of-mind.  “This is a family enterprise.  Ethics, above all, is what’s important.  It’s important to be ethical with customers and our staff.  We have to live with ourselves.”

Although she is now one of the company owners, Neufeld says there was never an expectation she or her brother Gordon (who became a major shareholder in 1982) would join the family business.  “As teenagers, we all worked here.  I started at age twelve doing custodial duties, cleaning bathrooms, painting and sweeping the sidewalk.  Glenn always encouraged us to be independent and get our own experiences,” she explains, adding, “I spent twenty-two years as an account manager in the banking industry before joining the business in 2001.”

“And the good thing is Brenda was fresh, providing a new set of eyes, when she came back,” Glenn chips in.
   
Not surprisingly, the Turple kids got an early taste of their father’s passion for motorcycling.  “We didn’t even have to walk!” laughs Neufeld.  “Dad had a sidecar rig.  I sat as a baby in mom’s lap in the sidecar and my brother Gordon sat on the seat behind!  Then we got our learner’s permits at age fourteen [the legal age in Alberta] and learned to ride on 49 cc Hondas.”   These days, Neufeld rides a Honda VTX1300 when she can find the time.  Her daughter, twenty-four year old Chelsea is the third generation to join the business, and works in the finance department.  True to family form, Chelsea is also a motorcyclist and rides a Honda CBR600RR sportbike.

Although it’s relatively uncommon to see a woman running a successful motorcycle dealership, Neufeld doesn’t believe she’s at a disadvantage in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry.  “I’ve found coming into [the powersport industry] I have been very well accepted, but a lot of that has to do with the relationships Glenn has set up over the years.  I’ve inherited some of my father’s people skills,” she readily admits.

Moving from the world of banking to the business of retailing recreational power products has been an eye-opener for Neufeld.  “It’s sometimes frustrating . . . . customers can be very emotional when it comes to their toys, at least compared to banking.  And theft.  The amount of theft in retail is surprising.”

Like most businesses in Alberta’s booming economy, staffing is the biggest challenge the owners currently face.  One of Neufeld’s big responsibilities includes human resources, and she says finding the right people and keeping them is tough.  “We can’t rely on staff being here forever,” she says candidly.

Turple Bros. Ltd. isn’t just a business success story – it’s a dynamic, living piece of Western Canada’s motorcycling history.  Now eighty years old, Glenn Turple still racks up enough miles each year to make most motorcyclists shake their head in disbelief.  On the day of our interview, Glenn walks into his office, helmet in hand and beams, “Have a look at my ’84 Gold Wing - it just turned 296,000 kilometers when I rolled into the parking lot!”  The passion for motorcycling that Glenn brings to the store (“whenever he’s not traipsing around the countryside on one of his bikes,” says Neufeld) is the foundation of a thriving business with many years of success to come.