In 1990, when Valhalla Pure Outfitters was just an idea, certainly not a well-formed concept, it became a priority to develop a name and a logo. Nothing new there—every business faces the same threshold.
I’d sketched, played with fonts, had some unrelated inklings.
Greg Harrow, a Vernon friend who had saved me hundreds of thousands of freight dollars at Far West, suggested an artist he grew up with in Nanaimo.
Off I went to meet Brent Senini in a walk-up art studio in old Nanaimo. Brent made his living designing sport team logos and local island business logos. It was immediately obvious he had a gift, just looking at the team logos on the walls. We talked about my ideas: mountains, pristine locations like Valhalla Park, aspirational views, how mountains have always inspired people since time began.
“What’s ‘pure’ about?” Brent asked.
Well pure is about best quality, but importantly pure is about intent, about not selling out, about sticking to the original idea and not becoming overly commercial, about focus… it was a wild conversation that went on for hours.
“And why ‘outfitters’?” Brent asked. “Why not ‘gear’, ‘purveyor’, ‘outdoors’, ‘emporium’…” A couple dozen ideas ended up on the table.
Brent felt there was a conflict between techy, state of the art gear and outfitters.
I described outfitters as retro, authentic, old school, not trendy or forward looking at all, but anchored in the old days when outfitters were rough guides: part cowboys, hunters, and fishermen.
Between us, we agreed pure created aspirational view of the future—it was a “promise to do good”—and that it created an interesting tension with outfitters which always an anchor to the past, historical and rough, authentic.
The next morning Brent had hand drawn the font for Valhalla, with the oversized “V” and “A”.
That next day, we talked from the point of view of having progressed to having our logo half built, about how outfitter stores were allegorically reinventions of the old mountain guides—clients reach out for knowledge and expertise to an outdoor shop in a similar way as they do to a hunting, fishing, or mountain guide.
A guide’s job is to share their local knowledge and steer the client towards knowing more and having a safe trip—essentially teaching and preparing them to head into the mountains and the bush on their own, as their own guide.
The original artwork Brent drew up that day—now on these merino t-shirts—is that imaginary client we discussed, having been already prepared by the guides, “stepping into the mountains” on their own, ready and prepared for adventure and enlightenment.
Brent’s gift was the ability to draw whatever was in his head, but he was a conceptual giant as well, learning his craft in a small BC town, doing good work for local businesses and team sports.
It’s wonderful to work with brilliant people, I am always grateful to discover moments of clarity and significance. Thank you Brent Senini for helping us take our first steps 30 years ago. It’s been an epic journey so far! You’ve “guided” us well…
6 Comments
I loved hearing this story! I grew up in Nanaimo and have shopped at Valhalla there for a long time, but I did not know that Brent had created the Valhalla logo until now! On a personal note: The Senini family lived in our neighbourhood and the matriarch, June babysat my father, Jim.
Hi Michelle!
Thank you! David has some great stories to share so keep your eyes out for more in the future 🙂
This is awesome that you have a connection to the Senini family – it’s amazing how small the world can be. Thanks for sharing and supporting Valhalla throughout the years!
Cheers, Randi
This message is a blast from the past and a big hello to David Harley. I knew Dave and his dad, Norm, back in the Far West days, and later he came to tell his stories to my Entrepreneurship classes at Okanagan College. So I am very familiar with details of how VPO came to be, but it is fun to read these stories on your website. Dave and I are close to the same age and I have been happily retired from teaching for 7 years. David should be retired too! My husband, John Sloan, bought new Quest 4GTX hiking boots earlier this week and was surprised when they arrived in Kelowna the very next day from the New Denver store. He loves them and they are exactly the high quality he’d been looking for at a reasonable price! I had given him a list of retail stores in Kelowna but knew that Valhalla no longer had one here. That, of course, led to the online search for hiking boots, as most of our shopping has been done that way during the pandemic. What a delight to find the VPO website, which is very well designed. And what a lovely way to re-connect with one of Canada’s amazing visionary entrepreneurs! David Harley is a legend. Yes, it’s wonderful to work with brilliant people. Everyone at VPO and its customers have benefitted from David’s brilliance. Best wishes for continued success for many more decades! Cheers! Professor Margo
Hi Margo!
Thanks so much for this trip down memory lane. We know that people love hearing stories from David and it’s great to know that our customers love reading them. We appreciate your continued support through the years. I ended up passing your message along to David and he wrote you a quick note below 🙂
Cheers, Randi
Hi Margot, hope all is well and thanks for reaching out.
Norm checked out in 2012, I recall you being in his classes.
Are you still in Kelowna area?
All the best, stop by if you get close to New Denver.
David
Hey Dave an old friend from Nanaimo just shared this story with me. Thanks for the shout out to Greg. I know he always valued your friendship. And he steered you right with Brent at Senini Graphics. I hope you are well Dave my wife and I love VP, always a positive experience. Cheers Brent Harrow.
Hey Brent, say hi to Greg. And message me his number in Kelowna so I can reconnect. Yes I remember our crazy times in Vancouver – never forget!