Kevin King

It was just three years ago that we lost Kevin King, a man who stayed out of the limelight but had a profound effect on our community. Below is an excerpt from a newspaper article that was published after his passing in 2023. You can also read more about him on Paul Tilley’s Page.

Well-known Newfoundland businessman Kevin King dies at 67

By Barb Dean-Simmons, PNI Atlantic

Published Jun 15, 2023

A Newfoundland businessman who had interests in everything from building supplies and property developments to industrial projects and tourism died suddenly on Sunday, June 11, 2023.

Kevin King, 67, lived on Random Island and had his business headquarters in Shoal Harbour.

Rod Murphy, a close business associate of King’s, told SaltWire that King was “one of the most brilliant businessmen this province has even seen.

“He was a visionary in the truest sense,” said Murphy. “Newfoundland has lost one of its greats.”

King was hugely successful by any standard.

His companies included Shoal Investments, Coastal Mechanical, Pro Cabinet Design and Cabot Timber Mart in Clarenville, New Found Hotel in Carbonear, and King Salmon Lodge in Labrador.

His property developments included residential subdivisions in Clarenville and St. John’s, and his latest major development, King’s Haven seniors village in Clarenville.

However, he shied away from the limelight, not even to celebrate his philanthropy, such as his donation of land and a building two years ago for a new Salvation Army church in Clarenville, leaving it to Murphy to accept a certificate of appreciation on his behalf in a June 2021 ceremony.

“Little is known, and that’s how he wanted it, about his generosity to various causes,” said Murphy.

His official obituary offered no details about his business accomplishments, stating simply, “He was known for his hard work and unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of those around him.”

Others, however, offer a glimpse into the character of a man who built a business empire from small-town Newfoundland.

Peter Currie worked for King for over 20 years.

Currie started working with King when he was just out of high school, at the Cabot Building Supplies store in Shoal Harbour.

In the years that followed, he said, he came to know King as someone with a strong work ethic.

“He was never late for work,” said Currie, “and he told me about lots of nights when he never had any sleep.”

He expected a strong work ethic, as well, from the people he employed, said Currie, adding, “If you were loyal to him, he was loyal to you.

“At the end of the day, he rewarded you for what you had done for him.”

He added King also enjoyed the simple things in life and spared time for hunting, fishing and berrypicking.

“He always had this special teacup in his truck and any time he was going anywhere, he would often stop to pick a few berries along the way.”

Currie left King’s employ some years back, he said, when another opportunity came along.

He says it’s hard to describe the business lessons he learned from King, but he does remember one thing his mentor once said to him:

“You can’t sell it if you don’t have it.”

He also recalls that while King’s business holdings grew, he remained a present and often hands-on boss.

His dress pants often bore the stains of concrete dust, said Currie.

He was also known to pitch in to serve customers at his retail and building supply stores.

Currie said he and King parted on good terms and kept in touch, and just last fall, in a casual conversation, he offered his former boss some off-the-cuff advice.

“I told him, ‘You should sell what you got now and sit back and take it easy, enjoy the rest of your life,’” Currie said.

King’s answer, Currie recalls, was, “This is what gets me out of bed in the morning.”

While King had some detractors, Currie said the growth of the town of Clarenville is, in no small way, due to King’s vision.

“There’s no one else stepped up to the plate to do what he’s done,” he said.

Hundreds of mourners attended a public viewing for King in Hickman’s Harbour, Random Island. A celebration of life brought friends, family, and colleagues together for a memorial service at The Beaumont in Clarenville—one of his newest commercial projects.