An iconic downtown business has moved to the north end of Saskatoon. Burnett’s Keys has been in its current location in the 300 block of 3rd Avenue South since 1967. The business has been in the downtown, in one location or another, for at least 85 years.

Mark Toews and David Goertzen own the business and Toews says previous owners through the years didn’t have anyone to pass it on to, “Charlie Burnett sold to two employees and then one of those got switched out and then those partners sold to employees.”

He says he hasn’t been able to determine if it was 1935 or 1936 when it started as Simmons Key Shop, but does know it changed to Burnett’s in 1951.

Toews says for the last couple of years, the people who bought their building bought with intention of putting their own business in the 3rd Avenue South location.  He says they got to a point where they didn’t want to stand in the way of somebody else’s progress.

Due to zoning changes Burnett’s Keys is now considered light industrial because some of their services require welding and painting but they couldn’t find suitable property downtown. On the up-side, Toews says the new building on Airport Drive has 12 free parking spaces.

The business officially opened its doors on Airport Drive on Tuesday. The Burnett’s Keys sign will also be moved to the new location and housed inside, in the window, for customers to see.