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Three Bears Alaska

"To this day Three Bears is still a family owned and operated company and plans to be around for quite a few more years.
With many more locations to come to serve Alaska and [their] unique communities. The company’s CEO/President is one of Larry Weisz Sr.’s sons, Dave Weisz. He continues the values and beliefs that his father set out many years ago that Three Bears will be “just right” for the communities we open stores in.

Alaskans Serving Alaskans Since 1980 (TM)"

- Excerpt from 'Three Bears Alaska History'

Client Information​

Client Description​

Three Bears Alaska is a family-owned retail chain operating over 20 stores throughout Alaska and one location in Montana. The company provides full-service grocery stores, convenience stores, fuel stations, sporting goods outfitters, hardware stores (through Ace Hardware partnerships), and liquor stores. Each location is uniquely tailored to meet the specific needs of its community, with store formats ranging from small convenience locations to large warehouse-format stores up to 65,000 square feet. Founded in 1980, Three Bears has grown to become Alaska's most successful family-run business by revenue, staying true to their philosophy of being "just right" for every community they serve.

Client Size​

  • Retail Locations: 29+ stores (in Alaska and Montana) with ongoing expansion [alaskapublic] [akbizmag]
  • Store Breakdown: 13 grocery stores, 8 gas stations, 9 sporting goods outfitters, 4 pharmacies [alaskapublic]
  • Employees: Approximately 2,000 employees [akbizmag]
  • Annual Revenue: $297 million (2024) [akbizmag]
  • Industry Ranking: #1 most successful family-run business in Alaska by revenue [akbizmag]

Points of Contact​

FortisureIT team​

  • Client Solutions - Part Time
    • Zach Sedlack
  • Developer - Part Time
    • Michael Shields

Please note that this list of team members may not always be perfectly up to date. If nothing else though, any member listed here should be able to direct you to the accurate, current members if this list is outdated.

Objective​

Our goal for Three Bears Alaska is to build and maintain Smart Tools Hub, a centralized web application that provides store employees with real-time inventory data and streamlined ordering capabilities across multiple vendors. The platform is accessed via department computers, handheld scanning devices, and tablets throughout their 29+ retail locations.

Our flagship tool, SmartPO, serves as the evolution of our original Warehouse Order Guide. It consolidates purchase order management for both internal warehouses and external vendors (currently just Costco) into a single interface. The system leverages predictive algorithms to forecast sales and recommend optimal order quantities based on current inventory levels and configurable parameters, helping stores maintain stock levels while minimizing over-ordering.

Originally, Three Bears Alaska engaged us through Upwork for PowerBI reporting solutions. When adoption challenges arose, we pivoted our approach from passive reporting to active workflow integration—embedding analytics directly into the ordering process rather than requiring employees to seek out separate reports.

Altogether, our objective is to increase Three Bears Alaska's revenue through improved inventory availability while reducing shrink and lost sales. As a significant player in Alaska retail, this partnership positions FortisureIT for potential expansion into the broader grocery retail market, particularly as Three Bears Alaska has expressed interest in licensing SmartPO to other retailers.

Associated Technology / Stack​

  • Next.JS
  • MS SQL
  • Firebase
  • Azure Function Apps
  • Azure Logic Apps
  • Zebra Handheld Scanner Devices (TC57)
Last updated on by Zach Sedlack