Fred and Gloria Hoechsmann launched North Star Waterbeds in 1977 out of the basement of their home in Kimberley, British Columbia. Fred, then working as a ventilation technologist at Cominco, built waterbeds by hand—burning and brushing the wood for a rustic look. Word of mouth fueled demand, and soon friends, neighbors, and locals were asking for custom-made beds. The business quickly grew beyond a side hustle.