Bruce and Linda Gair believe running a family business is a 24/7 endeavor — including a Saturday night “date,” yet they never work in their shop on the same day together..

Bruce and Linda Gair have started 12enterprises together, including several retail shops. The couple’s newest adventure is “The Keeping Room,” a fine wines and accessories store in downtown Gig Harbor.

The Gairs found themselves in Gig Harbor about 14 years ago after looking for a new life. Linda had struggled with cancer, and moving away from California seemed like a good idea. So they sold their first retail shop that offered Americana, moved to Gig Harbor — and 30 days later became the new owners of a candle and wine shop.

Business ownership is a lifestyle for the couple, who are active in everything from the local planning commission to community groups. While some entrepreneur families leave their work discussions behind at their place of business, for the Gairs those discussions start at the breakfast table and end in the evening. Every Saturday night, they have a “date” for reviewing the week and looking ahead at the upcoming one, including social engagements and business affairs.

But they do set some limits, such as never working at the shop together on the same day. “Linda is the innovative one, she has good taste and marketing skills, and I talk about reducing inventories — those things balance but she always breaks the tie,” Bruce said.

Being a retail entrepreneur is a special breed, Linda says, because many owners make barely enough money to pay themselves. It’s more about being able to control your destiny than the opportunity to become wealthy.

“We like to interact with people and this gives us a stage to play upon,” Linda said. “We like to enjoy our lives. It may not make us rich but it affords us a lifestyle we like.”

That lifestyle includes having an active voice in the community. The Gairs have long been known for their advocacy of downtowns, small-town preservation and livable communities. Linda even gained national exposure on the “Good Morning, America” show a few year ago when Gig Harbor residents fought to drive Wal-Mart out of town.

She said she remembered as a child traveling around the country and feeling a connection with the communities, which 30 years later were dead. Each had a Wal-Mart perched on the outskirts. “That struck a chord,” she said. “It stirred me up.”

The experience of fighting against the big retailer was not easy. Speaking up was scary, Linda said, but since then she had “a bug for injustices.”

“It got me into a lot of hot water because some people don’t think that way,” she said. Were it not for their business, they may not have had the opportunity to be involved extensively, they said. But giving back to the community and being an advocate helps raise the awareness and eventually others start understanding as well.

The Keeping Room has been through three locations, a fire, and several versions of names and inventories. When they originally bought the business, under a different name, Linda knew nothing about wines. These days, she tastes just about every wine she sells, and has acquired a sophisticated taste she passes on to her customers.

The Gairs said they only do something that is fun, and when it stops being that, they move on. To keep their store fun, they use creative ways like playing a piano impromptu, having weekly wine tastings, and two times a year going to town for two very popular (and very expensive) parties: a Champagne and Caviar in November and a Marilyn Merlot wine release party in June.

The Keeping Room stays competitive with bigger companies by keeping the price markup within the same range as grocery stores while offering extra touches. For example, customers could taste wine, and get advice if they’re not sure what wine would work best. Linda said she would talk someone out of an expensive bottle of wine if that’s not what they really need.

It’s the personal connection that keeps businesses like The Keeping Room on the competitive edge, according to the Gairs. “Small businesses are essential to our humanity and a sense of connection, and you don’t get that from a big box store,” Linda said.