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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1989-05-24, Page 5• n the Street By Jim Beckett he huge crowds drawn to Grand Bend like black flies to a Tsweaty body last weekend have convinced me Exeter is missing the boat when it comes to capturing thc free spending tourist market. How can our small town become a mecca for young sun worshippers? The answer is easy. All we have to do is snatch Morri- son Dam and a few hundred acres away from Usborne Township and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority and truck in about a hundred thousand loads of sand to create a beach that would tum both Archie Gibbs and the Grand Bend council green with envy. Can we afford this you ask? Can we afford not to take advantage of possibly the only•chance Exeter has of reaching the big time? Let's suppose prime beach front property could be worth about five million dollars and another two million would cover trucking in the cleanest and finest sand available. This immediately puts us in debt for seven million which would force weaker politicians to hide indoors for the summer...but let's figure it out. My radical math might even bring Bill Mickle out of hiding. Local realtor Dirk Coolman, who has all you need to know about mortgages printed on his business card, took about three seconds to tell me the payments on seven million dollars borrowed at 12% amount to $72,240 per month or $866,880 per year... and in 25 years it would be all paid for. Of course, the new Riviera of Huron County needs revenue to keep operating, so an admission fee will have to be Charged to peo- ple who want to enter our paradise. I figure $2.00 per person is a small price to pay to relax and enjoy yourself on a safe, sandy well -supervised beach where you would never have to worry about a huge wave pulling your children out into the deep water. Many people estimate Grand Bend attracted up to 50,000 last weekend. The people suffered through long traffic jams to claim a spot on the beach that could only be slightly larger than their bod- ies. ' By promoting the peace and tranquility theme, would it be reason- able to expect Exeter could capture about 20% of this market? With - about 28 prime weekend days between May 24 and Labor Day could we persuade 280,000 people to invest two dollars each to holiday in lurtury? , Even if we could it would still leave a shortfall of $306,880, an amount that could be covered by a combination of federal and pro- vincial grants until Exeter's Morrison Dam developed fully and at- tracted enough people to break even or show a profit. Before you throw the paper down and decide the writer has gone completely, bonkers think about how our senior levels of govern- ment have been persuaded to invest in other money -making schemes. Think about Bricklin, Come -By -Chance, The Avro Arrow, Manaki Lodge, our almost submarine deal, Newfoundland's Cucum- ber Dome, etc., etc. The Exeter beach front project should be the winner our politi- cians arc looking for. Perhaps we could rent it in thc off season to our armed forces who are rapidly running out of real estate. With the threat of Grand Bend's beach getting into private hands a distinct possibility, the timing could never be better for council to instruct its new administrator Rick Hundey to crunch some numbers to determine the feasability of this expansion. The only question to be answered is "Docs Bruce Shaw have as much nerve as Bob Sharen?" * * * * * * * * * * The Exeter Optimist Club is putting a lot of effort into promot- ing bicycle safety by holding a "Bicycle Rodeo" Saturday at the high school. It starts at 9:30 a.m. * * * * * * * * * * Shirley Keller, a former editor of the T -A is one of the featured writers in the Huron Public Education insert in this week's newspa- per. * * * * * * * * * * Good Times in the Centre Mall has re -opened undcr the new own- ership of Marion McKay. Billiard and darts facilities arc available for the enjoyment of patrons who will select from a brand new menu. * * * * * * * * * * London Frcc Press reporter John Miner who lives at RR 1 Central- ia is on assignment in Cuba with a trade development mission from London. * ********* Two building additions on Main Street will feature the old re- claimed brick to keep with the style of many Exeter buildings. Bar- ry's Barbershop and the Coolman Real Estate office will -look likc they've been a part of Exeter for years whcn they're done. * * * * * * * * * * The following was clipped from "The Publisher" the voice of the Canadian newspaper industry. What is a Customer? A customer is the most important person in any business. A customer is not dependent on us. We arc dependent on him. A customer is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. A customer docs us a favor when he comes in. We aren't doing him a favor by waiting on him. - A customer is part of our business - not an outsider. A customer is not just motley in the cash register. He is a human being with feelings and deserves to be treated with respect. ,A customer is a person who comes to us with his needs and I wants. It is our job to fill them. • A customer deserves the mbst courrdbusjattention we. can give him. He is the lifeblood of this and every business. He pays your salary. Wittioln him we world have to close ou(doors. Don't ever forget it. Authority reminds public of dam land ownership EXETER - The Ausablc-Bayfield Conservation Authority owns land at both ends of the Exctcr-Morrison Corridor. However, private individ- uals own the land between the Mor- rison Dam and McNaughton Park in Exeter. Private landowners granted public access through their lands for this 1 past winter. This permission docs . not apply to summer use, or even for next Winter's activities. So, enjoy the facilities and natu- ral attributes of Morrison Darn Conservation Arca and McNaugh- ton Park; but respect the rights of private landowners by not crossing their land. Jerry Rader catering up a storm By Adrian Harte ZURICH - How big is a caesar salad to feed 1,000 people? Ask Jerry Rader. He knows. He has made them, Now into his third year of opera- tion, Rader has found his Home - style Catering business must be ca- tering to his customers' needs, just by judging how his market has ex- panded. main specialty is the selec- tion of 20 salads he provides for so- cial events and sells to certain stores. Not everyone can sell Rader's salads though. "We're very picky who we take on," he said, explaining that even though some Toronto stores arc in- terested in selling his prepared sal- ads, he isn't happy with the idea be- cause, since he doesn't use any preservatives, they won't look their best after travelling the distance. "Everything we do is homemade, everything," stressed Rader. He points out he could save his compa- ny money and time by buying cer- tain prepared items, like cote slaw, from suppliers, but he knows his customers can and do appreciate the difference a homemade approach of- fers, especially in meat trays that use non -processed, freshly -prepared meats. "People know," he confided. Rader's stuff really is homemade. His large kitchen .was specially - built in his back yard when he de- cided to enter the catering business at a time when he was manager of the Zurich Arena. He said he al- ways liked to cook and he was be- ing asked to prepare food for ban- quets and receptions so .often it became the obvious choice for a ca- reer change. Rader and Mary -Lou Erb handle nearly all the food preparation themselves. Rader's wife Brenda %also gets involved with certain pro- jects and the company employs summer help to cope with the busy company -picnic, baseball barbecue season. And it is busy. In fact, in June alone Rader will be catering for 18,461 people, over 8,000 of those on one day alone. This means he will be making 1,800 kilos of coleslaw and using Times -Advocate, May 24, 1989 Page 5 • 7._ . OFT - 1 • 3 • �► i 14 1. • 11' , • Homestyle - Jerry Rader and Mary -Lou Erb dor: mind showing off their work. Not only is the quality of the food important when catering, but its )pearance presentation has much to do with its suc- cess. Major Miracle Whip Jerry Rader buys Miracle whip in 20 litre pails. He estimates he will use 500 of themthis year alone. 350 dozen eggs. "This month has doubled from last year's June," said Rader, evi- dently surprised at his success. "We don't know what to expect for July." Clients include such big names as Labatt's, Honda, and General Mo- tors. The fact is that even though Rader operates out of Zurich, his maim business is generated from large urban centres like London, Sarnia, and Toronto. He says pre- paring the food in Zurich and trans- porting it is no problem because his large collection of coolers keeps the delicacies hot or cold for several hours. Actually, Rader suggc s the coolers give him a unique advantage over other caterers. He doesn't need an oven on site, so he could, theo- retically, deliver a hot banquet to the middle of a forest. The caters arc also famous for their 20 rieties of fruit pies - everythir from apple to peanut butter toirnip. The latter was a special cation for last year's Exet- er Fall Ir and proved to be a sell- out hit ,h the crowds. For my events, Rader finds himsovorking in concert with the Hensrbased Pincridge Barbecue comity. Rader's brother-in-law Bill 71or often provides the meat for toccucs while Uomestylc Ca - sines Miracle Whip 6 40 =04581 tering docs the rest. "They're my backbone," confessed Rader, explaining it was Taylor who supported him through his transition from arena manager to ca- terer. However, Rader points out that big events aren't his only concern. He will catcr to as small a group as is economically practical. Word has spread enough about his opera- tion that London yuppies will orga- nize parties at their lakeside cottage or yacht, using Radcr's service to bring in food where they have little cooking facilities. Business is so good he is ready to consider adding a night shift just to prepare vegetables. Ile is already having to tum away clients for wed- ding receptions in the summer sea- son. Rader insists that catering isn't as expensive as many people think, and is available for occasions many never consider. Ile says catering can economically provide all the food for a banquet set up as a fund- raising event. "Some organisations don't realize how cheap it really is," Rader ex- plained. Those who don't have a need for catering, but would like to sample Homestylc Catering's work, can join the line of people who arrive at Rader's kitchen in the mornings to buy his selection of frozen meat pies, lasagna, turkey burgers, mew - balls, cabbage rolls, and.. dessert pies. Rader likes to think of them as convenience foods with a home- made, quality touch. On the kitchen wall, Rader keeps a collection of letters praising his -company for past catering work. He knows the letters aren't neces- sary, but" he likes them all the same. "That's what keeps you going. You know the food is good," he said. At the moment, he isn't sure what direction his company is tak- ing. He likes the taste of success, but at the same time he says he is fearful of becominrsuch a large concern that he can't sample each and every one of his products. THE ortgage r NEED A MORTGAGE? 1st, 2nd, Multi Family or Com- mercial, flexible terms, fast, confidential service, Call "The Mortgage Mart" London - 433-6666 WE GET RESULTS! COUMTPY FLOWERS Moving Sale 25 �f° off everything in;tore front Does not include custom orders. Fres stock arriving daily. 235-235C Personal shopping only Cash and carry only