The Brussels Post, 1978-07-26, Page 14It was a pleasure to have worked with
David Longstaff Ltd.
Optician
in supplying and applying- the paint and
walicovering in the firm's new quarters.
GaryBannon
Painting and Decorating
527-1582 Seaforth
Graves
Wallpaper and Paint
527-0550
Best Wishes from
•
• •••••.,
. ' CENTRAL OPTICAL INC.
28 Morrow Road
Box 8200 Barrie, Ontario
Tel.. (800) 461-7528 (705) 728.-9241
Telex 06-8/5668
te
I
Congratulations
and
Best Wishes
to
David. Longstaff Ltd.
Optician
on the completion of
new accommodation.
We are proud to have
been selected as general
contractors for the project.
Harold Smith
Construction Ltd.
Seaforth Ontario
14 THE. BRUSSELS POST, JULY 26, 1978
Longstaffs renovate Main St. building
It's been Kerslake's feed. Store,
an early Seaforth post office and
for many years a fruit store.
Now, after the store sections of
the building have been empty for
more than four years, 87 Main
Street South has become the new
cffices of J. E, Longstaff,
optometrist and the optician's
'office and lab of his son, David,
The reason David Longstaff
was attracted by the building was
because it allowed the
optometrist's.. and optician's
office to be completely separate
from one another, while still
sharing the same building.
Under the Health Disciplines
ACt it's considered a conflict of
interest for an optometrist to have
an optician operating in the same
(Ace.
David Longstaff didn't
originally intend to follow a career
quite so closely related to his
father's profession of optornetry,
After graduating from Seaford)
District High Shool, David
bOrigStaff WAS "gung, ho on
getting out" of his hometown.
He enrolled in the marketing
management course at Ryerson
'College and fully intended to
work in. Toronto after he
graduated,
.But after two years of life in the
city, and on the advice of his
father, he decided small towns
have more to offer. — •
It's a decision he hasn't
regretted since he finds Seaforth
is friendlier than the city and
"you know people as individual's
and they know you which makes
for a more trusting relationship."
After deciding to return to
Seaforth, David Longstaff began
taking an optician's course at
Ryerson in the evening.
The optician is the person who is
involved in completing and
dispensing prescriptions from an
optometrist or ophthamologist.
In 1975, after finishing his
business degree, David Longstaff
moved back to Seaforth and
finished his optician's course by
correspondence, while appren.
tieing in his father's office.
He received his optician's
licence in 1976.
When David Longstaff decided
to, renovate the former Phillips
building, he had to put in new
floors, lower the ceilings, install
heating and air conditioning
systems and put up a number of
partitions.
The two stores originally
sharing the building were "like a
bowling alley"-each measuring
13 by 80 feet. Now these two
large areas have been divided
into a number of smaller rooms.
In renovating the building care
has been taken to preserve its
original characteristics and style
of.the exterior.
The brickwork on the:front of
the building used 90 year old
reclaimed' brick from a houSe in
Londesboro. ' •
Sri-0th Construction Limited of
Egmondvilte 'were general
02ontractors for the project. David
Longstaff said he wanted to retain
the look and atmosphere of the
old building. Eventually he plans
to sandblast the upper storey .to
match the new brickwork.
The garage doors at the 'back of
the store were replaced with solid
walls and the land to the south of:
the building will be used to
provide parking for customers, at'
the optometrist's or optician's
office.
Mr. Longstaff said his future
plans are to offer complete lab
'service for grinding and
dispensing glasses.
(Continued on rage 16)