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Times-Advocate, 1986-09-10, Page 13More families seen on the streets 60 merchants agree The summer of '0 will be remembered as the year of a record number of red flag days at the beach when swimming in rough water was a chargeable offence; the summer of a record number of fantastic hot weekends in a row with beach parties and beach blankets; the year of such high water levels that the gas docks at the harbour were under water; the year of brightly patterned jams, Canada cooler, long dangling earr- ings and pink flamingoes everywhere. There seems to be general agree- ment in Grand Bend •- It was a very good season. In the hotel accommodation area, several places experienced rowdy tenants that caused destruction on the hot May 19 holiday, but owners pert a lasting stop to any further inch occurrences. Mrs. Irene Kennedy, manager at Oakwood Inn reports that the Inn is fully booked until the end of September. There has been a mark- ed increase in dining room attendance especially at breakfast, and that in - eludes patrons who are not hotel oats. "The Sunday buffet brunch is becoming so popular that people will drive from Sarnia, London, and the surrounding area •• it's very well known and almost by reservation on- ly" claims Mrs. Kennedy. Although there has been a decrease in the amount of advertising, the number of golf tournaments booked is up and word of mouth good recom- mendations have resulted in many se- cond g Oenaerat� of families vacationing at- Times•Advocate, September 10, 1986 Page 13 It was a good s•son TURN CLOCK RACK -- Betty Warshefski and her husband Tom from the Pt. Huron 4.square Sportsmen's Association, demonstrate the clothing, living quarters (tee -pee) and the dried deer skin so much a part of the lifestyle of the coureur-de-boisof the 1700's that the Buckskinners encampment emulates on the weekend at Lambton Museum. Buckskinners display a former way oflife The Lambton Heritage Museum played host on the weekend to over 1000 people who came to see the Buckskinners ('amp. This group of over 60 persons from Michigan are experts in the old frontier ways of ex- istence. They make all their own clothes and painstakingly research all their gear for historic authenticity. Their tents are set up, with kettles over the campfire, and the fires were welcome in the cool weather this weekend. One of the mist impressive events was the musket firing, a con- test of marksmanship and speed in re- loading. Inside the Museum were two related exhibits on loan from the Royal Ontario Museum, one on the early Canadian fur trade, and the other on the pre -historic history of On- tario, before the days of the white man. An additional treat provided was horse drawn wagon rides, en- joyed by young and old alike, to make a perfect outdoors adventure. Another successful event for the museum! About town Everyone's had the first week of school now, and so know better what's in store for the year. It's really hardest for those in the first year, whether it's kindergarten, first grade, high school freshman, or starting at a college or university; that new situation gives you a bad case of but- terflies. Just wait for your first job in- terview, kids, there's really a cause for jitters. Reverend and Mrs. Peebles of Grand Bend United Church, are now hack from vacation in August, where they were touring the Niagara area and had a very good time sight- seeing. Don't forget the Huron Country Playhouse Guild Fashion Show, "Salute to Fashion," with Susan .1. Fashions, September 10 at the Playhouse Main Stage. The show begins at 8 p.m., preceded by a com- THE WORLD PLAYS HOCKEY WITH Coopor HOCKEY TIME Complete Line Of Cooper Equipment Come in and get fitted with Cooper Skates We sharpen skates ROLLIE'S Sports & CycI. Grand Bend 236-2416 Hours: Mon. - Sat. A a.m. - 9 p.m. Sun. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. plimentary wine and cheese recep- tion, with tickets at seven dollars. Sunday afternoon visitors with Elizabeth Morris of Grand Cove were her two grandchildren, Kathi VanDenfeuvel and Scott Norris of Sarnia. Surprise visitors on Sunday after- noon with Lorne and Doreen Devine were her sister and five brothers, to celebrate the occasion of her upcom- ing birthday this week. The visitors brought a picnic supper with them, and everyone enjoyed the meal. Those attending were: Vera and Er- win Latta of Poirit Clark, Earl and Kay Weiberg of London, Hubert and Bernice Weiberg, Gordon and Ber- nice Weiberg, Howard and June Weiberg and Garnet Weiberg, all of Waterloo. Mrs. Rita Cooke, of Fort Lauder- dale, Florida, returned home after a six week visit with her nephew, Philip Walker and his family, of Oakwood Park. She also was able to visitfami- ly and friends in Peterborough while here. Tis' the season for ragweed, that noxious pestilence which precedes autumn, and my sympathies go out to all you fellow -sufferers during this pollen season. It seems to be worse this year, but we must grimly endure until the first frost. Marc Grand Fiend News on Page IIA i Serving a completely different culinary craving, Andrew Clark, In partnership with his mother at Our Andrew's and Andrew's Too quick service snack booth on Main St, echoes the same sentiments. "Business was really good •• 1 have no complaints" even though it seemed quieter than last year as far as numbers are concerned for Andrew. "In the last three years we have built up a reputation for our fries. Our regular customers spread the word and send their friends" says Clark. He also feels his c"uatomers come back again and again because they know the booth is open from March 16 to Thanksgiving. It keeps a staff of 22 busy in the summer months serving up those fries and burgers from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a,m. everyday. "It's the young people, the party people that make this place go in summer, the OPP were good on Main St. this year, they didn't bother the people like last year, they kept a low profile" he felt. "Right on the main street we see it all" claims Mllvi Iskauskas of the In- apirations boutique, and "there have been no problems with drunks like last year". Inspirations presents a selective array of high quality lingerie, sterling silver jewelry and a make-up counter with many testers. Milvi, in co -ownership with her daughter Vida felt that the weather could have been better this year - in heavy rain everyone disappears. However when they did shop, she felt there was a good crowd of people this year, more families and not as many kids (15-25) Their number one best seller was a two piece bikini with tank top that was "selling like hot cakes", Silver rings, narrow bands usually sold in multiples at 83 or 84 each were also popular. Inspirations will be open weekends until Thanksgiving, In the grocery business a Monday or a Tuesday is just as good as a Saturday in July and August explain- ed Leo Masse at the Tender Spot on Main St. Yes, it has been busier this year than last, total sales are up, the customer count is higher, and is the ususal mixture of transient and regular customers, but this is a trend that has been going on every year since the store opened 16 years ago. It's the meat department that draws and keeps the customers Masse claims, because they do all their own butchering on the premises. Being af- filiated with the Freshmart chain, it is the supplier that adds the Lucky Puck or Baseball Score games. Leo feels the games keep repeat customers coming back and are a way of saying thank you to faithful customers. Jackie Porter of Parkhill was the fgmmer mag g r 91 Excel Tee's, the irst store at the Not of the hill, just as you come off the beach on the south side of the street. The shop has an ex- tensive array of summer cotton shorts sets, dresses, tee shirts tops, bottoms or whatever, in the most up- to-date styles. Beach covers and bathing that one would assume would always be in demand followed the weather pattern the same as all other merchandise. If the weather was great as it was weekends in a row the people went to the beach and didn't do much shopping. During the week, sales were good. Overall Porter felt sales were down slightly from the year before. The good weather proved to be an added bonus to sales at Sanders on The Beach. Day and night, customers jockeyed for seats on the advan- tageous outdoor patios to relax and enjoy the passing parade provided by both man and mother nature. "The patio business was an added bonus" claimed Sanders' general manager Ed Arnett. The dining room is the car- rying core of the business. "1l pays for itself and the staff was happy with everything, (the tips)". Arnett feels there has been a change in the crowd coming to the Bend this summer. There appears to be more families especially during the week. The young people still crowd in on the weekends but they are a generally "better quality crowd" than in the past. He enjoys the fact that everyone dresses in their fashionable summer togs, the girls care enough to wear make-up and aft NEW TWIST • Adding a few more interesting old-time events to the Buckskinner Days at Lambton Museum was curator Bob Tremain (in overalls) demonstrating rope making with the aid of visitors Doug Zoethout of Goderich turning the rope twister i earrings and the guys wear neat cot- tons instead of jeartcutofta that were popular a few years ago. Accommodation ran at 85.100 per- cent at Hotel Mainstreet, claimed Arnett, much above the anticipated forty percent, Unfortunately Sanders and the Cafe Imperial aredoing for the winter this year. "We tried to stay open in winter but it just doesn't pay. We lost money previotaly, so we in- tend to continue the renovations to Mainstreet this winter". Chamber of Commerce chairman Bob Sharon, who keeps a finger on the pulse of Grand Bend summarised the year thus; the weather makes it good for some, down for others. In the fast food busineu, people eat more if it is cool; in poor weather people shop more as can be seen in this real estate business; the greater majority have had a good year but the very different weather patterns of this season has resulted in at last one business that keeps daily records, having complete- ly reversed sales patterns I.e. days they expected high volume became low sales days. How does Sharon estimate the crowds? He notices more families sauntering along Main St. with children duringthe week and he counts the numr of weekends and the length of time traffic is backed up along Hwy 21, waiting their turn to come into Grand Bend • the town of Sun, Sand and Surf, lualn cR 1 02 Ty, ACCOUNTANT-PUBLIC Norri6 floniiLh aylor Chartered Accountants P.O, Box 1690, 497 Main Street, EXETER, Ontario NOM 150 (519) 235.0101 WARD MALLETTE Chartered Accountants 476 Main Street St. S., Exeter, Ontario Resident Partner: John S. McNeilly, C.A. 235-0120 519-235-0345 KIME, DITCHFIELD, MILLS & DUNLOP CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS GERALD W. MILLS, C.A. Managing Partner JOSEPH F. DARLING, C.G.A. 347 MAIN STREET EXETER. 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