Times Advocate, 1989-05-03, Page 7n
the
Street
By Jiro Beckett
Leigh Rose with gift from Lions Club
Leigh Rose, a grade 11 student from Grand Bend was the
featured speaker at the Exeter Lions Youth night Thurs-
day at the new Youth Centre. Exeter and area youngsters
heard details of Leigh's 5,000 mile journey from San
Diego to the Fiji Islands in a sail boat.
* * * * * * * * * *
I've always been impressed by the response people have from arti-
cles in the T -A but the following story could set a record even for
us. A couple from Oregon are giving the newspaper credit for con-
vincing them to retire in our community. They read several copies of
the T -A and decided Exeter was a great community with "no crime
and friendly people." What better compliment could we get?
* * * * * * * * * *
By the time the brown paper comes down from the windows in the
former Fisher Hardware building you'll be able to look in and see
one of the most tasteful renovation projects on Main St. Geoffrey
Construction is responsible for transforming Jon and Jo Anne Din-
ney's plans into reality in time for opening in early July. Construc-
tion on the new home for Country Flowers started Monday and that
night several friends of the Dinneys were there to get a look at the
building in its original condition.
* * * * * * * * * *
If you're a fan of good local hockey you should circle Saturday,
May 13 on your calendar right now. This is the date for the Mo-
hawks annual banquet and dance which will be held at the Pineridge
Chalet. It's your chance to help the Mohawks celebrate winning the
Ontario Senior B Championship. (See advertisement in sports sec-
tion for details.)
* * * * * * * * * *
Douglas Stewart of Sanders St. brought in a collection of old pub-
lications last week. Checking some of the prices on advertised prod-
ucts gives an example of how much items have increased in price
over the years.
The 1934 Canadian Countryman July 28 edition listed Grade "A"
large eggs at 170 per dozen. Chickens weighing 4.5 .to 5 lbs. were
selling for 160 per lb.
Choice steers were going from $4.35 to $4.75 on the Toronto
market.
The Robert Simpson Mail Order Company was featuring a beauti-
ful Easter suit for only $8.95.
Maclean Magazine was selling for 50 per copy.
In 1934 Bromo Seltzer was advertising they had already helped
millions over the past 40 years. One of the claims•was that it helped
morning -after headache after over indulgence.
* * * * * * * * * *
Exeter bodybuilder Dave Wolfe is preparing for the annual Strat-
ford Festival Bodybuilding Classic coming up soon: Wolfe, who is
steroid -free and proud of it hopes his sport becomes an Olympic
event where competitors will be tested.
* * * * * * * * *.*
Where can you get good fishing, plenty of prizes and a fun time
all packed into one event? Where else but the Exeter Lions annual
Fishing Derby which will be held Saturday, May 13 at Morrison
Dam.
*. * * * * * * * * *
You will notice several advertisements running in the classified
pages of the T -A and other newspapers offering a variety of ways to
earn money while working from your home. Be cautioned that re-
wards which sound too good to be true usually don't pan out. We're
in the process of answering some of these advertisements and will be
reporting to our readers what they get when they send their money to
these advertisers.
Back
in time
• t0 -years ago.
uuk flainitngo Was seen and photographed by several people in the
arca around Grand Bend. Grand Bend zookeeper Ted Relouw said the,
bird likely escaped from an American zoo.
•A cartoon on the editorial page captured the spirit of the 1979 federal
election with the caption: "The toughest thing about elections is trying
to decide which candidate will do the least harm".
•While little prevents people from visiting Grand Bend's beach, in
1979 people couldn't drive too far in the village due to several plowed
up roads during the installation of a sewage system,
20 years ago
•Huron County Council turned down a motion to enter into deficit
financing and instead increased the county mill rate by 3.25 trritis"i' —
•The Ontario Water Resources Commission approved a waterworks
system for a portion of Stephen Township, providing 200 property
owners with access to lake water.
•Two Exeter United Church congregations agreed to amalgamate.
The James St. Church and the Main St. Church decided to join under a
new name.
SO years ago
be.Ontario Uepartnnefit of i-I:ghways was endeavoring to cut down
the number of accidents and fatalities on the provinces roads as a tribute
to the Royal Visit of King George and Queen Elizabeth. Statistics
showed an average 100 people normally lost their lives on the roads
during the two-month period encompassed by the visit.
70 years ago d
•Somebody was predicting cellular telephones: "It will be a great day
when wireless telephony is so perfected that a man can have a receiver
in his hat and be managed by his wife all the time".
•The Advocate announced "the moral backbone of the German
people is broken....The Germans had too much pride before. Many of
them have none at all now." Some were contrasting the situation to
France's defeat in 1871.
Times -Advocate, May 3, 1989
KK Tops: A roofon the boat trade
By Adrian Harte
EXETER - KK Tops is the new
name for Kuality Kustom Uphol-
stery, an Exeter business for the
past three years. The name reflects
the emphasis Fern Laurin and Rose
Marie Auge are placing on the
mainstay of their operation, the re-
pair and manufacture of tops for
motor yachts and cruisers.
The marine business accounts for
roughly 75 percent of KK Tops'
business. In fact, it is seldom there
is not a boat inside the James St.
shop.
Laurin and Auge find the demand
is for manufacturing covers and
tops for both new and older motor
cruisers of all sizes. Laurin ex-
plainstl�at even the boat manufac-
turers don't always make a full line
of tops to meet every customer's
needs.
"People want more tops than they
can get," agreed Aug&
A tall owner of a brand new boat
might find himself stooped under
the top the boat came with, so he
turns to a custom maker to get one
just right.
"That's where we come in. We
customize the tops," said Laurin.
Aug explained that manufactur-
ers' tops don't usually have screened
windows to keep the insects at bay,
but screens are a popular item for a
custom top. They can even be add-
ed to an existing top.
For the owner of an older boat
with an aging top, Aug says KK
Tops can make one to update the
appearance of the boat to match
newer ones on the market, or tap
into their supply of more than 80
colours to make a cover that sets
the boat apart.
Laurin points out that acrylic
have almost completely replaced
canvas as the material of choice for
boat tops, but it doesn't come
cheap. However, the lightweight
acrylic does last longer and is easier
to live with.
The customers of KK Tops rarely
grumble about the price of the fab-
ric.
"Their boats are their babies,"
said Auge, explainin* that secretar-
ies will interrupt busmess meetings
to keep a customer up to date on
the progress of a boat.
Laurin points out that while boat-
ing is an expensive hobby, even if
considering just upkeep, it isn't
wasted money.
"They want it to look really
nice," he said. "They don't want
the boats to lose their val-
ue...actually, they appreciate."
When the fabric, stainless fittings
and a week's labour are taken into
account, a boat top can run any-
where from $2-4,000 dollars. Ton-
neau covers are usually much less.
When a boat requires a complete
makeover, KK Tops can replace
eSerything from the carpets to the
interior and exterior upholstery.
Again, the aim can be a simple
modernization, or the creation of
something personal and unique.
The company enjoys a good posi-
tion in the marketplace because
there are only a handful of uphol-
sterers in the marine business in
Ontario. Their work attracts even
American clients.
"As opposed to furniture, we real-
ly enjoy doing boat tops," said
Auge, explaining that they both
like boating and naturally appreciate
working with boats.
While furniture upholstery is
more like hard work, Laurin and
Auge concede it is an important
source of business. Auge warns
that reupholstering furniture is not
a cheap alternative to buying new.
When the costs of stripping the.
piece down to the frame, the new
fabric, and reassembly are taken
into accounOytlle customer must
have a good reason for wanting re -
upholstery.
"If a piece means something to
you then it's worth getting redone,"
said Auge, explaining that many
items that come through the shop
are 40 or 50 years old and of very
good quality. If the customer is in
doubt, KK Tops can recommend a
course of action.
Auge points toa bolt of cotton
fabric that costs $76 a yard. That
translates to about $2,000 for a sec-
tional.
There are advantages to reuphol-
stery, however. A customer can
have older furniture exactly match
newer pieces in the room, or com-
bine a classic furniture style with a
brighter fabric.
Some fabrics never change, ex-
plained Auge. Old world tapestry
styles are still available after a hun-
dred years or more. Newer designs
aren't always all that new.
"They keep stealing designs from
the turn of the century," said Auge.
Others are even older, derived from
what was fashionable in the 16th
and 17th centuries. '
Laurin and Auge don't see furni-
ture that old, but they have worked
on pieces that have been recovered
more than once. And that would
probably be their point; while
many complain of a disposable,
throwaway economy, there are
some things worth keeping.
Sew good - Rose Marie Auge and Fern Laurin of KK Tops display
one of the heavy duty sewing machines that make upholstery pos-
sible. The machines have special travelling feet and can punch
through several layers of vinyl, acrylic, or carpet and binding all at
once.
Theatre concept resurfaces
Hensall businesses get expert advice
HENSALL - The Hensall Busi-
ness Improvemetnt Area should be
looking closer to home to bring
new business vitality into the vil-
lage, according to -Brad Brownlee,
executive director of the Sarnia
Downtown Improvement Associa-
tion who addressed the Hensall BIA
last Tuesday evening.
Prakash Malik, chairman of the
Economic Development Commit-
tee, welcomed Brownlee to the
meeting and explained that Hen-
sall's Business Improvement Area
and HEDARC we)c faced with
some challenges for the coming
years.
Malik said Hensall's main indus-
tries were healthy and stable, but
"we need supporting businesses,
supporting industries. And we need
housing."
Brownlee suggested Hensall's
main hurdle had already been
crossed: motivating and organizing
the community. The next step, he
said, is to visualize the future of the
village.
"Try to think 20 years from now:
'What do I want this community to
be?"" said Brownlee. He also rec-
ommended that valuable architectu-
ral heritage be kept useful within
the business environment.
"Don't create museums," he cau-
tioned, suggesting owners of such
properties be encouraged to keep
them accessible to the public as res-
taurants, stores, or other business-
es.
"Don't ask someone
to create a new
animal"
is unrealistic.
If there is somewhere from which
existing businesses can be stolen,
Brownlee pointed to Toronto, where relocate.
older, smaller industries are looking A question from the audience
for quieter, less expensive places to asked Brownlee how Hensall could
benefit from the area's tourist trade.
Brownlee responded by directly sug-
gesting the village should get in on
the performing arts circuit by open-
ing a theatre in the upper floor of
the Town Hall.
The idea has.surfaccd from time
Co time in recent years, but Brown-
lee said it has merit because Hensall
lies in the middle of Stratford, Hu-
ron Country, and Blyth.
."That's what I suggested in Sea -
forth," said Brownlee, "and if
they're' not going to use it...why
not?....I can't understand why that
isn't being done."
Otherwise, Brownlee said too
much faith is placed on the impor-
tance of promoting tourism. He
suggeted much of it is a waste of
time and brings limited benefits.
"Tourism marketing is very ex-
pensive for what you get out of it,"
Brownlee concluded.
BIA seminar - Brad Brownlee, executive director of the Sarnia
Downtown Improvement Area, speaks with .1anis Bisback (left)
and Velma Robinson after last Tuesday's BIA meeting in Hensall.
Brownlee also questioned the val-
ue of mass -mailed promotional bro-
chures aimed at attracting bisiness-
's; '>i :.-Svvelivimmity. r'It: explaiiier-Q•
the most likely sources of new
business for Hensall would likely
be found either inside its own boun-
daries or within a 10 -mile radius.
• "It's working with the businesses
you already have here that might
spur new business in the communi-
ty," Brownlee stated. '
With its highway access, Brown-
lee said Hensall could br considered ,
an ideal location for a just -in -time
parts supplier for an Exeter or Lon- ,
don factory, but he stressed the im-
portance of not trying to compete
with larger centres for business. He
said Hensall should not be trying to
pry industry away from Exeter or
London; but instead look for ways
to complement it, such as parts
supply.
"Don't ask someone to create a
new animal," cautioned Brownlee,
explaining expectations to introduce
an entirely new industry to the area
Royal Bank
Announcement
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•
D. .. .,i
1 h' RoyalGey BankgofPar Cana. �a
Ht. ,r- ':ounty is pleased to
annr ', lc the appointmen'
of Mr. D. George Panelas as
Manager Personal Banking at
the Royal Bank 118 Main St.,
Exeter, Ontario. Mr. Panelas
brin s with him a well diversi-
ound in Retail
Banking grwhich includes both
personal loans and Mortgage
experience. We are pleased
to welcome Mr. Panelas to
the Area and invite everyone
in the Exeter area to use his
services.
Royal Bank of Canada
118 Main St,
Exeter, Ontario
235-2111