The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-15, Page 21lflparticular ple
- Paul Cummings has taken over
business as auctioneer, used furniture salesman
and antique dealer. At age 23, he is finding that
owning and operating his own business is a big
his
father's
responsibility but he likes being his own boss and is
happy to be back in Goderlch after being away for
several years. Here, Paul poses for a, picture with.
some of his antiques. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan)
GODERICH SIGNAL-STAR,THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1979—PAGE 34
Takes over dad's business
Paul' Cummings is back home
BY JOANNE
BUCHANAN
Like father like son.
As the son of antique
dealer, used furniture
salesman and auctioneer,
Mike Cummings of.
Goderich, Paul; 'Cum-
mings couldh't help but
learn something about
the business himself.
But Paul never con-
sciously planned to follow
in his father's footsteps.
In fact, it seemed that he
was more likely headed
for a career as a chef.
Upon graduation from,
Grade 13 at Goderich
District Collegiate
Institute, Paul went to
work as an assistant chef
at a private boarding
house in Vanastra.
In less than a year he
moved to London where
he worked as an assistant
chefin the London Club, a
private men's club. He
worked there for about
two and a half years and
really enjoyed it but
living in a city on his
salary was too expensive.
Next he moved to
Leamington where he
lived for about two years
working two jobs,
daytime as a chef and
midnights as a . boiler
man in a greenhouse.
Meanwhile, Paul's
father Mike, - who- had
been in his business for
more than 25 years, was
trying to sell the building
containing his auction
rooms and the land
surrounding it on High-
way 21 south.
"My parents had been
trying to sell for about a
year: We were just sitting
around talking one day
and they said, "Why don't
you buy it?"," Paul
explains.
Paul had wanted to
move back to Goderich
for some time before this
IODE members model aprons
BY JOAN
VANDEN BROECK
Approximately 30
members of the Maple
_heat Chapter of the IODE.
were in attendance at the
March meeting ' held in l
the home of Mrs, H.
Bettger.
In the absence of the
Regent, Mrs. W. J.
Carrow, the meeting was
chaired by Mrs. H*
Murphy.
Following approval of
the minutes of the .last
meeting, Mrs. P. Howe
reported on her meetings
with the Red Cross
Association. For many
years the Chapter has
organized the annual Red
Cross Campaign in
Goderich. Efforts • are
now being made to
channel 40 per cent of the
.funds raised locally back
into the community.tMrs.
Howe will be working
closely with a liaison
group being organized to
administer these funds
through a proposed local
Red Cross group. •
Members, Mrs. R.
Breckenridge and Mrs.
P. Schutz, modelled
aprons made by Chapter
members which will.. be
given by the Provincial
Chapter to the delegates
at the National G`on-
vention to be held in
Ottawa in May. In ad- :•
dition to' the aprons,
delegates will receive an
empty nursery bag which•
they will be asked to ,fill
for the overseas bale.
Following presentation
of committee reports, the
members were
delightfully entertained
by Misses Mary Michelle
Morrissey and Mary
Margaret- Murphy,
winners in the Royal
Canadian Legion Branch
109 public speaking
Guaranteed
Investment
Certificates
1O1/2 %
W.E. (11D)-WILLIAMS
524.71$2 or 5244663
contest. Miss Morrissey,
whose subject was
`Snails', charmed the
members with her witty
prese-ntati-o-n-. Miss
Murphy, who drew from
her personal experiences
and interest in golfing,
left many in her audience
dreaming of summer
days and green fairways.
Token gifts of ap-
preciation were
presented by the Chapter
to both young ladies.
Mrs. W. J. Egener,
Education Secretary and
Assistant Education.
Secretary, Mrs. R.
McCallum, • outlined a
proposal for the Chap-
ter's contribution to the
United Nations' "Year of
the Child". Details for the
implementation of the
project , are being for-
malized by the Com-
mittee.
A request has been
receivedfrom the
Provincial Executi for,
used hearing aids. These
hearing aids will be
re-c-onditioned and
distributed through the
Ministry of Education to
needy children on the
island of St. Vincent in
the Caribbean.
Anyone who has a
hearing •aid which is no
longer of personal use, is
urged to contact Mrs. P.
Strickland, 524-7165. Your
gift of a hearing aid will
.be of immeasurable
value to the school child
who receives it.
Members were pleased
to welcome Mrs. R.
Perrott to • the Chapter.
Miss Jane Netzke was
on hand to speak on
behalf of the Integrated
Recreational Program
for handicappedpersons
in the community.
As co-ordinator of the
program, Miss Netzke is
responsible for raising
the funds needed to,,
' operate the many and
yd.'ledrecreatisnar
opportunities being ex-
tended through the
Recreation Department
of the town.
Miss Netzke was
responsible for the for-
mation of the `Leisure
Buddy' program. Thanks
to the dedication of her
volunteers, who • are
young people in our high
school, children, who
under ordinary cir-
cumstances would be
unable to participate in
the programs other
children take for granted,
are able to become ac-
tive, contributing
members in Brownie
Packs, hockey and soccer
teams and bowling leages
(to name but a few).
Ultimate- success is
realized when the young
person gains enough
confidence to attend
these programs without
the presence of their
support person.
The members are
confident that the in-
tegrated recreational
program •under Miss
Netzke's direction will
continue to thrive and
grow in the community
setting the examples, by.
which other
municipalities will model
their. programs. ,""°'"
Following Miss Net-
zke's presentation, the
meeting was . adjourned
and refreshments were
-served by Mrs. W.
Hassell and her com-
mittee.
The next meeting will
be held Tuesday, April 2
in the home of Miss G.
Hunter, 49 Market Street.
A `fun night' is planned
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but couldn't find a job
here. So, he decided to
take up his parents'
suggestion.
He moved back to town
in October and took over
the empty building on
. Highway 21 on November
1.
"I bought the shell and
had to supply the in-
sides," he says.
From a completely
empty building, Paul
built up his stock to about
1,000 items and turned
over or sold about half of
these items.
He is now busy trying to
build up his father's
former business again. A
lot of people think the
business has been closed
down since his father sold
the building, he says.
Paul has his building
divided in half with
private sales on one side
and the auction rooms for
consignments and estate
auctions on the other
side. His father still does
the auctioneering as Paul
doesn't really care for
that end of the job. He
likes,the buying end the
best. He used to go buying
with his father and picked
up lots of tips and in-
formation about antiques
then which is helpful to
him now.
He likes antique fur-
niture as it seems to sell
the best. He has more
difficulty selling antique
glassware.
Paul has his own
private collection of
antique keys --about 500 to
600 of them. One of his
prize possessions is a
piece of antique crockery .
from the estate of George
Grant in Goderich. He
has never been able to
find out who this man
was. '
Paul says he doesn't
buy many of his antiques ,
locally. He finds it
cheaper to go elsewhere.
He works on a percentage
basis and sells items
according to how, much
he has to pay for them.
Some people want more
for their antiques than he
can resell them for, he
says.
"I don't think they
understand that I have a
mortgage to pay."
He plans to hold flea
markets in the summer
as he firmly believes that
"one man',s junk is
another man's treasure".
Like father . like
daughter could also'hold`"
true in the Cummings
family since Paul's
younger sister Marie has
opened an antique shop in
Blyth. Her husband
repairs furniture.
Antique furniture is
popular these days
because it's cheaper to
buy and often nicer
looking than modern
furniture, feels Paul.
His own apartment at
the back of the building
where his business is
located, is furnished
mainly with antiques.
Paul says he is happy to
be back in Goderich. He
has rejoined the
Laketown Band here. He
has played the trumpet
since high school.
At 23 years of age, he is
finding that having his
own business is a big
responsibility and an
expensive one too with
mortgage payments and
other overhead costs.
"I'll never get rich at
it," he states but he ands
quickly that he enjoys
what he's doing and
that's the main thing. At
least he's his own boss.
now and what he does, he
does for himself to his
own satisfaction and for
his own sense of ac-
complishment.
W. 9. Demme
FLOWER
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WESTERN
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