The Chilliwack Progress
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
www.theprogress.com
Pillars CHILLIWACK
OF BUSINESS 3RD ANNUAL CHILLIWACK IN PROGRESS
An historical snapshot of business in Chilliwack The Chilliwack Progress profiles a sampling of businesses that have helped lay the foundation for prosperity.
THE CHILLIWACK PROGRESS
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013 The Chilliwack Progress
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Businesses stand tall in Chilliwack A
vibrant business community doesn’t emerge overnight. It grows and builds over time. In this the third edition of our Chilliwack In Progress, we look at some of the businesses that have weathered the economic storms of the past, businesses that helped form the foundation of the Chilliwack we work in, and live in today. We’ve gathered a diverse mix of businesses – some old, some not so old – that have played a part in Chilliwack’s prosperity over the years. Some will be recognizable, others – despite their longevity – may be new. The names may have changed, the owners moved on, but the business still form the collective identity of a community looking to the future, but building on its past.
A list of some of the businesses that have been in Chilliwack for 20+ years: 1800s: Tunbridge & Tunbridge - circa late-1800s Chilliwack Agricultural Society - 1873 Henderson’s Funeral Home - 1890 The Chilliwack Progress - 1891 Logan’s Home Hardware - 1891 1900s: Ironside Design Manufacturing - 1902 Royal Bank - 1903 Royal Hotel - 1908
Publisher Liz Lynch and editor Greg Knill of The Chilliwack Progress with a framed copy of the second issue of the newspaper dated Wednesday, April 23, 1891.
The Chilliwack Progress • 1891
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Story • Jenna Hauck | Photo • Jenna Hauck
shall, in a straight forward, “We honorable way, employ best energies, and engage all the resources at
our command to advance the interests of the Chilliwack valley and the progress of British Columbia.”
— W.T. Jackman, as written in his first editorial in The Chilliwack Progress on April 16, 1891
1910s: CIBC - 1910 Bank of Montreal - 1912 IMW Industries - 1912 Royal LePage Wheeler Cheam Realty (formerly John P. Wheeler Real Estate) - 1912 1920s: Meadowlands Golf & Country Club - 1924 Overwaitea (Save-On-Foods, PriceSmart Foods, Cooper’s Foods) - 1924 Payton and Buckle - 1924 Salvation Army - 1924 Safeway - 1929 1930s: Leo Edwards and Sons Ltd. - circa 1931 Baker Newby LLP - 1937 Continued: LIST/ p18
P R O V I D I N G
Founded by William Thomas Jackman, the first, four-page issue of The Chilliwack Progress was published on Wednesday, April 16, 1891, making it Canada’s longest running newspaper under the same name. Over its 122 years, The Progress has undergone a lot of changes, from ownership and technology, to page count and content. It all started in a small office above a harness shop at Main Street and Princess Avenue. That’s where Jackman printed the first issue which was cranked out on a hand-fed press. He soon moved the office to Yale Road East where it stayed for 83 years. The first 15 years of printing the
Q U A L I T Y
newspaper continued on the hand-fed press. Then in 1906, before electricity had come to Chilliwack, The Progress upgraded to a Fairbanks-Morse gas engine printing press. The type was set by hand, one letter at a time, and placed upside-down and backwards into a metal strip for printing. Back in the day, if you wanted to telephone The Progress office, you simply had to dial 95. In 1934, The Progress suffered as a result of the Depression and went from its usual 10 pages in the 1920s to eight pages. The actual printing of The Progress continued here in Chilliwack until 1964 when it moved to the Abbotsford printing plant. Ten years later, The Progress moved from Yale Road East to its current location at 45860 Spadina Ave. (originally 36 Spadina Ave.) in 1974. In 1969, a Mergenthaler linotype machine was used for printing. It had a 90-character keyboard where operators would enter text to create, literally, a ‘line-o’-type’. Now, computers and Adobe
L E G A L
S E R V I C E S
software are what is used to design pages and ads. Over the years, The Progress changed physically. It went from a weekly broadsheet, to a twice-weekly paper delivered on Wednesdays and Saturdays around 1980. In the 1990s, it increased again to three times a week. As a result of the economy collapse in 2008, The Progress had to drop its Weekender paper, and a few years later, it’s now a twice-a-week tabloid delivered on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a circulation of about 30,000 per issue. The Chilliwack Progress is one of the more than 150 publications owned by Black Press. Fun fact: In February 1907, when W.T. Jackman had health problems, J. Burtt Morgan became the editor and proprietor of The Progress. Morgan changed its name to The Fraser Advance, shrunk the paper from broadsheet to tabloid size, nixed the majority of the local news, and ran the paper into the ground. Six months later, Jackman returned and changed the name back to The Chilliwack Progress and revived the paper.
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013 The Chilliwack Progress
Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Auld Phillips • 1965
list from page 17
Story • Greg Knill
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t was a time of dramatic change in fashion – a time when the conservative 1950s gave way to the explosive modernism of the 1960s. The year was 1965, and in Chilliwack, a new chapter in retail fashion was about to begin. The year marked the opening of the first Auld Phillips store at the Yale Road location it still occupies. It was a modest operation, combining women’s fashions with fabric sales. Women could buy off the racks, or use their Butterick and McCall’s patterns to sew their own creations. But it was the start of a retail business that nearly 50 years later would span four provinces with some 54 stores, under additional names like Suzanne’s, Jenny’s and Top Shop. And it’s still growing. Sherry Johnston, director of store operations for Auld Phillips, has been with the company for the past 15 years. She calls the company’s growth modest and measured, with always an eye on customer service and quality control. Johnston agrees the retail land-
scape has changed dramatically since that first Auld Phillips store opened. But despite the challenging economic times and the emergence of the Big Box culture, Auld Phillips remains successful. Indeed, it followed up a record year in 2011 with an even better year in 2012, Johnston says. She attributes this success to a deep and intimate understanding of the company’s client base. “The backbone of our company is the relationship we have with our customers,” Johnston says. That customer has changed over the years. She’s moved from the psychedelic ‘60s, through the disco 80s, past the power 90s and into the new millennium. “But as she’s transformed through the years, we’ve transformed with her,” Johnston says. The company has developed a clear profile of who their customer is, what she likes to wear, and the budget she has to work with. When Auld Phillips sources new product lines, buyers have this customer in mind. “When we go shopping, we go shopping for her,” says Johnston. “We know who she is.”
That relationship extends to the retail floor. “We hire people who are passionate about what we do,” Johnston says. It’s not about selling, she insists. It’s about helping costumers build a wardrobe that is stylish, adaptable and affordable. “It’s about adding value,” she says. Customers appreciate that partnership and respond with a loyalty that has aided Auld Phillips’ continued growth. This success has helped Auld Phillips carve out a niche between the big box retail giants and the small independents. The company has found synergies in populating markets with its store brand identities, and thereby deepening its market share. All the while, never losing sight of its roots. With stores from British Columbia to Manitoba, and more than 250 employees, Auld Phillips remains close to home. Its original location is still home to employees who have been with the company for decades, and its corporate head office and distribution centre is in Chilliwack.
1940s: Steve Dargatz Glass and Door Inc. - circa 1940s Fortin’s Automotive - 1946 Crystal Glass - 1946 Greendale Motors Ltd. (formerly Union Motors) - 1946 Roblin Travel & Cruise - 1946 Sears - 1946 Agro Pacific (East Chilliwack Coop) - 1947 Bank of Nova Scotia - 1947 Chilliwack Taxi - 1947 Scotia Bank - 1947 Valley Cycle Locksmiths Ltd. - 1947 Bank of Commerce (CIBC) - 1948 Broadway Motors - 1948 Mainland Agencies Ltd. - 1948 Norman’s Photographic - 1948 Lock’s Pharmacy - 1949 1950s: Palm Drapery and Blinds - circa 1950s Mary Clark Flowers - circa 1950s Barton Insurance - 1950 Pioneer Building Supplies - 1950 Bowes Pickford Moving & Storage - 1952 Cascade Supply & Marine - 1952 West End Autobody - 1952 Chilliwack Dry Cleaners (formerly KelTone Cleaners and Laundry) - 1953 Roblin Travel - 1953 Wally’s Autobody & Towing - 1953 Envision Financial (formerly East Chilliwack Credit Union) - 1954 Cascade Industrial Supply - 1955 Finning Tractor and Equip (Finning Canada) - 1956 Minter Country Garden store - 1957 Sardis Bakery - 1957 Century Plumbing and Heating - 1958 Hamel’s Drapery - 1958 Stillwood Camp and Conference Centre (formerly Columbia Bible Camp) - 1958
1960s: Cheam View Veterinary Hospital - 1961 Auld Phillips - 1965 Greenacres Wheel Alignment & Automotive - 1967 Odlum Brown - 1968 Fraser Valley Meats - 1969 The Book Man (formerly Erna’s Book Nook) - 1969 Wagner Appliances - 1969 1970s: Man’s World Hairstyling - 1971 Graham’s Gifts - 1972 Longfellow’s Furniture and Mattress - 1973 John Montie Lawn & Garden (Montie Small Engines) - 1974 University of the Fraser Valley - 1975 Langbroek, Louwerse & Thiessen LLP - 1976 Morrow’s Moving and Storage - 1976 The O’Connor Group - 1976 Grand Pappy’s Home Furniture - 1977 Classic Cards - 1978 Easy-Flo Central Vacuum Ltd. - 1978 Fraser Valley Custom Printers - 1978 Minter Gardens - 1978 Omega & Associates Engineering - 1978 1980s: Fraser Carpets - circa 1980s Arbor Landscaping - 1981 Ballam Furniture - 1981 Fraser Valley Tireland - 1981 Super-Fun Sports Ltd. - 1981 Kel-Mor Enterprises - 1983 Chilliwack Pharmasave - 1985 Rainbow Greenhouses - 1985 Best Western Rainbow Country Inn - 1986 OK Tire & Auto Services Chilliwack - 1987 Mertin GM - 1988 West Yale Automotive - 1988 Mary’s on Wellington - 1989 1990s: Cazander Ronda & Associates Ltd. - 1990 Valley Water - 1990 Doall Contracting Ltd - 1992 Ken’s Tires - 1993
We’ve come a long way! Many things have changed since we first started serving Chilliwack 25 years ago, but one thing has remained constant. It is still our goal to make you more satisfied with the value of your purchase, and the sales and service treatment by our staff, than if you bought any other car or truck from any other automobile dealer anywhere.
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CHILLIWACK
OF BUSINESS
Norman’s Photographic • 1948
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Story • Eric Welsh | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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here were people who told Rick and Brenda they shouldn’t do it. Being married and working together was a bad idea, friends and family cautioned, fraught with potential pitfalls. But with a shared interest in all things photography, they figured they would make the perfect team. Brenda always had the artist’s eye, the knack for lighting and composition that makes for eye-catching pictures. Rick always had the talents of the technician, taking Brenda’s shots and fine-tuning them until they sang. It made way too much sense for them to combine their gifts. “We had lots of people who said this would never work, but we just figured why not,” said Rick Davis, who has co-owned Norman’s Photographic, with Brenda, since the late 1980s. “Because we never did the exact same thing in our business, we never tripped over each other. And it might sound a little idealistic, but we respect each other so much that it has never been an issue.” Rick and Brenda grew up on the Prairies, and started their first photography business in Saskatoon. “The winters back there pretty much shut down your opportunities for environmental portraiture, and we were stuck in the studio a lot,” Rick recalled. “We used to come out here for mini-vacations, and eventually we thought, why not move where we like to go,
and carry on doing what we do 12 months a year instead of five and a half?” In 1987, they made the western leap, buying Norman’s Photographic from its founder, Norm Williams. Fresh out of high school, Williams started the business in 1948. By the time Rick and Brenda showed up, he was turning 60 and preparing to retire. “He started out where Baker Newby is now, and he had three different spots on Yale Road,” Rick said. “He finally settled at what is now the (Chilliwack Business Centre), and used to be the post office. That’s where it was when we took over.” Five years later, Rick and Brenda moved to their current location in Fairfield Island (10850 Kitchen Rd.), closing the retail side to concentrate solely on family portraits in a quiet and picturesque country setting. “We’ve always been passionate about working with people, and we really enjoy creating images that become heirlooms for their families,” Rick said. “Getting to know them. Getting to know their kids. If you’re in this industry long enough, you’ll find yourself photographing someone’s wedding, their first child, that child’s graduation, that child’s wedding and that child’s first child. We’ve seen a lot of families grow up.” Rick enjoys all aspects of his job, but the best of all is when a finished product is handed to a family. “The satisfaction at each step is equal, but
Voted “Most Chilliwack – closer than you th Business-Friendly” Chilliwack has a thriving business commun growing residential population, and Cityamillions – NAIOP 2012 REPORT of dollars in new developments.
Come to Chilliwack and enjoy all the Rick and Brenda Davis, owners of Norman’s Photographic, holding some cameras. benefits of doing business inold BC’s Lower Mainland at a much lower cost.
Voted “Most Chilliwack – closer than you think. 604.792.7839 • 1.800.561.8803 Business-Friendly” Chilliwack has a thriving business community, growing residential population, and Cityamillions – NAIOP 2012 REPORT of dollars in new developments. when they walk in and see it and their eyes start to water a little bit, that’s gratification right there,” Rick said with a smile. “Having been told we couldn’t do it, that we’ve made
a living at this, survived and prospered through good times and bad, to me is a good story.” Get info at normansphotographic.com.
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Come to Chilliwack and enjoy all the benefits of doing business in BC’s Lower Mainland at a much lower cost.
Chilliwack – closer than you think. 604.792.7839 • 1.800.561.8803
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Minter Country Garden • 1957 Story • Jennifer Feinberg | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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he passion for plants and gardening runs deep in the Minter family of Chilliwack. Brian was carrying on the family tradition, when he and his wife Faye purchased Country Garden Store from his father, Earl Minter, in 1970. His dad ran a shop on Hope River Road, which he opened in 1957. Brian grew up working for the family business. Now Minter’s daughters, Lisa and Erin, also work for the family enterprises. They became one of the early growers in the community, known for unique and unusual plants. They moved the store to the more spacious location on Young Road in 1994. The focus would evolve into creating a destination garden store. Somewhere people would enjoy spending some time, poking around and shopping. But soon after 9/11 shook the world, Canadian tourism numbers took a big dip. “We had worked so hard to get tourists to come to B.C.,” Minter remembers. “After that we lost all our American visitors immediately.” It was back to Envision for the Minters, with a plan to build the beautiful Conservatories space, where destination garden weddings and receptions would translate into an engine for two-thirds of their business. Today Minter Country Garden is among the top garden centres in B.C. and even Canada, with the tagline: “Where great gar-
dens begin.” Both sites are hugely popular visitor destinations and about one-third of the store clientele come from out of town. The store was renamed Minter Country Garden to link it to Minter Gardens. Today, guests of the Country Garden store can enjoy a light meal at the Callicarpa Garden Café, order flowers at the full-service florist shop and more. The 18-acre site features Antiques By Design, Aromatica, My Little Gift Box and Artizany, all boutiques that share the property, and the Chilliwack Farmers’ Market which is held every Saturday during the summer. Brian and Faye were on their way to visit family in Harrison in the late 1970s. They pulled over, off the main road, and took in the scene of what would later become the sweeping 32-acre showpiece, Minter Gardens. Tall, native trees and thousands of wild geraniums, columbine, roses, and bleeding hearts were everywhere. “This should be a garden,” Minter remembers thinking at the time. It was Christmas 1977. Tulips start off the season now at Minter Gardens every April, with so many theme gardens: a formal garden, alpine garden, fern garden, lake garden, a fragrance garden and more. But it wasn’t easy to bring it to fruition. “At first we were turned down by every
Brian Minter, owner of Minter Country Garden store, holding a glass sign from the original store from 1957.
major bank in the country,” Minter says. It was First Heritage Credit Union — now known as Envision Credit Union — that helped out with financing. After years of planning and negotiating, Minter Gardens opened in 1980, at the foot of Mount Cheam mountain.
Over the years, Brian Minter has become the go-to source for gardening expertise in B.C. as an avid horticulturist. Host of radio and TV shows, featured in The Chilliwack Progress as a gardening columnist, Minter is also a much in-demand horticultural speaker.
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Payton and Buckle • 1924 Story • Jennifer Feinberg | Photo • Jenna Hauck
P
ayton and Buckle is a well- 30 years, getting his start in established downtown 1981 when he was first hired shoe store with roots that at the store as a salesman. go back almost a century in They make a point of offerChilliwack. ing a unique mix of high qualIt actually started out as a ity footwear and solid customshoe store in 1924 at another er service. location down the road, estab“We like to help our cuslished by Arthur Wiltshire. tomers. When they sit down, Stan Payton and Percy we put the shoes on for them. Buckle bought the place in You don’t see that much any 1944 and named it Payton and more.” Buckle. They help folks find a balWhat people may not know ance between fashion and is that the two founders never comfort. Nine years after actually worked in the store, starting to work at Payton and they just owned it, explains Buckle, Laanstra bought into current store owner, John the business. Laanstra. “Downtown Chilliwack has He discovered this interest- been good for us.” ing tidbit while researching After a solid working relathe store’s origins. tionship continued with his Several people saw its partner Er win, he decided potential. Payton and Buckle to buy the entire business in changed hands over the years, 2007. sold first to Ernie McDonald He also saw even more in 1959, and then to Erwin opportunity, launching a secHuebert in 1966. ond location in Abbotsford, Current owner John which opened in August 2009. Laanstra was born in “I am one of those fortuChilliwack hospital and grew nate ones who enjoys going to up in Agassiz. He has proswork,” 13.ChilliwackProgressAd 3/18/13 10:06he AM says. Page 1“So it works pered in the shoe business for for me.”
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John Laanstra, owner of Payton and Buckle, with the store’s cash register from 1946.
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Henderson’s Funeral Home • 1890 Story • Alina Konevski | Photo • Jenna Hauck
123 beard, measuring tape in hand. “I just like to be a regular guy, and for everybody to know that everybody here’s got kids, and we’ve got spouses, and we just have regular lives, and we’re regular people. And we’re not just closed off, straight faced, no humour type of people,” he says. By being with a family through the toughest time, a funeral home becomes part of the family’s life forever, and its staff “keep a connection” with family members. “You’ll have a lady bring you fresh fruit from her orchard, or a bag of corn, and it’s a year after the death has happened, because she remembers… how you said you liked sweet corn,” says Molner. Other families keep in touch and come in for coffee periodically, or send chocolates and flowers. “We’ve had families who have lost little babies, and they’ve actually made special trips in years later to show us their newborn.” Molner is at the end of a century-old line of long-serving funeral directors at the home. He replaced a gentleman who had been there since the 1970s. Molner went into funeral service straight out of high school, and never dreamed of another career. “You’d be amazed at the amount of laughter that goes on behind these walls, from even the families,” says Molner. In most cases, the death is expected, where someone has lived a full life span, and the family is planning a celebration of that life. Molner is keeping the home current,
Shawn Molner, manager at Henderson’s Funeral Home, with photos of the owners from 1919.
including catering to the 80 per cent of deaths that are now cremated, rather than buried. He videotapes services so that people can watch them online from abroad. What hasn’t changed over the home’s many generations, is that “the people here are really committed to helping families,”
says Molner. The funeral home’s 190-seat chapel is a fixture, and is embedded in the memories of people who have sat inside mourning. It will likely seat many more, as Henderson’s becomes ingrained even deeper into Chilliwack’s soul.
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hawn Molner is in the business of calming people, and easing them through a personal crisis. Since joining Henderson’s Funeral Home 18 years ago, he remembers countless occasions where he was a part of someone’s life at their most fragile, and watched them be strong in tough circumstances. “You meet really great people. You meet them at a low point, you definitely do, but you meet them at a point where you could really make a difference,” says Molner. J. C. Henderson first started Henderson’s Funeral Home in 1890 in Chilliwack. He sold the business in 1919 to another Henderson, no relation: R. J. Henderson. The home has sat in its current location for 110 years. The Henderson family expanded the business throughout the Fraser Valley, first to Abbotsford in 1935, then Langley in 1955. In 1988, they sold it to its first corporate owner, the Loewen Group, which in turn switched hands several times. Although the Henderson name remains on the plate, the funeral home is one of 1,500 in Service Corporation International’s Dignity Memorial branded homes. Molner is very approachable, and perhaps younger than one would expect. He’s someone you don’t hesitate to trust. What gives away the fact that he has a sensitive job, is the way he’s listening to you, paying real attention. A cliched image of an “undertaker,” says Molner, is of an older man, with a long white
The Chilliwack Progress Tuesday, March 26, 2013
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Logan’s Home Hardware • 1891 Story • Greg Knill | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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n 1891, while the Dalton Gang was robbing trains, James Naismith was inventing basketball, and Thomas Edison was patenting the motion picture camera, a hardware store was opening on Wellington Avenue that would be a fixture in downtown Chilliwack for more than a century. Its name would change, and obviously its ownership, but its presence would be known to generations. Logan’s Home Hardware began life as Morrow Hardware and Tin. That name soon switched to Davies, before becoming Davies and Logan’s hardware in the 1930s, and then finally Logan’s in the ‘50s. For a growing city like Chilliwack, the hardware store was critical. It carried the tools and material necessary for families building and maintaining new homes, farms and businesses in the prospering Fraser Valley. It was a vital institution, where Chilliwack residents could find everything from the nails to fortify their fences, to the red and white paint to protect their homes and barns from the elements. Its presence on Wellington Avenue in the heart of Chilliwack’s business district reflected that importance. That history is not lost on current owner Robin Burnette. Ten years ago Burnette purchased Logan’s – complete with the historic two-tiered building it occupied. It joined the
family of Home Hardwares, a confederation of independently owned and operated hardware stores that Burnette calls “a true Canadian success story.” But he never had any thought of changing the name from Logan’s. “They would have strung me up,” he says with a laugh. Even today, for many, “Logan’s Home Hardware” is simply “Logan’s”, he admits. Burnette says he appreciates the role the business has played in shaping Chilliwack. “It’s very important to me.” So it was with some reluctance six years ago that Logan’s moved off Wellington. The larger location just one block over offered better customer access and improved parking, he explains. But it also retained the historical feel that has made the store such an integral part of the downtown. “When you walk in, it’s like walking in to an old family business,” he says. And his customers – many of whom first came to Logan’s with their own grandparents on a Saturday morning – wouldn’t have it any other way. Burnette still owns the Wellington location. It’s home to a new enterprise: Sticky’s Candy, which is proving a success not only in Chilliwack but in Langley and Maple Ridge. Burnette says these are challenging times for businesses in the downtown. New developments and changing shopping patterns
Robin Burnette, owner of Logan’s Home Hardware, holding a saw from the late 1800s.
are pulling people away. He says what’s needed is an influx of residential growth, and quickly. When that happens, Logan’s will be there
to help the new homeowners. “I believe downtown Chilliwack needs a hardware store,” Burnette says firmly. Just like it has for 122 years.
The Ironside name has continually advanced with the growth and expansion of Chilliwack, as well as the changing needs of this world, making it a progressive, stable and trustworthy name, both locally and worldwide. With such an impressive history, Ironside looks confidently towards its future and the unlimited potential it holds to serve its many valuable customers. Ironside could not have such a long running history without the constant support of its local community. Customers that have stayed loyal to them amongst relocations, ownership changes, name changes, and a division split. Ironside has and always will be grateful for its Chilliwack community that continually turns to Ironside for any tool, repair, or special attention that it requires to get the job done.
45831 HOCKING AVENUE, CHILLIWACK
604.795.5727
W W W. I D M I . C A 3/13t I26
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Fortin’s Automotive • 1946
Story • Greg Knill | Photo • Jenna Hauck
I
n the hopeful days following the end of the Second World War, a father and son teamed up to share a dream. Just hours after Lawrence Fortin’s discharge from the army in 1946, he was at work helping his father, Charlie open Fortin’s Tool and Supply. Charlie Fortin, long had a knack for things mechanical. He had worked with tractors and automobiles since 1916, but always wanted to open his own business. With Lawrence now out of the army, Charlie tapped his business and accounting skills to launch a business that would eventually rank as one of the premier independent aftermarket auto parts dealerships in the country. At the helm today is the third generation of Fortin to manage the business. Jeff Fortin joined his father (who has since passed away) over 30 years ago, after studying business at BCIT, then working for an oil company in Vancouver. When joining Fortin’s he worked first in shipping and receiving, 20 years later eventually becoming company president. He admits things have changed much since his father and grandfather opened the original C.R. Fortin & Son. Times were more simple then, and the old Yale Road
location was a place where people would come by just to chat. A few eyebrows were raised when the decision was made to relocate to what was then considered the rather obscure location on Airport Road. But Fortin’s customers followed. And in 1992, to keep up with the growing demand, the company opened an even larger facility at its current location. The new building included a state-of-the-art environmentally friendly machine shop that today still rivals the competition across the Fraser Valley. But the expansion wasn’t done yet. Fortin’s soon opened a second parts location in Vedder Crossing, and soon after that tripled its size by adding a brand new Home Hardware. Jeff Fortin has a simple formula for success in a world where family-owned businesses face a growing headwind from corporate competitors: Combine the best of both worlds – hometown service, backed by national buying support. “We work very hard to have that family kind of culture here,” Fortin says. But to give customers the pricing they demand, Fortin’s counts on the purchasing power that comes through a broader member-
67
Jeff Fortin, owner of Fortin’s Automotive, holding a mid-1950s Sunnen dial board gauge, an automotive device used in the machine shop industry.
ship. He says Fortin’s is proud to be members of Auto Sense (over 375 stores) and Home Hardware (over 1,100 stores), Canada’s largest Automotive/Hardware buying groups.
“That allows us to buy right, so we can sell right.” The combination is working well, Fortin says. The company opened an Abbotsford location two years ago, and further expansion
is on the horizon. The company employs a staff of 47 – a team that Fortin says is key to ensuring the commitment to strong customer support continues.
Mary’s on Wellington • 1989
24
Story • Alina Konevski | Photo • Jenna Hauck
S Mary Urquhart, owner of Mary’s on Wellington, holding a certificate from a business ownership program she took in 1989, just before buying her store.
ince she was 14 years old, Mary Urquhart worked at her parents’ two stores in Southgate Mall, Career Uniforms and Best Regards Gifts and Cards, whenever she had a moment off from school. She spent much of her time dusting shelves, and in her adult years, she has continued to take care of the family business. This is despite pursuing a flight attendant career early on, and even attending an interview in Vancouver. But she was drawn back to Chilliwack, and by 1989, at age 23, she had signed her name to the owner’s deed of Career Uniforms,
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which had been in the family since 1980. The Urquharts had sold the other store, Best Regards, to Hallmark some years back. “Before the internet, it was a booming business just based on nursing uniforms,” says Mary. Career Uniforms expanded as nurses were asking for nylons, shoes, and lingerie to go with the clothes. That corner, along with the maternity wear and dance clothing that her parents introduced earlier, “kept things pretty much hopping” for about a decade. Mary even opened another Career
Downtown Chilliwack • 46199 Yale Road 604-792-0158
Uniforms in Abbotsford, keeping it until 1995, when her life became busy with a growing family. That same year, she moved the Chilliwack store to the current location on Wellington Avenue. The explosion of online retail forced her to turn her product line inside out, from uniforms to lingerie. “I was on the cusp of the internet sensation. Although we were doing well, it was very quickly apparent I had to do more,” she says. Maternity wear was the first to go. Continued: MARY’S/ p25
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Pillars OF BUSINESS
25
CHILLIWACK
Graham’s Gifts • 1972 Story • Eric Welsh | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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here is a photo behind the counter at Graham’s Gifts. An older fellow beams a 1,000-watt smile from a silver frame, and store manager Natalie Flack beams the same smile as she looks at it. The man in the picture is Richard Graham, who moved from Langley to Chilliwack with his wife, Erla, and opened the store in 1972. The photo was taken 30 years later, when the staff surprised him with an anniversary celebration. “We had all the sales reps that had dealt with him meet in the back room, and we kept him busy up front with stupid little things,” Natalie laughed. “We had about 50 people back there, and when he saw them he was shocked. The look on his face (as seen in the photo), that’s my best memory of working here.” Graham’s Gifts was much, much smaller when it opened in 1972, occupying maybe a fifth of the space it now retains at the corner of Wellington Avenue and Mill Street. Natalie came to Graham’s Gifts 17 years ago. She never met Erla, who had passed away a few years before. The couple never had any children. The store was Richard’s baby, and he put his heart and soul into it.
“He needed a reason to get up and go every day, and this was it,” she recalled. “This was his life and he was here just about to the end. He was here on the fifth of July, and that was the day we took him to the hospital. And he passed away the 31st at the age of 78.” That was in 2005. In his will, Graham expressed his desire to have the store remain open. For the last seven-and-a-half years, Natalie and a small staff have run it on behalf of the Graham estate, keeping Richard and Erla’s dream alive. “Young girls will come in and say, ‘Is this Mr. Graham’s store? I used to come here with my grandmother,’” Natalie smiled. “So we have grandmothers who used to come here when they were young. Now, we have their children and grandchildren walking in. They came in when they were 10 and now they’re 27, and it makes me feel old when some of them say, ‘Oh my gosh! You’re still here?” That’s not to say things haven’t changed. Like any business, one must adapt to survive. When Graham’s Gifts first opened, it was the place to go for bone china and other fine collectibles. It was known as ‘the expensive store.’ It has moved towards the kitchen gadget realm.
Natalie Flack, manager of Graham’s Gifts, holding a photo of original owner Dick Graham from the ‘70s.
“No matter what we sell, the best part of any day is still when the customers come in,” Natalie said. “Familiar faces come in to say hi, have coffee or tea with us and talk about the old times. And new customers come in all the time who say, ‘I’ve lived in Chilliwack
for five years on the other side of the highway and I didn’t know this part of town even existed.’” Natalie is nearing retirement, and she doesn’t know what the future holds once she leaves. At some point, the executor of the Graham estate might opt to let the store go, and if that happens, she
hopes someone will find the store worth saving. “Everyone here takes pride in knowing that Mr. Graham entrusted us with his name and his store,” she said.“We do the best we can, and I would love to see someone buy it and keep it going, so that it can go on for a lot longer.”
A place where women feel comfortable to shop MARY’S from page 24 The sales window was too short, and in the late 1990s, Blooming Gals opened up across the street, taking over that market. That’s when Mary moved into specialty, custom fittings of lingerie. “I’m really good at fitting people, and making them feel comfortable,” she discovered. Mary has grown into the store, and her lingerie line came at just the time that she was getting older,
and realizing what women really needed. She caters to women, says Mary, that have curves and need a bra to fit properly. It is not “plus size,” but rather lingerie for the “average woman,” who is a size 12. As big box stores moved in to the region, she has differentiated her line with specialty products, such as her exclusive rights to Spanx shapewear in Chilliwack. The store doesn’t sell training bras, or generic cotton products that come in only small, medium, and large.
Mary has also made the store a place where women feel comfortable to shop, and try things on, and laugh. “You’re perfect the way you are,” she insists to all her customers. She uses humour to relax clients, and frequently says slogans like “We’re here to lift and support you. Literally,” and “We’re abreast with the best.” Five years ago, she took the leap and changed the store’s name to its current Mary’s on Wellington. Selling lingerie under a “uniforms” name confused people.
She got rid of uniforms entirely two years ago, because competition from online retailers was “clearing her out.” This season, she has introduced swimwear, “for women,” she adds. And she does mastectomy bra fittings, a field she knows something about as a family member battled cancer. Once or twice a week, a happy client gives her a hug for the help she has provided. This satisfies her. Mary reminds people that hers is a true Chilliwack family busi-
ness. All the money her clients spend, she gives right back to the community, where her daughter goes to school, and where Mary supports soccer clubs and charities. Many of her first-time clients come through recommendations, from someone’s mom, or daughter. “I truly believe that there’s a market out there for people who want to be taken care of. And catered to. And helped.” She’s not retiring anytime soon, she says.
Thank you Chilliwack! We would like to thank you for your patronage over the last 25 years!
Partners in Learning!
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1987 We will continue to provide exceptional customer service & repairs to ensure you and your family’s safety.
604.792.1321 www.sd33.bc.ca
A 604-793-9310 Re
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Baker Newby LLP • 1937
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Story • Eric Welsh | Photo • Jenna Hauck
Court bench for about 25 years, retiring about five or six or seven years ago.” A man whose name still adorns the building at 9259 Main Street joined the firm in 1965. An Eastside Vancouver boy, Jim Baker started practising law in 1963, and still practises today, celebrating his 50th anniversary being called to the bar. Max Newby, a Chilliwack boy with family roots dated back to the early 1900s, came soon after. He carved out a long career as a solicitor, retiring three years ago. Newby still lives in Chilliwack. From the old guard, the torch has been passed to the next generation. Baker Newby moved to their current Chilliwack address in the 1950s and expanded in 1989, opening an Abbotsford office. Between the two locations, the firm now employs a small army of 26 litigators. Four of the current partners — Renwick, Baker, John Lee and Martin Finch — have been awarded the distinction of Queen’s Counsel, an honour conferred on members of the legal profession to recognize exceptional merit and contribution. Renwick is in his eighth year as a bencher (member of the board of directors) for the Law Society of British Columbia. “Within these walls we have a great opportunity to work with people, solve their problems, get them out of jams and advocate for them,” said Renwick, himself a Chilliwack
David Renwick of Baker Newby LLP with an antique seal press.
resident since 1965, and a Chilliwack secondary school grad. “I come in every day and enjoy my job. We’ve got a great group of lawyers who are keen and dedicated, and
that combination of senior and junior lawyers working together is what has allowed us to operate so successfully for so long.” Find more info online at bakernewby.com
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o survey the all-time roster of Baker Newby lawyers is to see a list of B.C. litigation heavyweights. David Renwick sees them on the wall every morning, a parade of framed pictures staring back at him when he arrives for work. The firm was established in 1937 by David Sturdy, who was joined in the early 1940s by Frank Wilson. David Hinds came next. A man with deep Chilliwack connections, he earned notice as a Crown counsel lawyer, travelling to Nelson, Prince George and beyond to prosecute serious criminal cases. As a judge, he had a reputation for delivering fair and levelheaded decisions. “He was a consummate gentlemen who always gave insightful reasons for his judgements,” Renwick said. “Even if you lost, you didn’t feel quite as bad because you knew you’d been given a fair hearing. At the end of the day, you knew justice always prevailed with him.” William Hugh Davies, or Bill, was the next Chilliwackian to join the firm. His father owned a downtown hardware store. Bill and his brother both went to high school here. Davies married his high school sweetheart and came on board in the early 1950s. “He became a judge the year I became a lawyer at Baker Newby, in 1978,” Renwick recalled. “He eventually sat on the Supreme
The Chilliwack Progress Tuesday, March 26, 2013
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Meadowlands Golf & Country Club • 1924 Story • Alina Konevski | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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hen Mark Perry arrived at Meadowlands Golf & Country Club, he saw a facility with tremendous potential, but that was struggling to meet it. Three years ago, he persuaded the holding company to take him on as manager. Perry cleaned house, from modernizations to staff overhauls, and restored the club into the profitable business that it is today. It was a task made easier by the spectacular setting, and the club’s deep, 89-year history. “It’s just gorgeous. It’s a gem. It’s been here forever, it’s never going away,” says Perry. Indeed, on a sunny day, it is hard to imagine a prettier course: vibrant green, generously studded with mature trees, and surrounded by Chilliwack’s iconic blue mountains. The club was founded on Fairfield Island in 1924, on the farm of Major Nigel Drury Theobald. Nine years later, a group of golf-lovers formed the Meadowlands Golf Society, and moved the nine-hole course to its current Yale Road East location. Various golf pros have sat at the helm, from current manager Mark Perry, to past owners Dunc Sutherland and B. C. Sports Hall of Fame and Museum inductee Bill Mawhinney. Famous players like Bing Crosby have also passed through the doors. The course doubled in size in 1969, and lost its club house to a controversial fire in the 1980s.
The new house, built in 1993, continues to invite players in today. The welcoming two-storey building with the blue trim on the black shingled roof can seat 130 people for a private party. But by the mid-1990s, after seven decades in operation, growth stagnated. Membership numbers slumped, and the club developed a forgotten feel. “It’s such an absolute beautiful piece of property,” says Perry, who is originally from Ontario, and has spent some of his 20 years in Chilliwack with the Aquadel Golf Course at Cultus Lake. “Just to see it going in the direction that it was going, that’s what sparked me to come and talk to the ownership group. I sat them down, and told them that they need some help.” Perry dragged the club into a new direction. He brought in new management, such as superintendent Jim Tedford, who understood Perry’s vision of an immaculate, consistent product. Perry revamped the food and beverage service, as local restauranteur Merle sold her Merle’s Eatery to run Merle’s Grill at Meadowlands. Come May 2013, Perry is adding a par, and pulling the club from the more executive Par 69, to a full sized Par 70 course. This will appeal to a wider range of players, he explains. With the gorgeous natural backdrop, it’s no wonder that Perry has kept the course old school. Players don’t need much beyond the green, a meal at a club house, and perhaps a
Serving Chilliwack & the Fraser Valley for over 15 years.
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Mark Perry, general manager of Meadowlands Golf and Country Club, holding the club’s championship trophy from 1941 and an old Mashie club featuring a hickory shaft and forged steel head.
golf cart. “In a tough market, the golf world has been struggling. In fact, if you look across Canada and B.C. alone, the last couple of years have been dramatic declines in the golf world,” says Perry. “We went completely against the norm. We’ve actually increased revenues, increased
Proudly introduces our newest Team Members: Brett DeWitt,
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Coming from the Okanagan, Brett joins us as General Manager. Boasting 20 years of experience, Brett comes to us most recently from The Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa.
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03/13T_PC26
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In 1993, Bruce Fournier moved his young family to Chilliwack. In 1994, he started his career in Real Estate and passion for Chilliwack and working with people. He takes pride in making a difference not only in Real Estate but in our community by volunteering with Ruth and Naomi’s Mission, Mount Cheam Rotary Club, River Clean Up, RE/MAX Toy Drive, and the Children`s Miracle Network. He has continuously been a top producer in the Chilliwack Real Estate Market and is recognized by RE/MAX, his peers and anyone who knows him as the Hard Working Nice Guy!
memberships.” The club is also in the early stages of opening 50 condos on Yale Road East in a fourstorey building, to attract people who want the lifestyle of living on a golf course. “We’re back in the game. Meadowlands is here, and it’s not going anywhere,” says Perry.
Jeffery Young,
Regional Food & Beverage Director
Jeffery is based out of Chilliwack, and joins us with a 25 year background as a Chef. Having swapped his ‘whites’ for a suit, he now represents the overall operations of Food & Beverage for Coast Hotels. Among his many accolades, he still currently holds a place on Team Canada’s Olympic Gold Medal Culinary Team.
CONTACT US ANYTIME!
Cell: (604) 819-0120 Toll Free: (604) 858-7179 Email: bruce@brucefournier.com #1-7300 Vedder Road Chilliwack,British Columbia
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Come dine with us, and enjoy fantastic scenery at Preston’s Restaurant & Lounge - please call to make reservations 604-701-3070! This year we will be hosting our amazing Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet in our Rosedale Ballroom (please call Front Desk for reservations & info). If you’re looking to plan an event of your own, please contact our Catering Manager Ramona Guthrie for details 604-701-3075
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Reservations Highly Recommended Bruce Fournier
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45920 First Ave., Chilliwack BC 03/13T_P26
Find us on Facebook Prestons (Chilliwack) & Twitter @ dineprestons
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Lock’s Prescription Pharmacy • 1949
Story • Jennifer Feinberg | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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ou won’t find greeting cards, tobacco, or lotto tickets for sale at Lock’s Prescription Pharmacy. The downtown Chilliwack business made a name for itself providing “exceptional prescription service” for more than six decades. They didn’t even have a soda fountain back in the day. The focus was always on prescriptions — even if it was a risk to specialize that way. You can only achieve that kind of longevity if you have a good group of employees, says Ewart Lock. “We’ve had exceptional employees now for almost 64 years now,” he says. Three generations of the Lock family have been at the helm in their original Main Street location since it opened in 1949 in a brand-new medical building. “The main thing has always been service, service, service,” Ewart says. “It helps if you treat the people coming into the store like they’re in your living room.” Prescription delivery was once accomplished on bicycle, and that commitment to service continues with deliveries heading out the door twice a day. The founder was John A. Lock, who graduated from the Western School of Pharmacy in 1925 in Vancouver. After managing pharmacies for Vancouver Drugs, he decided to branch out on his own and moved to Chilliwack with his wife, Lottie in 1928. Near Five Corners he opened a branch of Vancouver Drugs. Ewart was born in the Chilliwack
hospital, down the road from where it is now, in 1932. Together, John A. and his young son Ewart in 1949 launched the family business, Lock’s Prescription Pharmacy, in the same spot where it is today. Some thought the patriarch was a little crazy at the ripe old age of 46 to be venturing out on his own, Ewart adds. But it was a father-son partnership that worked because they worked hard at it, and made it work. “I had saved up $1,000 cutting lawns and delivering newspapers,” remembers Ewart. He contributed that amount as his share of the $5,000 needed to establish the pharmacy, at first in a 300 square foot space, and later in expanded digs. After an apprenticeship and three years of study he went on to graduate from UBC in 1955 and was ready to go. “Pop wanted me to get back to Chilliwack as soon as possible.” Chilliwack doctors had been waiting impatiently for the Second World War to end to get the inaugural medical building up and running, Lock said. Up until that time, the physicians ran their medical practices from their homes. “As soon as I finished school, I just kept buying shares in the business,” he says. “We were fortunate the business grew. I liked it so much, I stayed on.” Ewart took over the reins from Pop in 1977 and now the third generation, Brian Lock is running the family business. Brian graduated in 1993 from University
Ewart Lock (left) and son Brian Lock of Lock’s Pharmacy holding a photo of the original storefront in 1949 and an antique mortar and pestle.
of Montana, and followed in the family footsteps. He figures he started working at the pharmacy when he was about 12. “I would vacuum, and wash out the bottles,” he says. Later he would spend his summer vacations from school working at the family biz. “I guess you could say we grew into the business as we grew up.” They endeavour to fill prescriptions orders with no delay, since that’s their over-
riding focus. The current team has four pharmacists and six technicians on duty. “We try to do it in 10 minutes at the most if we can,” he says. They appreciate all the years they’ve had in Chilliwack, and make a point of giving back to the community with donations to Salvation Army, Ruth & Naomi’s Mission, Chilliwack Hospice Society and more. “We’ve been the luckiest people around to have been born in the Fraser Valley, this is what I tell people,” Ewart adds.
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The Chilliwack Progress Tuesday, March 26, 2013
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Best Western Rainbow Country Inn • 1986 Story • Greg Knill | Photo • Jenna Hauck
27 T
here are binders filled with memories on Kevin Wood’s desk at the Best Western Rainbow Country Inn – memories from more than 26 years of Chilliwack hospitality. Rainbow Country Inn opened in 1986, riding the tourism wave that brought the world to the Lower Mainland for Expo ‘86. It was the idea of local business man, Don Ball, says the hotel’s general manager. “He knew that Chilliwack needed more than it had.” Located at the now bustling intersection of Lickman Road and Industrial Way, Rainbow Country Inn was an out-of-the-way spot when it first opened. That remoteness gave it a kind of exclusive feel, Wood says. “When it first opened, this was the place to be.” Indeed, the indoor atrium and complementing restaurant – with its rich cedar paneling, gurgling fountains and tropical plants – was a unique addition to the city’s dining scene. The lounge next door proved a popular spot for dancing and live entertainment. It was the place for special occasions, Wood says, like anniversa-
ries and birthday celebrations. The banquet facilities also filled a need in the community, especially for weddings and important functions. The area around the hotel has changed over the years, says Wood, who has been with Rainbow Country Inn since 1997. And sometimes, residents overlook what it has to offer. That’s why the hotel is currently updating its menu and reminding customers it is still something special. One feature, Wood says, is its attached liquor store. With recent liquor board changes that now allow diners to bring corked wine into the restaurant, the store provides a choice of more than 800 wines – enough to accompany any meal, Wood says with a smile. Staff have played a big part in the hotel’s continued strength over the years. Some have been with Country Inn since it opened. They’ve also embraced the hotel’s concerted effort to be more environmentally responsible. Those initiatives include an imaginative approach to dealing with organic waste. Food scraps are diverted away from the landfill and sent instead to a staff
Kevin Wood, manager of the Best Western Rainbow Country Inn, holding a drawing from the year the hotel opened in 1986.
member’s farm in Yarrow where they are enjoyed by the hotel’s “Three Little Pigs.” The hospitality industry in
Stream has been part of the Chilliwack community since 2001. Stream is a customer-driven global business process outsourcing (BPO) company that provides sales, customer care, technical support and complex outsourcing services. Stream blends individualized services with a global, standardized delivery model and sophisticated technologies via a highly-skilled multilingual workforce of 37,000 employees supporting 35 languages across 52 locations in 22 countries.
Locally, Stream has benefited from the flexible, supportive business environment in Chilliwack and has been recognized by the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce as both Employer of the Year and Established Business of the Year. Some of the world’s leading consumer products have been supported by the great people that have been part of Stream Chilliwack during our 12 years of successful operations.
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Chilliwack has changed much since Rainbow Country Inn welcomed its first guests 26 years ago, Wood agrees. But the hotel
remains an important part of the community. And, says Wood, “We plan to be here a long time.”
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013 The Chilliwack Progress
Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Ballam Furniture Gallery • 1981 Story • Jenna Hauck | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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n elderly woman parks her scooter outside Ballam Furniture Gallery and goes inside. She plops herself down in a big, comfy, ivory-coloured chair with black flowers on it. “I bought a La-Z-Boy from you years ago and I absolutely love it. Unfortunately, it’s now worn and I have to buy a new one,” she says. “We can help you,” says owner Jim Ballam Jr. “I’ll fit you with a new chair.” He continues to ask her questions to find the perfect La-Z-Boy with the proper fit for her. Does she need a power-lift chair to help her get in and out of the La-Z-Boy? Yes. Will she sometimes be sleeping in the chair? Yes. How tall is she? Six feet. Ballam knows within just a few minutes that she’ll need a power-lift chair with a headrest at the correct high to support her head and neck. Her feet should touch the ground when she sits back in the chair to provide proper lumbar support. Customer service has always been Ballam’s top priority. He learned it from his father, Jim Ballam Sr. “Everyone just loved my dad. He was sincere and honest, and people loved and trusted him,” he says. Ballam Sr. was in the furniture business since the age of 15. In 1954, he began working at Sears Ltd. on Wellington. He then moved on to Peacock Furniture in the mid ‘70s, and finally opened his own store, Chilliwack Furniture World, with business
partner Iain Murray in 1981 on Wellington Avenue. When Ballam Sr. retired in 1994, Jim Ballam Jr. took over, renamed the store J. Ballam Furniture, and moved across the street. Like his father, Ballam Jr. sells all types of furniture from dining tables and chairs, to couches and recliners, and from coffee tables and end tables, to beds and mattresses. He’s already doubled his store in size by taking over the neighbouring storefront around the year 2000, and has plans to expand even further later this year. Why did Ballam continue on with the family history? “I think it’s something that comes naturally. I enjoy the social aspects probably more than the sales,” he says. “I was always interested in the business side of things. It’s something that you have to have in you, it’s not something that you can just go do. You have to be a good listener, and you have to have patience. Following in my dad’s footsteps was just a natural fit for me.” “We are a small store, but the consumer isn’t just a number to us. We truly have history with what we sell,” he says. It’s true. Ballam has seen countless repeat customers over the 32 years that his family has owned and operated their furniture business in downtown Chilliwack. But their family history here goes back much further. There have now been six generations of Ballams in Chilliwack. Jim Ballam Jr.’s great-great-grandfather,
Jim Ballam Jr. at the back of his store, Ballam Furniture Gallery, on Wellington. His family has been in the furniture business since 1954.
Robert Ballam, first moved to Chilliwack in 1887. Ballam Road was named after him. “We were one of the first dozen families in the community to settle back in 1887,” he says. Next was his great-grandfather Harry Sr., then his grandfather Harry Jr., his father Jim Sr., then he, and lastly his son, Ryan and
daughter Nicole. Flipping through a memory book that his mother kept, Jim Ballam Jr. let’s out a laugh and points to a picture of a La-Z-Boy recliner in a flyer from 1983. “We are selling La-Z-Boys still at the same price as 1983, 30 years later, starting at $450,” he says.
Put some
Spring Payton & Buckle FINE FOOTWEAR
in your step!
102-32883 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford next to KFC
45930 Wellington Avenue, Downtown Chilliwack
604-859-2330
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Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Royal Hotel • 1908 Story • Jennifer Feinberg | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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alk through the front doors and it’s like stepping back in time. The Royal Hotel on Wellington Avenue celebrated its 100th year in downtown Chilliwack in 2008. Five years later it’s still a going concern, humming with new activity, especially in the Royal Café and The Wellington lounge. When owner Alex Marks purchased the Royal Hotel in the mid-1990s, he says he could see the inherent beauty of the landmark downtown building that first opened in 1908. He still is part owner, but the operations are leased out to a management company. The building just had to be coaxed back, right down to some of the original hardwood flooring, trim and baseboards. They brought in someone who was well versed in older building renovations. “I love this building. It’s that sense of history you feel when you walk in,” Alex says. “It was a focal point of the community and it’s slowly regaining that status.” He says that’s due to stellar efforts of late by manager Leonard Wiens as well as café operators Devika and Graydon Gillette. “They’re doing a bang-up job.” Marks says he bought the building back in 1995 for about a million dollars, with partners who were later bought out. It was a venerable old building in need of TLC and
serious amounts of work. “I thought it would be beautiful if it was upgraded.” It had been kept very clean but needed improvements. The Marks children joined in the family venture as they grew up. “All of my kids have been involved in the renovations for 30 years or more,” he says. “They’re working on them right now.” There’s a 10-year plan for the building. Alex’s son Clint remembers the original renovations they did to make up for years of deferred maintenance. “We did some work in the old pub, and then started on the back wing,” he says. They painted, upgraded and replaced carpet in some areas, and sanding down hardwood floors in others. They went to auctions and bought antique armoirs and such. One of the mysteries, was uncovering what they figure was the original bar in Chilliwack. They discovered a cellar that used to be part of a standalone building that they estimate is 120 years old, judging by the square cut nails. There’s a set of steps that led to an alley that used to run out back where the beer wagon would back in to deliver kegs of beer into the cold storage. “You can see the marks etched in con-
MINTER COUNTRY GARDEN OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1957 MINTER GARDENS CELEBRATING 34 YEARS OPENING APRIL 14TH 2013
Clint Marks, one of the owners of the Royal Hotel, holding a photo of the front of the hotel from the early 1900s.
crete that were scratched into it from kegs with metal rims. It’s very cool,” says Alex. The Royal Hotel was owned by the Berry family originally. Tom Berry Sr. purchased it in 1926 and ran it as a family business. He died in room
zero in 1941, and then his son, Buck ran it, until he sold it to Marks. The Marks family kept the zero sign on the door, even though they renumbered all the other doors. “So it still appears as room zero but on the books, it’s room 100.”
Proud to be part of a Great Community! Redefining the Quality of Life in the Chilliwack Community Since 1972.
As proud members of the local business community, we salute the men, women and their families who have brought and given so much to the city we call home. It takes a community to provide the support that allows a business to grow and thrive. The residents of Chilliwack and the surrounding area, including our Teams at Minter Country Garden and Minter Gardens, have supported our endeavours for the past 56 years to make our city a greener, more beautiful place to live. We are here for you and because of you.
Dr. Maier
Dr. Staiger
Dr. McConnell
#2 - 8330 YOUNG RD. S., CHILLIWACK
Thank you to the citizens of the City of Chilliwack The Minter Family
604-792-1388
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013 The Chilliwack Progress
Pillars OF BUSINESS CHILLIWACK
Tunbridge & Tunbridge • circa late-1800s Story • Alina Konevski | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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and surveying has changed tremendously since Tunbridge & Tunbridge took root in the Fraser Valley more than a century ago, in the late 1800s. “You change with the times. You bring newer people in, you bring your equipment up to date to keep that going. The transformation is unbelievable, from even when I started in the 1950s,” says William Tunbridge, who articled with the original founder in Abbotsford, H.H.B. Abbott, before taking over the firm with brother Frederick Tunbridge in 1961. The firm changed names multiple times along the way, as various partners joined, then retired. The Tunbridges expanded to Chilliwack to buy A.E. Humphrey’s surveying business, and eventually relocated their main office here. Tunbridge & Tunbridge is now the largest survey firm in the Chilliwack area. William’s son, Allan, now runs it with business partner Mitchell Power. They do all types of legal and engineering surveys throughout the Lower Mainland. “We fly in the middle of nowhere in a helicopter, and jump out in the middle of remote wilderness, with grizzlies and everything else, and we survey,” says Allan. The huge variety of work includes surveying the scene of an accident, coordinating air photo mapping projects, natural resource pipeline layouts, assessing remote areas for telecommunications sites, and federal land surveys for Indian land. They work with private landowners, devel-
opers, First Nations groups, large corporations, and every level of government. When Mr. Tunbridge Sr., William, started as a young surveyor, he remembers his mentor’s “logarithmic books, school type scribblers, and seemingly endless rows and rows of pencil figures.” Side by side, Allan worked on his ‘Curta’ calculator, a palmsized, round metal tube with slots for numbers, which had to be cranked by hand to do calculations. Decades later, his son, Allan, started by using a 300-foot-long thin, metal tape, called a “chain,” to measure point-to-point. “You can imagine, in British Columbia, in Chilliwack especially, going up and down mountains with the chain,” says Allan. “We used to routinely take chainsaws, and knock down everything in our way… just to get the horizontal distance.” Allan used to do astronomical observations to get the north orientation. “We’d stand on a mountain, and wait for the clouds to move off. And the Valley never helped you,” he says. The next “quantum leap in technology” came in the 1980s, with a device that measured distance electronically when set upon a tripod. The firm had hand drafting staff and instruments until 1993. They replaced all that with computers at the first opportunity. What used to take hours, now takes minutes. Today, Tunbridge & Tunbridge regularly uses a high-end GPS that measures to the
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+ From left, Mitch Power, Bill Tunbridge and Allan Tunbridge, holding antique surveying transits and a ‘Curta’ calculator.
centimetre by connecting to military satellites 20,000 km above the Earth. All the surveying equipment is fully computerized and automated. Because the work usually takes them out of the office, many surveyors have downsized and eliminated formal offices altogether. Tunbridge & Tunbridge “bucked the trend,” and invested in a brand new, modern office at Yale Road West, with high
beams and open concept spaces, as a commitment to remain in the community for the long haul. A 1970 document detailing the partnerships in the firm, concludes with William and Frederick signing off: “We feel that we have a good business, a well-established business, and one that should continue for many years in the future.” Indeed it has, and undoubtedly shall.
THANK YOU CLIENTS, FRIENDS AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES FOR MAKING THE PAST 23+ YEARS AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS! Your support has allowed us to accomplish many goals within the Community of Chilliwack both as Citizens and Business Leaders in the Real Estate Industry. We are proud to give back to our Community and the World by supporting such activities as the Children’s Miracle Network, the Rotary Club of Chilliwack local projects such as the Rotary Trail, Blue Heron Reserve and Central Community Park, together with International service including the goals to Eradicate Polio Worldwide and provide Safe Drinking Water to Third World Countries. Members of the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce as well as participants in the fundraising efforts for the Chilliwack General Hospital Emergency Ward expansion. As RE/MAX Top Producers, and Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board Award Winners, receiving honors as: One of the Top 50 Realtor Teams in the RE/MAX International organization of over 88,000 realtors and Bob being chosen as the Realtor of Distinction by fellow Chilliwack Realtors.
Our Team is looking forward to assisting you in meeting your Real Estate Goals!!!
GARRY KING
BOB PLOWRIGHT
RON PLOWRIGHT
RESIDENTIAL AWARDS
RE/MAX
Plowright Realty RE/MAXBob #1 - 7300 Vedder Rd, Chilliwack, BC
Bob Plowright Realty #1 - 7300 Vedder Rd, Chilliwack, BC 3-13T P26
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604-858-7179 1-800-830-7175 Go to www.bobplowright.com to view virtual tours 604-858-7179 1-800-830-7175 RE/MAX
Bob Plowright Realty #1 - 7300 Vedder Rd, Chilliwack, BC
Go to www.bobplowright.com to view virtual tours and more pictures
www.bobplowright.com tours and more pictures W WGo Wto .B O B P L O W R I GtoHview T . virtual COM
The Chilliwack Progress Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Pillars OF BUSINESS
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CHILLIWACK
Cheam View Veterinary Hospital • 1961
Dr. Kuldeep Chahal and wife Karen of Cheam View Veterinary Hospital holding a photo of the original owners from 1961 and resident cat, Jitterbug. Story • Eric Welsh | Photo • Jenna Hauck
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wall in the waiting room of Cheam View Veterinary Hospital has thankyou cards from Princess and Ruckus. There’s heartfelt ones from Miichi, and Grizzle and Farley, too. But one thank-you comes from someone who walks on two legs, not four. “A lady brought her friend here a few days ago, just to introduce her to us, and the friend had some kind of heart attack,” Dr. Kuldeep Chahal explained. “She was blueish around the mouth and eyes, and I gave CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. We called 9-1-1 and they took her to the hospital. But what I did in the first 40 seconds, I think saved her life. She came back a few days ago, with her daughter and granddaughter, and they gave me a really nice thank-you card.” Chahal and his wife, Karen, took over Cheam View Veterinary Hospital two years ago, purchasing the practice from Dr. Cindy Smith, who retired to a quiet life on Vancouver Island. But the business itself goes back well before Chahal and Smith. Morley Rendall and Hugh Philip opened at the current location at 8337 Young Rd. in 1961. Brian Upper and Ralph Estensen joined them in 1967, and those four built the existing building in 1975. The original practice looked after animals large and small, including horses, cows and other livestock. Since 1998, the focus has been on companion animals only. Chahal spends his days taking care of cats, dogs, rabbits, birds and reptiles. He never knows what might come through his door on any given day. “There was an owl once that was hit by a car, and they brought him here with a broken leg,” Karen Chahal said. “We ban-
daged the leg and gave pain killers, and the next day a small helicopter came from Vancouver to take him away.” The hospital provides emergency services after hours without an emergency fee. With the collaboration of SPCA Chilliwack, Chahal also offers low-cost spays and neuters with free vaccinations and flea treatment to people who otherwise couldn’t afford it. Such customer-friendly policies make them popular with pet owners. On any given day, Chahal might perform one or two surgeries, plus a handful of dental cleanings/vaccinations/spays/ neuters. Recently, Chahal inserted metal plating into the leg of a kitten who was brought to him by the SPCA with a broken femur. Within days the energetic little bundle of fluff was running and jumping, acting good as new. “I think we may be keeping that kitten, because it was an expensive surgery and no one could afford it,” said Chahal, who already has two clinic cats, plus two dogs at home. “The SPCA helped us a bit, but I did that one on my own, and I think the kitten will probably stay here. I love all these pets that I meet.” Kuldeep and Karen hope to meet many more in the next few years, and they anticipate their son, 20-year-old Kanwar Chahal (in his second year of veterinary school) will join them soon, making it a true family business. “We’ve only been here two years, but the people in Chilliwack are so friendly that we feel like we’ve been here forever,” Karen smiled. “And what we’re doing now is just the beginning of what we hope we’ll be able to do in the future.”
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013 The Chilliwack Progress
The O’Connor Group
1976 Since
45730 HOCKING AVE. CORNER OF HOCKING & YALE ROAD, CHILLIWACK
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45730 Hocking Avenue Chilliwack, BC www.oconnorgroup.com
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SALES DEPARTMENT OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
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The O'Connor Group of Companies began way back in 1976. We strive to provide outstanding professional service in all areas of our business. Whether you are looking for a new or used Car, Truck, RV or Motorhome ...or your baby requires of some service or parts, we can help!
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