PAGE 16 - “THE STAR”, Tuesday, May 25, 2010
20 years up for Kelvin Johns ONE OF Leongatha’s best known businesses has celebrated 20 years in its current premises. Kelvin Johns Retravision marked two decades at its McCartin Street base last Saturday, May 22 and invited customers to join the party. Birthday specials continue across the store all this week. Customers who make a purchase over $50 will also go into the draw to win a 20 inch TSL LCD television. That prize will be drawn at 4.30pm this Friday. Owners Kelvin and Kathy Smith are delighted to be commemorating the special occasion. “It’s exciting. Kathy and I have put in a lot of effort and we love doing it,” Kelvin said. “We love the community; it’s one of the best areas. South Gippsland is just a great spot to live. It’s not just about Leongatha. We go through to Lang Lang and to Welshpool and Boolarra. “I love customers coming and saying ‘G’day’.” The couple is renowned for their generosity to community groups and schools across South Gippsland, offering sponsorship and donations. Certificates of appreciation lining the walls of the store from groups are testimony to the backing Retravision offers to the community. Among the groups who have written to say “thanks” are Leongatha Primary School, Meeniyan Golf Club, Venus Bay Community Emergency Response Team, Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club and Venus Bay Angling Club. “It’s my way of giving back to the community when they have supported me,” Kelvin said. Helping to raise funds for multiple sclerosis is a big part of Kelvin’s char-
Party time: marking the 20th anniversary of Kelvin Johns Retravision at its current site are staff Emma Smith, Narelle Salmon, Sam Burr, Narelle McEwan, Will Geisler, Diane Thiele and Brian Billett. ity work. He is a friend of Leongatha man, Kevin Warren, who has MS. Kelvin, Kevin and Bob Beilby sit at every Stony Creek race meeting, selling raffle tickets for the cause. Raffle tickets for MS and other causes are often sold on the counter at Retravision. Kevin is a foundation member of the Leongatha MS Auxiliary, now in its 34th year of operation, and is full of praise for Kelvin. “He’s been a member of the Leongatha Ms Auxiliary for 30 years. He’s always promoted the crayfish raffles at Stony Creek races and often supported trophies. He’s been a great MS supporter,” Kevin said. “He wears the red t-shirt with the Ms insignia on the front and he wears it quite proudly. He paid for our all weather tent that we sell tickets from.
“Recently he has bought MS biros and we are raising money from the sale of those. Wherever he can see a quid for MS, he is behind it.” The Smiths live at Mount Eccles, and Kelvin is born and bred in Leongatha, so is passionate about ensuring the region has lots to offer. The Smiths have 11 staff on their books at the main shop, plus an additional two employees at the bedding shop in Bair Street. The cooking display room overlooking the IGA carpark offers an extensive range of ovens. Between the three sites, Kelvin Johns Retravision now sells mobile phones, cooking appliances, Playstation and computer games, white goods, cooking ware, bedding, televisions, DVD players and computers,
Making it happen: Kelvin and Kathy Smith.
plus more. Kelvin’s daughter Emma, who has been on the payroll herself for 15 years, said: “We used to be able to fit everything in the one shop but we have grown. We never had computers and mobile phones when we started. There’s a much bigger range of products now. “It’s never boring because you’re always learning about something new.” The business started as Leongatha Heatlite and was changed to Kelvin Johns Electrical, before becoming Retravision. The business has been located at various locations around Leongatha and the McCartin Street site is an ideal location. “We’ve got a walk through shop
so we have carparking front and back, and the banks are close, so we are in a good position,” Emma said. Staff member Narelle Salmon will soon farewell the business after 20 years, joining when the company first opened. Former long term employee Narelle McEwan has returned to the business part-time after nine years away. Kelvin has been in the electrical game for 37 years, starting at Homecrafts and then Kelly Brothers stores. But despite his extensive experience and knowledge, Kelvin still loves being known as the man with lollies. “I’ve gone through a couple of generations giving kids chocolate frogs. Now I’m giving frogs to the children of kids I used to give them to,” he said.