Many changes, but same focus
A general rule of thumb for any business is that the customer is always right – but that’s one rule Bert Frey has never subscribed to in 40 years in the trade.
“Our staff has far more experience than the customer, and although we respect what the customers expect, we will always stand by what our employees think,” he said, noting it’s the company’s job to get things right …Read more
New owner, same business philosophy
New business owner Randy Weber has learned a number of lessons from his predecessor, but the most important of all is this: keep it simple. Do good work and be honest with your customers.
Weber has been working as an electrician for RW Electric ever since he graduated from Elmira District Secondary School 12 years ago. He signed up for the tech class, became familiar with the trade and was …Read more
Changes all around for Curves in Elmira
Like some of the members testimonies posted on the walls and on the company’s website, the Curves women’s fitness facility in Elmira is undergoing a transformation of its own. Under new ownership as of Aug. 1, the facility in the Birdland Plaza is set for a makeover, including new signage, updated workout equipment and the introduction of a new technology called ‘Smart Equipment.’
“The stage has been set at this Curves location and now we are just trying to take it a bit further, to expand our client base a bit,” said new owner Deanne MacIntosh …Read more
New direction for Elmira shopping space
Years ago, the Elmira Shopping Village – back when it was Brox’s Olde Town Village – drew people by the busload to browse its shops and enjoy a meal in the restaurant.
Over the years, the two dozen tenants have dwindled to a handful. New owner Michele Khandelwal of Varcan Property Management plans to spruce up the Church Street building, fill it with tenants and make …Read more
Clouds obscure solar power
Changes to Ontario’s solar energy incentive program have applicants and manufacturers crying foul. In October 2009, hoping to stimulate investment in green energy, the province unveiled the micro feed-in tariff program (microFIT). Farmers, homeowners and small business owners could install small solar arrays (under 10 kilowatts) and sell the power to the Ontario Power Authority at a price that was guaranteed for 20 years …Read more
The perfect apple fit for a Prince
Buy local. Buy fresh. That’s the advice we are getting from food experts and environmentalists. By doing so you’ll be helping preserve the environment, and you’ll be strengthening your community by investing your food dollar close to home, the argument goes.
But how do you keep your promise to buy local foods, and also have a variety in your diet when staple …Read more
Canada playing catch-up on recycling
Sometime in the 1980s, the three Rs taught in schools changed from “reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmatic” to “reduce, reuse, recycle.” The environmentally conscious carefully sort their plastic, glass, cardboard and cans into blue bins and carry them to the curb every week.
What happens next is sometimes less than environmentally friendly. Some items are recycled more successfully than others; the current recovery rate for paper-based packaging is 58 per cent and 56 …Read more
Retirement a long time in the making
After 37 years at the helm of Way-Mar Inc., you might wonder what Wayne Martin will do with his time when he retires. Martin himself has no such questions. …Read more
No freeze-frame in evolution of photos
First it was the old black and white photographs taken with a large, clunky camera, printed in chalk. Then, after a long period of experimentation came coloured photographs. Then Polaroids. Today, it’s all digital.
Like the photography industry itself, what’s now known as Brian’s Foto Source on Arthur Street in Elmira has seen a number of changes and developments …Read more
Breslau’s home for BRC Mechanical
Breslau-based BRC Mechanical takes local to new levels.
Owned by Breslau residents Nancy Dalgard and her husband Bob Rebelo, the business has operated out of four different locations in the village in its 12-year history. Having recently moved into a brand-new building all their own, Dalgard hopes they’ll be staying put for a while …Read more
