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PAGE TEN ancey's Store Front THE DAILY TIMES.-GAZETTE IS ULTRA MODERN IN EVERY DETAIL Improves : Times-Gazette is happy fo feature the new Dancey Shon me Front on Simcoe Street South in this issue. This beautiful new addition to our mercantile district brightens up Simcoe Street considerably and further enhances the picture of Oshawa's retail section, and should play an important role in the further development of our retail business generally. a A Times-Gazette reporter ted The Dancey Brothers business establishment and tec the information which appears in this feature story. 'By Times-Gazeite Staff Reporter ETTER service and a satisfied clientele was the answer to the question I put to the Dancey brothers one morning recently when I visited their ; store to enquire why they were making such ex- tensive, alterations at this particular time. I found John and Archie Dancey both busily engaged with blue prints and architects drawings. They were kind enough to pause and explain that they were sold on the old adage that neither a business nor an individual can stand still: they either go ahead or back up--there is no such thing as marking time in business. . 13 I.reminded these aggressive brothers that during my any years with The Times-Gazette I had seen many es come and go but it seemed as though this particular location. was always to be identified with the retail shoe business. ; "Yes," said Archie Dancey, "this site has been a shoe business since 1885, and up until the year 1936 was oper- ated by the Bale family and was familiarly known throughout the years as Bale's Shoe Store. One of the brothers John Bale is retired and lives in Oshawa, and Russell Bale is now living in Campbellford, Ontario, where he was for several years identified with the Gravlin-Bale Company, manufacturers of shoes. It was in 1936 that the Bale family sold their business to the Lincoln Shoe Stores of Toronto. "In the early days," Mr. Dancey went on, "shoes were * actually manufactured on these premises, and just re- cently, since we commenced making alterations we found some of the equipment that was used in those days. Both A. H. and J. G. Dancey were directors of the Lincoln Shoe Company up until the year 1941 when they purchased the Lincoln' Shoe Store, Oshawa outlet, liquidating their interests in the former company. . "It is of particular interest to note that this shoe busi- ness, with the exception of the short period of time it was J. G. DANCEY A. H. DANCEY known as the Lincoln Shoe store, has been owned and operated by families residing in Oshawa under much the same family arrangement as exists today. Throughout the years Bale Shoe Store was known for its reliability, where good merchandise and right prices were always available. The business has served the citizens of Oshawa for over 60 years and has always endeavored to keep abreast of the times. Now under the ownership of Dancey brothers the tradition is being maintained as exemplified by the major alterations now being made. Very shortly, possibly next week-end, this newly renovated store will present one of the most modern fronts in Oshawa, and in fact it will be comparable to many shoe stores in the larger metropolitan areas." "These alterations," I observed, "show that you must have great faith in the future of Oshawa." "Yes," said Archie Dancey, "we have no misgivings about that point; we have every confidence in Oshawa's future. With Oshawa's population constantly on the increase, with new Industries locating here constantly because of Oshawa's highway, railway, harbpur and power facilities, we can see little reason to doubt that Oshawa is destined to be a much larger city in the not too distant future. It is our ambition to keep apace with this progress and to render such service in the retailing of shoes and footwear gener- ally that we will merit the patronage of Oshawa's citizens to even a larger degree than in the past." During the course of my conversation I learned that . as their adopted home. Simcoe St. each of the Dancey brothers has had more than 20 years retail and wholesale business experience, and that their father before them was in the retail business in Ireland throughout his life. It was in Ireland that the Dancey brothers served their apprenticeship in the retail and wholesale business. Later, when they came to Canada, they were employed by The T. Eaton Company Limited until 1933, when they started on their own business career in partnership with others in the Lincoln Shoe .Store, coming to Oshawa in the year 1936, buying out the present business in 1941. . Both John and Archie Dancey are married with families and reside in Oshawa, and have claimed the city Naturally, this provides an incen- tive to give good management to this retail business and to expand their already extensive patronage. In the operation of this business the Dancey Brothers SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1947 A N@RAS SHOE On the left is shown a picture of the old store front and in the upper right hand corner is pictured the architect's conception of what the new store front will look like when conripleted, with its shiny black finish, with ncon lighting, curved glass and beautifully de igned window display arrangement. The door of the new front will attract much interest as it is the first Oshawa made Hurculite door installed in Canada and weighs approximately 250 Ibs. and is solid gla-s and transparent. picture of the interior, still incomplete. In the centre is shown a When the store is ready for re-opening all shoe boxes will be of the same colour and each box will carry the Dancey label thus enhancing thie general appearance of the store. Fluorescent lighting throughout the spacious quarters will add considerable to the pleasant sur- roundings and to the efficiency of the shoe fitting buiness which is an important feature with Dancey's in the retailing of shoes, give a vigorous management and personal service to their customers. They seem to be well fitted to take their place among the better class retail stores and in conversation with them 1 learned of their eagerness not only to take advantage of the fine reputation established by previous owners of this present site, but to look to the future with an abiding faith that the day will come when they will have to expand the present site again and again. OUR POLICY Our prices will be no higher than elsewhere for exactly the same merchandise. 'Better service, by trained and specialized shoe fitters, with scientific X-ray shoe fitting. Goods satisfactory or money refunded. To make it worth your while, and a pleasure for you, to shop in Oshawa, rather thar elsewhere. "We want our customers to know that In this store they get fair treatment coupled with pleasant and con- genial service," said John Dancey. '"We have been in business long enough to know," he said, "that the custom- er today not only demands the best, but deserves the best, and it will be our constant effort to meet his or her wishes. We want to create and to continue to promote a feeling of goodwill and satisfaction for this enterprise." To the People of Oshawa: When we considered the ultimate in service as far as the maintenance of an up-to-date retail shoe store is concerned, and the desire to make our store fill its rightful place in the community, we immediately reached the decision that modernizing was the answer. Hence the reason for the extreme changes we have made in our store front. In placing the blueprints in the hands of our contractor for action we insisted that everything possible should be purchased in Oshawa, and that the actual work should be done by Oshawa labor. In this matter we have been quite successful. Now that our changeover is practically complete, and the re-opening day is not far distant (watch The Times-Gazette for date), we are happy to take this opportunity of ex- pressing our thanks and appreciation to all those who have been of assistance to us in making these alter- ations. We are happy to announce that on-our Opening Day we will present the largest selection of styles that we have been able to offer since the early days of the war. This is due to the wonderful co-operation of our many suppliers who have left no stone unturned to get shoes for this occasion. However, this does not mean that shoes are necessarily more plentiful, in fact they are still difficult to obtain. But everything points to a time in the not too distant future when we will be able to give our customers a continued supply of better fitting sty'es. On the occasion of our re-opening we invite everyone to visit our store . . . no obligation whatever . . . come in and look around. wes] ile y SCIENTIFIC NLRAY. SHOE FITTING 18 SIMCOE ST. 8 15S {0101 SB Rr ds] FREE], Naturally a business Erowing as fast as DPancey's has to have key assistants. Among the ef- ficient staff is Douglas Clemens who learned his trade with Dancey broth- ers, starting in the year 1940, by working after- noons and Saturdays while attending 0.C.V.I, and who later for a short period of time became a full time employee before enlisting with the R.C.A.F., in which he became an instruc- tor.in various stations in Canada during the war. Following his release from the Forces in 1945, with the rank of Flying Officer, he Jeturned to Dancey's where e was given a warm wel- come and is now chief POUG, OLEMENS lieutenant in the Dancey organization. He too, is married and is resident of the city of his birth. Robert Hart is a student at the 0.C.V.I. and has been workihg afternoons and Saturdays since 1942 in The Dancey Shoe Store, where he gained during that time a real knowledge of the shoe business. Allister McLachlin, also spending part time In The Dancey Shoe Store, appears no less obliging than the others and is now capable of taking care of the various problems in shoe fitting. -"We are very fortunate to have the services of these employees," said Archie Dancey. "They fit into our organ ization and are growing up with the business, which we are confident is destined to fill an ever growing need in the city of Oshawa." New Store Front is Modern When it is completed the new front will be one of the most modern, not only in Oshawa, but in Eastern Ontario. There will be no awning, but instead, transparent sun absorption window shades will be'used. The lighting will be fluorescent with intermittent coloured spots, thus making the windows attractive and colourful. Another interesting feature is the new solid Hurculite glass door which is an Oshawa production and which is the very latest in modern doors. It will be flanked by Hurculite side lights. The design for the new Dancey store front was decided upon after about two years close study of store fronts in both Canada and the United States. Many large Metropolitan Stores were visited and their opinion receiv- ed and carefully studied. The architects drawing was accepted finally as fulfilling all the desires of modern store front architecture, combining the ideas and desires of the Dancey brothers, who themselves had given much study to the problem. ' In the development of service many things have been done to facilitate the shopper's effort to secure properly fitted shoes. Among the various accomplishments and new departures was the installation of an X-ray shoe- fitting machine which permits the public actually to see their feet inside the shoes, consequently, aiding them in securing proper fittings. "No effort on our part is being . skipped when it comes to rendering service to our custom- ers," Mr, Dancey explained. "The X-ray shoe fitting me chine is only one of the many new departures which we hope to introduce in the not too distant future."