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People in Business, Friday, May 2, 2008 9 For 15 years, the Carpet Palace has been a fixture at the corner of Guelph Street and Adamson Street in Norval. Owned and operated by Steve Klintsaris, and George Kanichis the store is proud to offer a wide variety of flooring options from carpet and area rugs to laminate and hardwood. In all their years in business, Steve and George have watched the town and their clients grow. Kids who came into their store with their parents years ago are now grown up and coming into the store with their own kids. The brothers-in-law, who both live in Halton Hills with their families, say good customer service is the cornerstone of their business. "If a customer comes in and doesn't know what they want, we can lead them in the right direction," George says. "We try to satisfy our customers as best we can." Steve and George are looking forward to another 15 years of helping the people of Halton Hills with all their flooring needs. "We believe in keeping business local," George says. "We carry as much as we can so people don't have to look outside of town." GEORGE KANICHIS & STEVE KLINTSARIS 905-873-7955 Steve and George Because your home is your palace Winston Churchill & Hwy. 7 Seven years ago, Jean Connolly was facing a big problem: her bosses at Office Magic were selling the store and she was about to lose the job she had held for seven years. Too young to retire and too old to start over, Jean decided to buy the Georgetown store with her daughter, Jaime Matthews, and run the business together. Today, Office Magic is a thriving stationery store that offers a full line of office supplies and services, from photocopying and bookbinding to courier services and faxing. Two years ago, Jaime and Jean introduced the Scrapbook Market, a place for people to buy scrapbook supplies and get ideas. There is even a worktable where people can sit down and put together pages for their scrapbooks. "Scrapbooking was my hobby and it wasn't being offered in town," Jaime says. "Instead of people driving out of town for scrapbook stuff, I thought we could just add it to the store." The Scrapbook Market isn't the only new addition to Office Magic. "Jaime has had three of her four kids since we bought the store," says Jean. "Yes, I've been on maternity leave since 2002," Jaime laughs. "My kids have grown up in this store. We have four future employees!" OFFICE MAGIC STATIONERY 140 Guelph St., Georgetown 905-877-2300 Jean Connolly & Jaime Matthews Since it opened last year, Pete's Meats has been one of Halton Hills' best-kept secrets. Located in the back of Preston's Store in Glen Williams, Pete's Meats offers quality meat at reasonable prices. Pete's sells everything from striploins and chicken to lamb and liver. No matter what type or cut of meat you want, Pete's Meats can get it for you. Believe it or not, Pete's Meats is actually owned by someone named Stephanie. At the beginning of April, Stephanie Bailey took over the shop, which was started by her father, Rick, and her brother, Pete. "I call it Pete's Sister's Meats," she says with a laugh. The shop is truly a family affair. Rick and Pete can often be found preparing and packaging the meat in the back while Stephanie takes care of customers at the counter. Even Stephanie's nine-month-old son, Travis, is there overseeing everything from his playpen. "I love working with my family," Stephanie says. "It's so fun to work with my dad and brother - we're joking around all the time. Plus I get to bring Travis to work every day." Stephanie, Rick & Travis PETES MEATS 60 Confederation St., Glen Williams 905-873-4896 For 40 years, the name Bergsma has been synonymous with paint and wallpaper in Georgetown. Founded in 1968 by George Bergsma, the family-run business was originally called Georgetown Decorating Centre. In 1982, the store went through some major changes: it was re-named Bergsma's Paint and Wallpaper and it moved to a plaza on Guelph Street that became the Georgetown Market Place. Today, Yvonne Bergsma and Doreen Vandersluis, two of George's five children, are running the family business. They are proud to offer a wide array of paint, wallpaper, lighting and home dr accessories. We started working in the store when we were kids. As soon as we were strong enough to lift a gallon of paint Dad had us in the store stocking shelves. Now the third generation is starting. Georges grandchildren are now stocking shelves. After all their years in business, Bergsma's Paint and Wallpaper has maintained its small-town, family-run atmosphere. Now on-line for your convenience www.bergsma.ca. "We're closed on Sundays in keeping with family values," Yvonne says. "We love being part of a small community that still has community values." Georgetown Market Place 905-877-4193 Doreen Vandersluis & Yvonne Bergsma Run by the d'Entremont family for 33 years, Buy Wise Windows & Doors is firmly 'rooted' in our community. Buy Wise - which specializes in the sales, service and installation of windows and doors - is owned and operated by Dave and Sheri d'Entremont. The store is a ten-time winner of the Independent & Free Press Reader's Choice Award and was named the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce's Business of the Month in July 2003, as well as sponsoring many local teams and events. The key to the company's success is superior service and professionalism, along with top quality product and installation and a great customer base. There is always someone in the office to answer the phone or assist customers in the showroom. All quotes are presented in a package of information by our staff, designed to help the customer make an informed decision. "We're not the stereotypical salespeople," Sheri says. "If anything, our goal is to be the opposite of that." "Our customers are very important to us and we want to ensure that they get exactly what they need," Dave adds. Dave and Sheri are very proud of their accomplishments and are enjoying working together . 341 Guelph St., #3, Georgetown 905-873-0236 Dave & Sheri dEntremont YOUR WINDOW & DOOR PROFESSIONALS www.buy-wise.ca With Bill and Lia McNally, you get two energetic salespeople people working to get you the best deal for your home. The husband and wife team, who are part of the team at Johnson Associates, work together to make your real estate experience the best it can be. "Some agents just put up a sign in front of a house and hope someone bites," says Bill. "We're not like that. We market your house." Lia, an experienced writer, does most of the marketing for their properties. "We're big on technology," she says. "We post our listings on numerous websites and we offer virtual tours on our own website." While Lia takes care of the marketing, Bill is busy out in the community, meeting clients and making sure they get the home of their dreams. Bill is a sixth- generation resident of Halton Hills, which definitely works in his favour. "I know every nook and cranny in this town!" he announces proudly. "I seem to know every other face." Bill & Lia McNally, Sales Rep. 905-877-5165 www.will.sell.ca Families In Business