Larry and his wife Nancy have made their home in Oakville since their wedding 19 years ago. They have a seven year old son, Daniel. "A bright boy," dad says, "he‘s starting to really enjoy baseball." A first generation Canadian Larry was born into an Italian family. His parents came to Canada as youngâ€" sters. He was born and raised with two sisters in Thorold in the Niagara Region. High school was a struggle for him, but he found satisfaction in the local grocery store where he startâ€" ed work part time at the age of 16. "John is probably the main reason we‘ve expanded as much as we have. If it was just me I might still be on Kerr Street happily peddling groâ€" ceries." "Oakville‘s a great town, it‘s been good to us," the local entrepreneur muses. "I can‘t think of any place I‘d rather be â€" except maybe St. Bart‘s in the Caribbean." After graduating from high school he signed on full time with Oshawa Foods; liked his job, worked hard. It "Mr. Barn" credits two people for playing important roles in his growth and development as a businessman. The first is Don Luna, his boss at Primo Foods, who taught him how to sell nd along the way became a close friend. “Some_one I can talk to," Miotto says. The other fellow is his righthand man John Barrie. He hired Barrie not long after starting Jackson‘s Barn. lawached in 1983 was closed two yeurs ago, a victim of the recession. There are no plans for expansion at the present. Miotto‘s home base conâ€" tinues to be in Oakville, though now on Rebecca Street. People did find them, amazingly. In 1979 Jackson‘s Barn branched out to Burlington and then, in subsequent years to Milton and then Hamilton. C:isrently there are five stores (two in B:=slington); a Mississauga store (Continued from page 3) "‘People had to come and find us," Miotto recalls, "we had no money for advertising so we depended on wordâ€" ofâ€"mouth." Community an important part of Miotto‘s life * See instore for all exemptions SAVE 10%â€"25% OAKVILLE PLACE 8424811 ON ALMOST ALL REGULAR, SALE AND CLEARANCE PRICED MERCHANDISE YOUR BETTER PRICE ADVANTAGE "From there," Miotto says, "it was a natural progression." Onwards and upwards. In 1970 he met his wife Nancy, an Oakville girl, who worked in the bank in the same plaza as the store he managed. Nancy has been his strongest supporter over the years, he says, in whatever business deciâ€" sions he made. And just as Oakville has been good to the Miottos, they have tried to do their part in the community. was only about a year later they transferred him to Clarkson. It was a turning point in his life. BDudsons Bay Company Nancy, largely through her church, St. James, and Larry through the Lion‘s Club, of which he is a past president. This year he is also one of three Vice Chairs for the Waterfront Festival. It is clear he is impressed with his colleagues‘ qualifications. "Some great people, a terrific team effort," he notes and adds the Festival will probably continue to grow year by year. "Some Festivals in the province are six or sevenâ€"day affairs," he says. "It could happen here. It‘s hard to » say. STORE HOURS: Mon.â€"Fri. 9:30 a.m.â€"9:00 p.m Sat. 9:30 a.m.â€"6:00 p.m. Sun. 12 noonâ€"5:00 p.m. He‘s a downâ€"toâ€"earth kind of guy, our Mr. Barn, though not what you would call a handyman about the house. He takes out the garbage and cleans the pool. Mrs. Barn does the rest. He power walks for exercise, hates to garden, loves to cook. His mother was a great and plentiful cook, he says, so needless to say, he loves food. Alas, only in the surplus grocery business. "So little time," he‘s been known to mutter, "so much to eat." PEACH TREE GALLEKRY invites you to meet the artist Laura Berry Friday, April 30th 4 p.m.â€"8 p.m. Including glass, dry mounting and high quality metal frame. 26 colours to choose from. High Quality imported and locally manufactured woods. TRADMON OF EXCELLENCE® ) up to 24"x36" CUSTOM FRAMING 3995 [ )esvat J STYLE FOODS Catered to your Special Functions + Weddings + Business Parties * Birthday Parties +« And other Special Occasions From cakes goodies to full meals. To arrange sampling prior to ordering or to visit Call 845â€"1924 Companions o Quality * Service * Selection * Price Nopw open Sundays 12â€"5 p.m. Upper Oakville Syopping Centre 1011 Upper Middle Rd. E. 842â€"6114 "Courtyard"