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"A Family Tradition for 130 Years" IL. ETTERS Can we support three food stores? To the Editor: We've got a very intevesting little collision of worlds about to happen here in Port Perry. It's going to have a drastic offoct on every Port Perryite's ability to put food on the table os strangely, my wife and I don't hear much street-corner debate aboutit. I'm speaking, of course, about the impending opening of the humongous "Your oad: Grocer" store on Highway 7A. Pretty soon, in a town that doesn't even "have a shoe repair store or a movie theatre, we're going to have three large gro- cery stores. Are we all expected to sud- denly start eating much, much more, or is one or more of these stores going to have to pack up its grocery cart and go Pras Obviously, the laws of capi- talism are going to answer that question in a hurry. When it comes to store loyalty on an ex- penditure as large and frequent as our food shopping, allegianc- es evaporate the moment better quality and prices appear on the other side of the street. Assuming that the new store, is going to offer low introducto- ry pricing plus variety and qual- ity comparable to that of a big city Loblaws, Mike's Bottom Line Food Basics and the IGA are likely to find themselves with some seriously dusty mus- tard jars and moldy buns on the shelf. Do Mike and the IGA store "deserve" this? Mike must be freaked out. He only opened a while ago and probably has everything he's got sunk into that fluorescent green store. But ever since he opened, he's delivered exactly what he prom- ised..cheap and cheer- ful...nothing fancy. How about the IGA? It's a long standing part of the com- munity, and everyone seems to like the owners a lot. But how did they handle it when Dow- son's closed a while back and gave them a chance to "own the market?" Did they use that win- dow of CRP to expand services, improve variety and quality and reduce prices? I don't think so. Did town council offer Mike and the IGA a chance to commit to upgrading their stores before letting the new store build? Should they have? Does council have an obligation to protect and encourage local business that way? Although it's a side issue, it seems to me that the retail mix in this particular town, which does not look like other towns in Ontario, should not be left solely to supply and demand. Other- wise Port Perry would soon look Community made party To the Editor: I just wanted to drop a few lines to the paper acknowledg- ing how great it is to be part of this community. A few weeks ago I asked some parents what they thought of having a Halloween party for the kids in Prince Albert. I had a good response, and so with a lot of co-operation and help the party was a great success. I would like to thank all the parents who pitched in: Lisa Geer for organizing and run- ning one of the games, Eileen Pugh for sparing my home and allowing us to use the Prince Al- bert Hall, and my pargnts for coming to the rescue athe last minute. I would also like to oh the following businesses who all made generous contributions: like north Oshawa. Most importantly, how should we handle it when the new store opens? If we all rush right ever there and ignore 'Mike and the IGA, they're going to fold and we'll be a one-store town for a long time to come. If that happens, the people who own the new store will be free to charge us whatever they please for unadvertised items, and to maintain whatever selec- tion of packaged goods, me and produce yields the best prof- its for them. Don't blame them. It's business and you'd do it too. I suggest that we split our shopping between the three stores for six months, and give Mike and the IGA a 0 to . find ways to compete against. the new store. Maybe Mike has to get really basic di bulk deal oriented, while the IGA needs to g6"with more specialty and Pre; foods. 2D It's unlikely that three big stores can co-exist in a market this size, but those of us who have to eat food would be in a very vulnerable position if there were only one. Go Mike! Go IGA! Let's keep competition alive in Port! : Peter Langmuir, Port Perry a Success The Dollar Store, Pizza Delight, Nature's Bounty, Hank's Pas- tries, Country Sty le (Manches- ter), IGA ig The Nutty Choco- latier. I think its great when par- ents, kids, neighbors and So ness can pull something togeth- er like this just for fun. Karen Hockley, Prince Albert You can fax your letters: 985-3708 allgot up ) coffee perkir was no tellir care. Wi I ee set some "A comforting well that th poverty and th hungry becau: the mothers they're out g the kitchen w woke up in j# It's a 'lifestyle thereof. So shame o in particular, wi morning to a jt because the "there's been n school and the un that are there." It's good to kn NOT FEELING \ distressing to doctor. Sane the as of last Friday, patients. gr You have to government's pro clinics in the U.S. co of doctor shortages we know? We're just t YOU'VE BEEN. W, a picture of Santa are only 40-some d Random Jottings by J. Peter Hvidsten RUSHING THE SEASON AN ANNUAL AFFAIR It's all happening too soon! oh » Long before the ghosts and goblins of Halloween had a chance to shed their costumes and plunk themselves in the middle of the floor to sift through their goodie bags filled with loot. « Long before the last colorful leaves of fall drifted gently to reston the ground. « Long before the first hint of winter touched the area last weekend with a light blanket of snow. It started slowly at first... just enough not to be offensive... but without a doubt the Christmas advertising season was underway. Over the past two weeks the pace has quickened and now on television, in the papers and maga- zines, the barrage of Christmas advertising is almost into full swing. Personally | find it hard to get geared up for an event that's seven weeks away, and in fact, if I get into the swing of the season a week before the big day, it's an accomplishment. Limiting the promotion of Christmas up to the last four weeks leading up to the event would be great. A month should be enough for everyone... the retail ers, consumers and even last minute shoppers like myself. sumer is held advertising | are considering space on schoo GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT In the ever ending quest to attract consumers to buy their products, corporations and businesses are forever looking for new ways to advertise. Over the past few years we've increasingly been * subjected to commercials being shown on movie screens, advertising above the urinals in the men's room, messages dragged through the sky by air- craft, promotions plastered across arena boards and painted into the ice surface, wall murals and much more. Ads can be found anywhere the con- would dist attempt to re In most ma along the sic taxi cabs has or no adverse nites of targeting s this trend.