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eb. 9, 1994 ADVERTISING FEATURE by Don Wall ow does he do it? That‘s l what customers and the competition have been askâ€" ng themselves ever since Didier [Nitelet opened his framing store Sea and Craft on Kerr Street 2 1/2 years ago. Sea and Craft hasn‘t just been peating competitors‘ prices for solid ood picture frames by five or 10 per cent since it opened â€" no, Sea and Craft has been selling frames ffor 50 to 75 per cent below the manâ€" facturer‘s suggested retail price. "It can be proved any time," says itelet, who must rank as one of the ore colourful characters to hit Kerr Street in some time. He then proâ€" eeds to show the proof. The price or an 8â€"byâ€"10 "price code 6" woodâ€" en frame is recommended to be $38, hccording to a chart he showed to a isitor. His price? "It sells here for p9.99," he said emphatically. ‘That‘s 73 per cent below the sugâ€" bested price." With prices like those, business ht Sea and Craft is booming â€" so uch so that the operation has had o move up the street a few paces, to B26 Kerr Street. "We were so busy, you couldn‘t turn around in the old place," Nitelet explained. The first hop measured 600 square feet; the ew outlet, which celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, has a 1,400â€"squareâ€"foot showroom and workshop upstairs, an 850â€"squareâ€" oot display room downstairs and a urther 600â€"squareâ€"foot workshop ownstairs. Nitelet offers a few simple reaâ€" ons for the low prices. "For one, I RESIDENT FENCES | $ Robinson‘s MICHS®‘ CONSTRUCTION Painting Wall rin Home Improvement Specialists ' Interior o $7 paIpct Ads d hob RENOVATIONS [ : s# * $7 per single standar Renovations Repairs * * DRYWALL * g’“e.”m j preâ€"pasted roll * Install Tub Shower Doors ::,‘,%,,‘g’,‘;"‘ :5,%'3 *iResigential * f)i? :‘gg‘h"ha’ge * Jacuzzi Tubs * BATHROOMS +DooRs Quality workmanship is our motto! Good Rates All work 100% guaranteed completed to 827â€"1776 * DEPENDABLE * QUALITY * WE THINK GREEN * FAST FUSSY * FULL SERVICE For A Free Estimate 245â€"3508 Royal 827â€"5 handiWORKS * BATHS KITCHENS * REC. ROOMS * DECKS, PATIOS REFERENCE AVAILABLE . GUARANTEED WORKMANSHIP | CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATE | Professional since 1968 SERVING OAKVILLE SINCE 1 DECORATING LTD. PAINTING e PAPERHANGING * FABRIC WALL COVERINGS PLASTER REPAIRS AND TEXTURING f’ | DECORATING COLOUR CONSULTANTS 584 buy extra large quantities, several hundred frames at a time," he said. "And I pay C.O.D., that gives me an additional discount." He also noted that the rents are lower at the Kerr Street Plaza that at other places and that he takes no salary from the business. While he purchases top quality equipment for the manufacâ€" turing of the frames, such as his new glassâ€"cutting machine and his stateâ€" ofâ€"theâ€"art matâ€"cutting and vacuumâ€" press equipment, he tries to save costs elsewhere, such as by using an oldâ€"style mechanical cash register. The customers seem to appreciâ€" ate the priorities at Sea and Craft. One woman, for example, comes from Beamsville each Friday to place framing orders. "People who * KITCHENS * REC. ROOMS Buathrooms Ceramic Tding Prywall AFTER HOURS CALL 827â€"4612 ALVIN T. JONES VANDEN NooRT * BATHROOMS «* TILESETTING * COUNTERTOPS *ETC. YOUR ONE STOP FOR complete home improvement service Call Dale 1â€"905â€"689â€"7297 or pager 1â€"416â€"552â€"0011 â€" Toll Free Basement .’70‘11%/{157 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Manager Susan Lamers and owner Didier Nitelet have managed the move into larger premises. come here like the prices," Nitelet says. "‘They get top quality materiâ€" als, the best prices and fast and friendly service." All frames are Canadianâ€"made, he notes. The store sells all types of frames and also framed posters, limitedâ€"edition works of art, handcrafted duck decoys and pine furniture. Nitelet has assembled a profesâ€" sional staff headed up by store manâ€" ager Susan Lamers. He handles the promotions, the buying and the finances, conducting his affairs in a charming Belgian accent. He is a Canadian citizen, he explains, but was raised in Charleroi County in the south of Belgium. He continues to serve as Trade Commissioner for the county, a volunteer job that HOME IMPROVEMENTS (416) 963â€"8338 2115 Golden Briar Trail, CUSTOM RESIDENTIAL Oakville, Ontario L6H 4P5 COMMERCIAL DESIGN Consult An Architect. 438 â€"0251 ce s Instailat Ozk * Service +Signs « Installation ie One: * Design *Consulting MASTER ELECTRICIANS ns CHECK OUR RATES FIRST 7 M%a npentry Call anytime Decks Fences G. A. LTD. Elect. Div. Punting 825â€"8380 279-8479 Call These Home Impmvement Specialists For All Your Remodelling Needs!! PAUL MYSKA | ARCHITECT It‘s Your Best Investment HOME IMPROVEMENTS * Basement Apartments «e Carpentry * Rec. Rooms * Paint * Bathrooms * Repairs | * Basement Entrances +Doors/Windows Competitive Oakville Prloes 827â€"3137 customer satisfaction. ELECTRICAL involves a couple of trips overseas a year. And how about this for a career â€" before he got into the framing business, he served in the merchant marine for 23 years, the final four as a Ship‘s Captain. Now he is bringing his energy to Kerr Street. He likes what he sees in a commercial area that until a few years ago was derided as being runâ€" down, and says oneâ€"byâ€"one new merchants are moving in, spending money and improving the look of the street. He proudly observes that his new shop is on the part of Kerr Street that was recently reconstructâ€" ed as part of the Streetscaping proâ€" gram. For more information about Sea and Craft call 849â€"0300. CLARKE FREE ESTIMATES Glen 827â€"1377 Cooper Brothers Upholstery of Toronto is this year‘s winner of the Ontario Furniture Industry _ Grand Trillium Award, Richard Allen, minâ€" ister responsible for International Trade in the Economic Development and Tradeâ€" Ministry announced recently at the 20th Annual Trillium Awards Bangquet. The â€" awards, which are the only recognition for the furniture industry in Cooper Bros.: award-wmmng fabrics North â€" America, acknowledge marketing excellence and achievement in design, producâ€" tion, and value of Ontarioâ€"made residential furniture. Cooper Brothers was honored this year for its "Minton Collection". The collection is manâ€" ufactured in the company‘s Toronto facility, where the company employs 50 people. "I want to congratulate Cooper and its employees for demonstratâ€" ing once again that some of the finest furniture in the world is made right here in Ontario," Allen said. "This year‘s Trillium Awards comâ€" petition has seen the largest field of applicants since the inception of these awards two decades ago. "The presence of so many strong competitors for these prestigious awards is certainly tangible eviâ€" dence of the program‘s success," he added. Are you thinking of renovating, adding on or building a new home? This is the time to plan your project in order to begin construction in spring or summer. RADIUS DESIGN GROUP LTD. is dedicated to serving the home improvement industry. We <offer creative design services for both renovation and new residential construction.