12 - Sunday, June £7, 1990 - North Shore News

Stong’s ‘going strong

FAMILY-OWNED SUPERMARKET CHAIN CELEBRATES 59 YEARS

IN WHAT has become a David-and-Goliath
supermarket showdown, a smali family-owned
grocery store chain on the North Shore is conti-
nuing to hold its own against the mega-super-
market giants.

And while the big supermarket chains, such as
Save-On-Foods and the Great Canadian Food
Store, have squeezed smaller grocery stores out of
the market with stiff pricing competition, Stong’s
Markets Ltd., with three outlets on the North
Shore, is still going strong, celebrating its 59th
anniversary today.

Stong’s arrived on the B.C. supermarket scene
in 1931 and is still a family-owned company.

And while he admits the mega supermarket
chains are having a big impact on the entire in-
dustry, Stong’s president and general manager Bill
Rossum said there are certain things the big guys
can’t offer theic customers.

“There aren’t too many of us (small grocery
stores) around anymore,” said Rossum. ‘But

we’re still here and we're going strong. We pride
ourselves on our service. We can offer personal-
ized service to our customers which the big stores
can’t.

“We're also community oriented. We get in-
volved in the community, and we don’t attract
people from 30 or 40 miles away.”’

Rossum said another advantage Stong’s has
over the mega-supermarkets is that Stong’s
employees know the store’s product better than
employees in the lerge chains know their stores’
product, and he added that that is something
Stong’s customers appreciate.

As part of its 59th anniversary celebrations to-
day, Stong’s will be holding a draw for a winter
holiday for a family of four to a resort near
Kamloops, B.C

And because Stong’s is a B.C. company,
Rossum said, all the newspaper ads it is placing
promoting its 59th anniversary will be 100 per
cent B.C. produced.

WE'RE STILL FLY

‘LOW WI

Richmond.

TH RICHMON

You've just got to come into our new
North Shore store to see the full range of
high quality carpets and prices that you'd
expect to see only after a long drive to

or.

.;. Annie Beserekian

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PARTYING NORTH Shore grads
will get a lift for life from local
ambulance attendants this year.

By MICHAEL BECKER
News Reporter .

The B.C. Ambulance Service
Ride of Your Life Program is a
combined effort of local
businesses and ambulance atten-
dants, who are volunteering time
to drive students to and from
“dry’’ grad parties.

The service will be available all
night in West Vancouver June 22
and June 23, In North Vancouver
rides will be offered June 23, 24
and 27.

Last year, rides included service
to ‘twet’’ parties. But said Lions
Bay ambulance attendant and
North Shore ride program coor-
dinator Jay Brownlee, ‘*The law-
yers have revised the program a
little bit for legalities. We're not
participating in the ‘‘wet’’ func-
tion area (with alcohol).

“What we’re concerned about is
the liability, since we are the last
ones who are in touch with them

T PRICES!

Carpets Of ali kinds of tones, textures and
shades from a kaleidoscope of carpet
makers . . . area rugs and quality designer
floor tiles too.

Dieter Kupferschmid

v| Teens get ride of ‘ueir lives

(grads). We are allowed to drive
them to hotels and restaurants,
places that have licences. We are
not allowed to drive them to
beach parties. We are allowed to
drive them home from anywhere.
We will drive to and from dry
parties.”’

Dave Buck Ford is making
available six cars a night for the
program. B.C. Ceilular is supply-
ing telephones for the drivers.
McDonald's is feeding the drivers.
Chevron is providing fuel for the
cars. McKim Printing Ltd. pro-
duced posters.

Steve McIntosh, a ride program
coordinator along with Brownlee
and Jeff Olsen, participated in the
program last year as a driver in
North Vancouver.

“It was fairly quiet last year.
We were used more for some
schools than others. There haven't
been any problems whatsoever so
far,’” he said.

Grads planning to use the free

service can call 660-6897 on the
evening the ride is needed.

®

ie: Gecobeed

@ LIFETIME WARRANTY ON ALL INSTALLATIONS

@ DECSRATION CONSULTATION BY OUR
ARE GIVEN TO YOU IN WRITING.

@ SHOP AT HOME SERVICE. JUST CALE AND
HIGHLY TRAINED REPSESENTATIVES.

WE'LI SLADLY BRING SAMPLES TC YOUR HOME. OF PROPER MEASURE. WHY PAY MORE?

ne NORTH SHORE
1200 LONSDALE (AT 12TH)
983-3835

RAN: Ne EARN SOCAN TS APY SN STORER RL TNR

RICHMOND
12660 BRIDGEPORT ROAD
(NEXT TO IKEA) 273-9674 J 4

CR AMAT SLIME a RET a em LB na NAA IP AOE