Cicthier Goldman does it with styie

By Robert Gaister
News Reporter

SELLING suits Murray Goldman, particularly when it
comes to selling suits.

The 75- old West Vancouver resident is slowly, stich by) stich,
ascending to fofty heights thar may, in the end, bestow upon the man the
monicker, “legend.”

With this year’s celebration marking his 50th year in business, he may
already be there, bur why swell a good man’s head?

Born in Poland, Goldman's family emigrated to Canada and settled in
Montreal when he was three. fn fact, they settled on St. Urbain Street, sev-
eral doors away from Mordevai Rich! 121, Goldman joined the army
and following the conclusion of the Second World War, he moved to
Vancouver.

In no time at all, he got a bank loan and opened his first store, By the
time the °50s rolled around, Goldman came to a realization Uhat would
carry him for the next forty vears.

“On Hastings Street, across from Woodward's — rent was cheap — and
to offset it I did a lot of advertising,” said Goldberg. “But I did it unique
and with some humor in it, always some humor in it.”

And therein fay the key to his success.

Be they simple singles or publicity stunts, one constant ran the gamut
of his activities,

Him — Murray Goldman, the salesman, comedian, show:aan, 9
€

“T realized that | had to be different to survive,” s
the name of the store was my name as well, | began to pe
advertising.”

While some of the radio spots were more forgettable than others, the
publicity stunts, which were probably as, ifnot more, effective bordered on
the brilliant.

One of these involved Goldman dropping Winston Churchill a fine,

informing the venerable cigar connoisseur of his life-long de: o smoke
one of Churchill's personal cigars.
47 did it in a soft, not demanding way, and much to my surprise when
I received the cigar [was just amazed,” said Goldman. “Of course, the let-
ter, on parchment paper, from his secretary not Churchill... 1 was hoping
I'd get his signature, but it was neat.”

OF course, such a coup was not something to keep q
next day, a picture showcasing the clothier lighting his newly acqu
gie played prominently in the local papers.

Priceless.

There remains only one question to be asked. How many: suits has
Murray Goldman sold?

“In 50 years? Well, that’s a hell of a q
That’s a whole bunch,” he answered back in rapid fire fas
ing for a moment.

“The answer is... I know. Tons of them,” he stated with what those in
contact with him probably consider his trademark grin.

malize my

iet about. The
df sto-

tion. A million? Is that a lot?
on before paus-

‘Aroom with a view — The new Wicka
. has plenty of just such rooms, as travel writer David Wishart recently found dur-
_ ing a visit to the Vancouver Island getaway.

NEWS photo Paul McGrath

MURRAY Goldman and suit — a salesman with soft touch. The man with a thousand gimmicks Is
celobrating his 50th anniversary in business this year.

New Wickaninnish

omnes)

Photo submitted

nish Inn at Chesterman Beach near Tofine

nn packi

BACK in

1977, in one

of the most

unnecessary,

unpopular and

arrogant mis-

deeds of

bureaucracy,

federal parks bureaucrats closed the
Wickaninnish Inn on Long Beach
and decreed that visitors to this
magnificent setting should stay in
official campgrounds or motels up
the road at Tofino.

Today, the Wickaninnish Eno has t
reborn, splendidly and stylishly, at
Chesterman Beach seven kilometres (4.35

ng ‘em in
miles) north of Long Beach, [ts location on
rugged voleani¢ rocks, at the edge of an old-
growth forest, is uncannily like the old place,
and the view is much the same: sandy beach
going on forever and surf rolling in non-stop
trom Japan.

The di nee is that the new inn does
not mess around with the term rustic ele-
gance, [t looks and feels like it belongs here
and there’s unlimited hot water, something
the tormer establishment lacked,

ythizig, from the hand-carved front
door to the driftwood chairs in cach room, to
the spectacular restaurant perched above the
restless sea, tells wuests they are in a special
place. It could not have been any other wi

A local doctor, Howard MeDiarmid,
fought against the closure of the old Wick,

See Wick inn page 20