NEWS photo Mike Wakefield ‘WORD of Mouth gift store sierk Young Xoo has a multitude of items in ctore, from T-suirts to coffee mugs to coonskin caps. “Gift shop stocks eclectic mix for international tourist trade | Fr rom previous page ‘ He’ was “trained 15 years ago and opened Arigato in “W989 ‘Arigato | has | a’ placid - Lead pad funds - i i at zero front end | ime Consign; SANS faswract Agcy ce, leven Wily pee atmosphere with Japanese music on the speakers. He says the most popular menu selections by customers are salmon, tuna and California rolls, but teriyaki _and tempura are also popular kitchen fare. Next door is the Word of Mouth Gift Shop, which has a-couple thousand iten:s for ale. / Like maps, T-shirts, Horseshoe Bay souvenirs and even coonskin caps. The six-year-old store has .an eclectic mix of merchan- ” .dise as it tries to be all-things ‘countries, _ especially "Europe; buying T- “to all-people.. Almost.all the people, ‘says ° clerk Young Koa, are ferry-bound. A large portion are tourists. “People come from. ail * she says. “But shirts and totem poles.” .She’s looking forward to the imminent sale of ‘the ' PacifiCats. She says the costly " Lunch Tues-Sat 12-2 - Dinaer Tues-Sat 5:30-Close-- x _ W% oft gym memberships ‘savingumoney, com: : -coupane for just about anything to do with food. y “Print them out. Then s save at stores in 1 your neighbourhood. . fast ferries haven’t been good for business because they carry fewer cars and no com- mercial vehicles. Commercial Avenises is a monthly feature of the North Shove News? business section. While it as by no means a com- prehensive guide to any of the arenas it focuses om, it seeks to capture a sna apsot of the day- to-day life of businesses selected at random that call the street home. If you have a business that is part of a unique or oth- erwise worthwhile block, or know of any, please share it with us, Write to Commercial . Avenues, c/o Bob Mackin, Noriis Shore. News, 1139 Lonsdute Ave. North - Vancsuver V7M 2H4. £-mail . AS well as teaching journalism at universi- ty, this semester I also speak out on public speaking. When I meet my journal- ism students in the elevator, Task each one to tell me in 30 seconds why her or his story deserves to go on page one. Now I challenge my pub- lic speaking students the same way, to tell me why their upcoming speeches deserve my full attention — and a good mark. Can you, in 30 seconds, explain why yeu chose each investment you have? Why you deal with your financial adviser(s)? Most importantly, do your explanations still make Carpet restorers noted BRANDON and . David McLeod of North Vancouver’s Angel Restoration were recognized by an American cleaning ‘wade organzation in Nashville last week. Angel, established ia jour investment ices make sense? sound personal and financial sense perhaps months or years after the original choice? Don’t procrastinate. Run through this exercise now, while you are still in the RRSP/income tax mood/mode. Joc down a few key words in the nearest white space on this page, to justify the following decisions to have: @ Your financial adviser(s). (Are you getting sound advice and accurate record-keeping? Is the personal chemistry right?) @ Cash in your bank/erust company /credit union account. (Could any of this money work harder for you elsewhere?) @ laterest-bearing invest- ments (GICs, bonds, mort- gages, annuities, etc.) (1) out- side and (2) inside an RRSP/RRIF. (Are you get- ting the highest return? Is the security worth the cost — higher tax outside the RESP/RRIF and low or no growth potential?) @ Stocks, mutual funds. (Why did you choose each stock or mutual fund? Are those rea- 1992, offers 24-hour emer- gency carpet cleaning . and flood restoration sérvices. | The Association of Specialists in Cleaning and ~ Restoration, 4 trade associa: tion for cleaning and restora- tion professionals, made the McLeods members of the National Institute of Disaster Restoration at its conven- _ | 5G3; sons still valid today?) & Other stock market instru- ments. (Do you fully under- stand the risks and benefits? What roles do these instru- ments have in your portfolio?) & Real estate — principal res- idence, holiday place, invest- Ment property. (Have you ever done a_ cost-benefit analysis?) Tax-favoured investments. (Were there and are there still sound investment prospects as well as the tax breaks?) B A sideline or full-time busi-. ness. (Do you have a business plan to assess profitability, competitiveness, tax struc- ture?) B Miscellaneous investments like collectibles, gems, pre- cious metals, etc. (Do you know enough about. the_ “game” to win?) Mike Grenby is a columnist . and independent personal financial adviser. Hell questions in this column as space allows but cannot reply personally. Contact him. at P.O. Box 50029, South Slope... RPO, Burnaby, BC. Vay cORi>. cotonally : tion. . They are among fewer. than 300 people with “certi- °. fied restorer” status from the* trade group ‘in. * North America, Australia, Japan’ and Britain. Angel Restoration’s ‘Web » site is at . - — Bob Mackin Chamber hosts business growth seminar were vse A concepts: easy to understand and ‘rele A two-day seminar to help businesses take advantage of growth opportunities is taking _place April 12 and i3 at the North Vancouver Chamber of Commezce: Your Business Matters: Strategic Growth will explore business. opportunities _ for . growth and examine ways of. Tap use J 1039 Marine Drive | 990-4892 Music Bouts, CDs, instruments, Accessories Rent To Qun a Gaitar from onty $12 per month! financing business growth. “Your Business Matters will be of particular interest to small business owners who want to learn how to expand their business while minimiz- ing their isk,” says Judi Ainsworth, president of the North “Vancouver Chamber “of Commerce. Topics include tips for successful business expansion, using the cycles of business growth to the best advantage, positioning your business for ‘growth, addressing markets and competitive ‘advantages, and the role technology and _ e-commerce can play in steategic growth planning. The serninar will also look at the pitfalls oi diversifica- “tion into new products and “e Seip EMPLOYMENT INCOME * EMPLOYMENT INCOME ® RETIREMENT markets, what you need. to know about pricing, and cre- ating a financial map for the road to success.’ Keynote speakers include “B.C. success story Barbara Mowat, CEO and. president of Impact Communications, - and nationally known speaker’ Bill Erichson, . president’ of ~. Pacific Training” Innovations Inc: Mowat owns a 1 retail store, . two. ¢-commerce Web’ sites and a national magazine. Mowat has won numerous business awards, and most: , recently received an excel-. Jence in business award from. the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce. Erichson has made over 660 presentations - nation- © INVESTMENT INCOME © CaprraL GAINS — « Disasitrry CREDITS We also offer Financial Planning Services WHITTAKER: & ASSOCIATES. . CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS #103 - 3151 Woodbine Drive (Edgemont Viliage) 938-7832 “The. serninar is sponsored nk, Telus : $295 p per company. (up. to, two. people) * whicl includes lunches, gst and all materiais.. Additional perso the same company ter for. $155 cac : ‘For. registration’; informa tion call the North Vancouve Chamber. of Comnierce::: 987-4488 or fax: 987-827; e « Raw AL INCOME |” * CHILD CARE ~* © MOVING EXFENSES: answer” e-mail