___@ BUSINESS Wednesday, April 8, 1998 — North Shore News ~ 47 north shore news WESTERNESSE Book Shop's Randall Scott Coffee chat brewed new busines Robert Galster News Reporter rebert@nsnews.com FOR most coffee house patrons, visits to the loca! café offer a chance to congregate with friends and talk the big game. The visits rarely go beyond the realm of conversation, words in the wind buoved by caffeine — impacting the brain at high speed and in unusuaily high concentrations, North Vancouver's Randall Scott was ‘like all the others until he rook one of the con- versations serious- ly enough to act . on it. He set out ro plan his idea , and before the ? average reader could make a dent in War and Peace, Scott was the owner-operator of a book store. “It' was something =| thought of suddenly in a cof: fee shop with a friend,” said Scott from a cramped area behind his desk. I started gathering books and opened a vear later.” A school teacher and par- ent, Scott wasn’t supposed to be taking flights of fancy, par- ticularly if it concerned chang- ing one of the cornerstones of modern stability — his bread- winning emplovment. But he did and doesn’t regret his choice. Now eight and a half years later his Westernesse Book Shop occupies a narrow space in the 100-block of West 15th Street.in. North Vancouver. Though -his lanky frame appears cramped in his. sur- roundings he apparently is not. “Iv’s bigger than it looks,” he said motioning toward the back of the store where three more rooms housiny, 2 variety of tides are located. Scott didn’t say “fhe still vis- its coffee shops but he contin- ues to make changes. In recent vears he has started to get involved in flower essence ther- apy and a small portion of books in the store have been displaced by a display of tiny bottles and packages contain- ing a vast variety of concoctions chiming a growing following. “It’s not aromatherapy, it's quite different,” he stressed, adding the various mixtures work on people’s emotional well-being. {v's not caffeine either. Covered for everything Davis Insurance -has been a fixture on the North Shore for 30 vears, 12 of those on West 15th. Joan Davis together wich hus- band Don have more than half a century of insurance experience bepv een them. Add in the other family members and a century isn’t eur of the question. The office was originally located in Westview, but the building burnt down in a New Year’s Day blaze that unlike last year’s New Year's Eve fire at Lower — Lonsdale’s Paine Hardware building “wasn’t mysterious.” It started in a Chinese food restaurant locat- ed on the building’s first floor. Needless to say the office was insured. “We practise what we preach,” said Joan, “We still have a lot of files with scorched edges.” Engineering a future Green Hut Produce and Groceries supplies — central Lonsdale residents with fresh vegetables and a variety of basic household goods. Mohammad Momma- abdolah purchased the store nine months ago and althouga it wasn’t his first choice he con- tends he is happy. “I hope to stay,” said the former enginecring student who lacked the money to con- tinue his studies when he lett his native Iran three and a half years ago. “Nobody was here 10 support me and | had to work.” Political cuts At 39 years of age.. Dallas Collis is not showing any signs of complacency. He owns the All 4U hair and nail studio, but he’s best known as the guy whose name appears on ballot atte: allot in whatever election happens to be taking place. “J think my country is being torn apart by narrow- minded, short-sighted politi- cians,” said Collis. “And you cain stay on the sidelines and complain or you can do some- thing about it.” In between elections the gregarious Collis speaks at sem- inars on small business, cover- ing niarketing and siles. Will Collis run again? “Oh yeah, absolutely,” he said enthusiastically before tir- ing off a shot at his unsuspect- ing interviewer. “You know when the media in this country is owned by a small handful of people, it's hard to express a See Media page 18 § es DAVIS Insurance's Joan and Don Davis ALL 4U's Dallas Collis \ Providing trusted Wealth Planning Advice since 19 Phone for Retirement Planning Handbook Estate Planning Handbook Tax Handbook for Investors Drafting 5 your will Handbook Protecting your Wealth through Insurance Handbook eee eo eavetoe your complimentary bit. whi hy inchides: our: Building Relationships for Life . Phone for your free Wealth Planning Kit at 913-7000 ~ 1555 Marine Drive 3rd Floor, West Vancouver . This advertisement is sponsored and paid for in part by Spectrum AIM Mutual Funds -