INDEX Bright Lights Business... Kids Pages a . ‘@ Table Hopping a , Ee SS Wea TY LIFE Katharine Hamer News Reporter katharinc@nsnews.com WALKING into Echo’s Discontinued China at 1433 Lonsdale is like enter- ing the dream world cf 1,000 1950s brides. The store is stacked to the rafters with Wedgwood and Royal Doulton china -- and more silver tea services than you could shake, well, a teaspoon at. Strung around the front entrance, meanwhile, are Toby jugs, plates with the Pope’s picture painted on them, and enough china doils for an entire village of porcelain characters. Joan Howell has been in the business of baying and selling discontinued lines of china, flatware, and miscellany for 20 years. She gets calls and mail from around the world asking for particular settings. “We had 73 e-mails last Tuesday (asking for china or silv ware),” says Howell — who attributes the popularity of her service, in part, to the influence of home and garden guru Martha Stewart, and the fact that “baby boomers are nesting and entertaining more at home.” Echo's is, in a sense, a giant swap shop, where people can leave their heirlooms and antiques secure in the knowledge that Howell and her staff wili find them a loving home. “We like to match people up,” confides Echo’s employce Linda Baxter. “Joan says it’s like an adoption ageicy.” Through its mail order service, Echo's ships crockery to customers as far afield as Israel, Moscow, Italy, and Australia. For modern coupies with a passion for retro place settings, the store has a bridal registry, roo. “Times have changed,” Howell says, “now people are happy to buy previously owned gifts.” Check out Echo’s Web site at It’s amazing that Naomi Yamamoto, owner of Lasercolor Business Graphics and Props, has any time to run a business, what with being chairman of the board of governors and vice- chairman of the North Shore Credit Union. This year, Yamamoto also received the Business Person of the Year Award from: the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. Yamamoto, who studied film and television at UBC, is perfectly placed to create props for See The bone next page A profusion of plates: Linda Baxter stands amidst row on row of flatware at THE doctor will see you now: chiropractor Dr. Paul Veriaan poses at his office Echo's Discontinued China. with his bone phone. AN AADS N Y,