1s

A SMALL BUSINESS with an educational bent is Wood Works,

which is staffed by students at LauWelnew Tribal Schoo! in
Brentwood. Here Louise Harry, 13, works on a piece for one

of the company’s craft kits,
create wooden Toys.

which can be assembled to

Facelift at Cootes affer takeover

The historic Gilbert’s Marina in
Brentwood Bay, dating back to the
1920s, is currently being given a
major facelift by its new owners —
who have renamed it Cootes Man-
na.

_ Gilbert’s Marina — or, more
properly, Gilbert’s Marine and
Guide Service Ltd. — was estab-
lished by Harold Gilbert in 1927
and later taken over by his son Jim,
who is famed for his fishing tackle.

Jim Gilbert sold out to a duo
called Grant and Lacey who kept
the Gilbert’s name. It was from
Lacey that the current owners, Jim
Nivison and Naomi Hamilton,
bought the marina in a dilapidated
state last December.

Since then they have removed
two tonnes of garbage and debris
from the site and are currently
rebuilding and re-surfacing the
docks. They are also upgrading a
marine store in which they sell
equipment, fishing tackle and
maintenance materials.

The buildings at the marina also
include a workshop and what used
to be a small fish-processing plant,
both of which will be restored in
the grand scheme of things, even-
tually.

The new owners are doing most
of the work on Cootes Marina

themselves with Nivison’s train-
ing as an electrician and years of
experience working on ships, boats
and marinas proving quite an asset
as a “hands-on” marina owner.

Work is just completed on one
of the main ‘fingers’ of the marina,
bringing Cootes up to about 70 per
cent of its moorage capacity —
roughly 40 boats depending on
size.

Nivison believes it will take
them another year or two to
achieve their aim of bringing the
marina “up to par with the other
marinas in Brentwood Bay.”

They hope to attract to Cootes
both transient, tourist moorage
during the summer months and the
year-round more permanent moor-
age.

At the moment things are pro-
gressing nicely and, with spring in
the air, the marine ways is kept
busy as boat-owners haul their
boats out of the water for painting
and general maintenance.

Scenery, water, boats and diesel
oil provide just the life for Hamil-
ton and Nivison, who explains
succinctly his motives for being in
the business: “I’ve been around
boats all my life and I’ve always
wanted to own a marina.”

. Geneva Faulkner Photo

“Tn the world’s poorest countries, relief is only
_ temporary, but education is permanent.

To make a donation,

call 1-800-661-CODE.

CODE
Self-sufficiency through literacy in the developing world.

TeReview Wednesday, April 29,1992 — 8

Spooner s Ladies Wear

sirong community ties and no high pressure

In 1975, Frances Spooner real-
ised an ambition she had long
nurtured when she opened
Spooner’s Ladies Wear in Bren-
twood Bay.

For years Frances had dreamed
of opening her own clothes shop

- but it was not a feasible proposi-

tion while raising a young family.

She later worked in a dress shop
when her daughters were in their
teens and, though she did not
know it at the time, it was to prove
great experience when she went
into business for herself.

Her children reared and with
“insider knowledge” of the busi-
ness under her belt, Frances
jumped at it when the opportunity
arose to set up in her own ladies
wear shop in the Brentwood Bay
Shopping Centre.

The venture was a great success
and in 1981, Frances opened
another store in Sidney which did
well under the management of
Frances’ daughter Carol for eight
years. It eventually closed due to
an “unwarranted’’ rent increase.

Cutting her cloth according to
her measure, Spooner’s moved
back to its home base in Bren-
twood, allowing Carol to move
into the operation of a nearby gift
shop.

For the past 10 years, the ladies’
ready-to-wear fashion store is
being operated by Frances and
eldest daughter Debbie with part-

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time help.

Spooner’s Ladies Wear sells
ladies ready to wear clothes from
sizes 5-18, includes sportswear
co-ordinates, dresses, sweaters,
accessories and and sleepwear.

- Frances is proud that she offers

‘Appreciating the
support the
community has
shown over the
years, Spooner’s
supports local
fundraising events’

quality goods at reasonable prices
“in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere
with no high-pressure sales.”

Their longstanding experience
on the Peninsula gives Frances and
Debbie the knowledge to help
customers coordinate their ward-
robes to best effect.

Appreciating the support the
community has shown over the
years, Spooner’s supports local
fundraising events, including those
for many local schools, with door
prizes and donations.

They also do several fund-
raising fashion shows each year for
different local organizations,
including the North and South
Saanich Agricultural Society and

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the Gamma Alpha Ladies Sorority
group. Last year they also held a
spring fashion show in aid of
Saanich Peninsula Hospital.

Spooner’s Ladies Wear is a
member of the Central Saanich
Business Association, of which
Frances is a founding member, She
remains actively involved in the
business association and currently
sits as a director.

Frances and Debbie are being
kept busy at the moment with new
arrivals from Bianca and L.A. Seat
Covers plus the latest for their
main lines — Koret and White
Stag — among others.

Spooner’s Ladies Wear is open
from 9.30 a.m.-5.30 p.m. Monday
to Saturday at Brentwood Bay
Shopping Centre at the comer of
West Saanich Road and Verdier
Avenue.

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