Progress Tanners — A Bookstore and More! TheReview Wednesday, April 29, 1992 — 15 A betier-ihan-average community-based book business 1992 is the 10-year anniversary of a renowned downtown Sidney business that provides the Penin- sula with a link to the world. Tanners - A Bookstore and More retails the latest books, magazines, newspapers, maps, flags, greeting cards, gifts, toys, games and lottery tickets at the corner of Fourth Street and Beacon Avenue. “The book business is fascinat- ing — always something new hap- pening — it never gets dull,” said owner/manager Christine Tanner. In the past ten years the store has expanded twice and also branched out into the hobbies and crafts business with the opening of another store, one block east. (It has since been sold to Paul Wheeler, an owner and operator of Wheeler’s Hobbies and Crafts.) “Tanners philosophy is to pro- vide the best service and selection to our Customers, with a unique blend of merchandise and books,” she said. “Being in retail means working long hours until established and then maintaining a consistently good level of service and selection to your customers.” About 15 staff members include 11 cashier clerks, four book department staff, two part-time bookkeepers, and a staff supervi- sor/toy buyer. Clerks are trained in providing good customer service, operating cash registers and Lotto machines — “plus being able to answer every kind of question you can think of.” Book staff are trained to conduct book searches on microfiche and CD Rom Books in Print, plus given knowledge of a wide book inventory, supplemented with liter- acy on computer systems. ~All of our staff are friendly and like working with people,” Tanner said. “Clarence is the exception.” She says the most unique part of our business undoubtedly is our Store cat, Clarence, and our annual author autographing, Clarence is the resident 15-year- old feline, king of the castle and old grouch. “Most of the time he is friendly and lets people stroke him and pick him up but he does have his bad days when he would prefer to be left alone and snooze.” At Christmas he has his favorite customers who bring him turkey and other goodies, plus he gets salmon etc. from people who have just cooked up a batch. “He earns his living by being entertaining,” Tanner said. Between 40 and 50 authors have visited the store for autograph- signing sessions, including some colorful authors, among them Clive Barker, Robin Skelton, W.O. Mitchell, Charles Lynch and W.P. Kinsella, plus provided an outlet for many local authors. The store has benefited the com- munity with outstanding support over the years, supporting three children’s sports teams, giving out gift certificates for door prizes, donating to many local organiza- tions, and particularly supports the United Way, having twice won the award given out to small business for their staff donations. The store also supports many local organizations by donating money Or sponsoring advertising space in community newspapers or publications. Store owners and employees have also been very active in the founding of the Sidney Associa- tion of Merchants (S.A.M.), and is a fantastic supporter of the Penin- sula Celebrations Society, which organizes the Sidney Days celebra- tion and numerous other events. Tanners has had its share of amusing incidents; — like the time Clarence was sleeping in the middle of the Halloween table, in among the frightening masks and wigs, perfectly still, when awoman | reached over to pick something up. He woke up and pawed at her wrist — “and we had fo get the woman a chair,” Christine said.’ “Our business has benefited from the community by becoming an integral part of Sidney — we feel we would be missed if we closed down,” Tanner said. Many customers and visitors comment on the high quality and good selection in our book depart- ment and the “astonishing disco- very that a small town like Sidney has such a good bookstore.” We have a viable customer base, one that is growing all the time, and the feedback we get from customers is important to us, she said. “We listen to all constructive cfiticism and suggestions and accept the roses with the brick- bats,” she said. “Every business has its favorite customers and we're no exception — we all like to see certain smiling faces in our store.” The husband and wife team of Clive and Christine established the business in 1982 after operating a book and retail business in the Yukon for ten years. With a provin- cial election victory last year, Clive has dedicated himself to his tasks as Liberal MLA for the Saanich North and The Islands constituency. Christine runs the entire opera- tion, and also serves as the Presi- dent of the B.C. Booksellers Asso- ciation, remaining very active in the bookselling scene. Clive is past-president of S.A.M. and recently was awarded at the Town of Sidney’s Centennial Awards as the most active busi- nessman for the past 10 years in the community. : Clive also serves as Vice Presi- dent of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, which many Peninsula residents attend, and the store provides generously to that organi- zation. Clive is also a recent past president of the Greater Victoria United Way, an organization which awarded Tanners’ employees with a Gold Five Year Award for contin- uance contribution to the com- munity. The store was started in Sidney when the couple’s children were graduated from school. The siblings have worked in the book Store in past years. Tanners has had its share of amusing incidents; — like the time Clarence was sleeping in the middle of the Halloween table, in among the frightening masks and wigs, perfectly still, when a wom- an reached over to pick something up. He woke up and pawed at her wrist — “and we had to get the woman a chair,” Christine said. Another time, a customer won $500,000 in a lottery draw and a newspaper photographer arrived to take a picture of a presentation from Clive. We said: “Don’t you have to get over to-the bank to deposit that before it closes?”’ “No,” she said, “They are staying open late just for me.” On another occasion, when a customer realized a $150,000 lot- tery windfall we had to catch her as she fainted, Tanner said. Clive was the victim on another occasion, which seems humorous in retrospect. In the old days before the alarm was installed, Clive left the front door unlocked upon leaving to go to the bank. While he was gone, the RCMP had found it unlocked and had gone in. They were stand- ing inside in the dark when Clive opened the door and walked in — he had the fright of his life. When all is said, Tanners is a better-than-average small business that ties to provide the very best in service and selection to its cus- tomers, and remain a strong contri- buting factor in the community. 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