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D 4 - The Oakville Beaver, W ednesday Septem ber 29, 2004 r W Uk % r ll - W - | f l1 , HSui la i n ! brand new superstore in Mississauga They say that success breeds success. For the Goemans family, this is certainly the case. A genuine passion for the business, a commitment to customer satisfaction and a stellar staff of friendly, knowledgeable people have contributed to more than a quarter century of prosperity for the family, which owns Goemans Appliances. Founded in 1978 by Tony Goemans, the appliance store has gro w n im m ensely since its m odest beginnings in a 2 . 0 0 0 square foot facility on King Street in Hamilton. In 1988, just 10 years after it opened. Goem ans m oved to its present site -- a 1 9 ,0 0 0 square foot show room on Queenston Road in Stoney C reek. A year ago, a second lo c a tio n w as opened in St. Catharines; and, this weekend, marks the grand opening o f yet a third brand new superstore in Mississauga. As one o f Canada's leading independent appliance dealers. Goemans is the epitom e o f the `little engine that could.' Spe cializing in a huge selection o f appliances, fireplaces, barbecues and vacuums, G oem ans offers a one-stop-shopping atm os phere that appeals to even the most discriminating buyer. " It's am azing to see h o w m uch the business has changed over the years," says Tony. "The entire industry has seen a lot o f changes," adds son Ja son, w h o is vice president o f the fam ily-run business. Product selection has expanded greatly, as have custom er needs and demands. A w alk through the ultra m odem Q ueen ston Road show room and it is quickly apparent that catering to the customer and understanding the market it serves have been integral to Goemans' success. Boasting m ore than 4 0 o f the top brand names, including KitchenAid, M iele, Decor, Bosch, Napolean and Viking, cus tomers are invited to not o n ly lo o k at the m erchandise but to get up close and personal w ith it. From fridges and stoves to fireplaces, barbecues and even espresso machines, their selec tion is second-to-none. Lo oking fo r traditional styles o r maybe y o u r taste runs to wards today's popular look o f stainless steel? W hatever you're after, yo u 'll find it here. Goemans prides itself on the fact that it carries the most cur rent, technologically advanced products on the market. "Today's consum er is definitely m ore knowledgeable about w h a t's available," says Jason. " T he Internet provides a basic starting point, but yo u can get overw helm ed by the inform a tion there. People w ant to feel and touch the products, to visu alize how they might look in their ow n homes and how they'll fit into their lifestyle." Budget, o f course, is a prim ary concern for most h om eow n ers. To this end, Goemans tries to stay competitive in its pricing, offering in-house financing and a 5 ,0 0 0 square foot clearance centre. Though it does have a focus on high-end brands. Goemans' real strength is in its a b ility to o ffe r an excellent selection o f products in everyday affordable price points. A ccording to Jason, recent changes in the industry (several big box stores closed) led to the opportunity for expansion. The Mississauga store is actually on the site o f a form er En bridge showroom , he says. " W e are grow ing and w e feel it's important to stay ahead of the com petition," he says, adding that the Goemans' approach is one o f controlled growth. " But w e're not so big that we don't take care o f customers w ith the same personalized service they have always had from us. At the end o f the day, that's w hat is important." Jason says a num ber o f factors, including a price protection plan w h e re G oem ans w ill m eet o r beat c o m p e tito r prices should you find the same product elsewhere, excellent w a r ranties and in-house financing have contributed to the compa ny's success in w hat is considered a competitive industry. That it continues to be fam ily ow ned and operated is another thing that appeals to G oem ans' broad base o f regular, repeat cus tomers. Though Tony is still heavily involved in the daily operation of the com pany (he is too passionate about it not to be, says Ja son), three o f his children have follow ed in his footsteps. Jeff oversees the distribution centre and Brad is in charge o f the fireplace and installation department. " It's pretty neat to see that w e 're n o w serving second and third generation customers. It really is a small w orld." Despite a large advertising budget, w o rd o f m outh is still Goemans' most powerful advertising tool. "W e enjoy a 98 per cent rate o f repeat business." Jason also credits a highly qualified group o f employees for much of the store's longevity. W eekly training sessions for both sales and service is essential and customers take com fort in dealing w ith the courteous and professional group o f em ploy ees, says Jason. A com m itm ent to the com m unity in w hich they w o rk and live, has also played a significant role over the years. A sponsor o f various local sports teams, Goemans has also been a major c o n trib u to r to several charitable organizations in c lu d in g B.R.A.I.N. Child. G oem ans is also a m em ber o f the Better Business Bureau and the H am ilton-H alton Hom e Builders' Association (H H H BA). In a d d ition to the three superstores, G oem ans also has a 3 0 ,0 0 0 square foot warehouse on Highway 2 0. O n-staff li censed gas fitters and a professional, courteous delivery team ensure quality and efficiency at all times. "W e have a vested interest in making sure our customers are satisfied. O u r fam ily name is o n the b u ild in g .. .w e stand be hind w hat w e sell," Jason says. fo r more information about Goemans, call 905-560-0647(toll bee at l-877-G O EM ANS) o r visit the company online at www.goemans.com By Claudelle Boudreau, Special to The Spectator T o n y G o e m a n s President What: Grand O p e n i n g of G oe m a ns Appliances n e w e s t location When: Where: Sep te m b e r 25, 2004 h w y 403 & h w y 5, 3050 Vega Blvd., Mississauga (fo rm e r Enbrid ge location) It' s go od t /s i f /^ s · r-s ) BRAND SUPERSTORES STONEY CREEK ST. C A T H A R I N E S MISSISSAUGA WWW.GOEMANS.COM OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK