DO YOU KNOW YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES?

This one might be a little out there but work with me, please. Quick question. How many local businesses are you aware of? And no I don’t mean eateries like Jesters or Marwans. Even Haugens who has been here for a looooong time. I have witnessed their menu first hand since 1970. Still great. Yummy – but I digress. No, I am talking about those manufacturing places, Industrial or not. We often hear about there not being enough manufacturing and such to offset taxes and supply jobs. For years Flamingo Pastries was a mainstay and provided jobs for many in the area. Not to mention the delicious aromas that wafted from the plant on cold winter nights. Unforgettable. They now have the Schneiders plant providing similar (but nowhere near as good) aromas. Their meat pies are awesome. But still providing work for locals. Full disclosure. I worked for Flamingo as a student in the 70s. A lot of locals have a history with that company. The Jackson Family was a force and provided at least two generations of employment for many people in the area. No, I am talking about places like the ones that sit out on the 6^th Concession and streets like Easy Street (Is there a better name for an industrial street than that one?) Every once in a while I take a drive out that way. Only reason I do that now is that I like to see what companies are there. Most of these places don’t flaunt the fact they are here. They just quietly go about their business. Even though in some cases they are world leaders and command global respect. Places like Adamson Systems Engineering. These people are world renowned for their speakers and audio systems. Did YOU know they were in your own back yard? Back to Easy Street and there is an Attersley Tire Centre, Vaultra Storage, Carstar Collision, Canplex Profiles, and Scugog Equipment Rentals. That’s just a smattering of larger than normal businesses. Sure, you’re saying what does this have to do with real estate. Well, lots actually. Places like this drive sales and create jobs. Those jobs allow people to move to small towns like Port Perry and still provide for their families.This allows the cycle to continue. Years ago the only places around town were small retail shops that provided some, but not many jobs for locals. Consequently many people would live here but work in Oshawa, Whitby or even Toronto. And there was always the General Motors connection. Port Perry was one of many small communities that depended on GM for jobs and as GM went, so did Port. That changed a few years ago when Oshawa pretty much reinvented itself as more of a multi purpose city with education a big part of. Those changes pretty much guaranteed some long term consistency for jobs and such. But nothing beats being able to live and work in the same area. I spent many years on the GO train and have to say I don’t miss that one bit. Neither do the people that are fortunate enough to both live AND work here. That’s a blessing. Just ask them.

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