Re: “The Baker Street shuffle,” August 24
For those of you who may not know, the word “kaput” has a few meanings; “Utterly finished, defeated, or destroyed; unable to function; hopelessly outmoded.” So, as you may appreciate it’s very difficult to see the word “kaput” used to refer to my parents’ long-standing business in a recent article describing some changes afoot on Baker Street.
Ben Sutherland’s Music and Appliances has proudly been in business for 52 years on Baker Street. Through those years stock has changed, names have changed, as well as some of the faces working in the store. Customers were consistently met with honest and respectful customer service, a willingness to accommodate, assistance finding creative solutions to your electronic quandaries and no doubt a story or two. Thank you loyal customers!
The memories made in that store are rich, plenty and everlasting. For me, they consist of playing hide-and-go-seek and racing on stock dollies or piano movers in the basement with my brother, visiting dad and grampa (who always had a sweet treat for us), helping to stock bags and batteries and pop bubble wrap. As both my brother and I grew older, we had our first jobs working as salespeople at the store, learning how to count change back to customers, washing the sidewalk and windows but most importantly finding out what it means to have a responsible work ethic.
As many of you know, running a small business is a challenging, exciting, rewarding and also a tough 24 hour a day, seven day a week job. Choosing a date to retire from owning a business is a difficult one, especially when it’s been your life for many years.
It is tough to thoroughly enjoy the fruits of your labour whilst balancing the demands of a business too; so earlier this year, my dad made the decision to retire, locking the doors for the last time at the end of August.
So, as my parents stride into retirement together I can think of many phrases to describe this exciting time in my parents’ lives. To list a few: proud, honest and respectful business owners, contributors to the deep history of Baker Street, and generous providers for their family.
Congratulations on your retirement — you deserve it! We are proud!
My hope is that the new and moving businesses on Baker Street will create a new generation of fond memories and will, with the support of the same loyal customers, be able to successfully provide for their families, as my parents worked hard to do for us. Wishing you the best of luck!
Monica Sutherland
Williams Lake