Goemans opens storeLondoners have developer Vito Frijia to thank for this weekend's opening of the city's biggest showcase of appliances. |
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 [ 2009-09-10 ] |
Store manager Brian O'Leary left, and Jason Goemans, vice-president of Goemans Appliances, say the showroom of their new store on Wharncliffe Rd. S. is the biggest appliance store in the city.
With 16,000 square feet of display space, the store dwarfs what its owners believe will be its biggest retail competitor in the city, London Major Appliances.
Like that longtime London business, Goemans is family-owned and operated, and for most of their history both had similar business models, with Goemans' only store in Hamilton selling applicances since 1978.
That changed a decade ago when Goemans set out to fill a void created by the closing of two regional chains. A second store in St. Catharines was followed by openings in Mississauga and Kitchener -- the latter's launch two years ago drew the attention of Frijia and his company the Southside Group.
"The Southside Grop called me and drove me here. (Vito) was very persistent," said Jason Goemans, one of three sons of store founder Tony Goemans.
Goemans signed a lease in the summer of 2008 -- just before the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in New York City set in motion a global fiscal crisis that produced a worldwide recession.
The recession left Goemans lukewarm, but Frijia wouldn't budge -- and now Jason Goemans is glad he didn't.
The worst of the recession is past, he said, and while company sales are down 10% this year, sales in August topped that of a year ago.
Much land in London is set aside for new homes and Goemans believes the company's newest store will be positioned to benefit.
"We're looking five years out."
Goemans is seeking business with homebuilders, its main competition in that market Appliance Canada.
The new store showcases not only major kitchen appliances, but also barbeques, central vacuums, fireplaces, stand mixers and espresso machines.
It's laudable Goemans is starting a venture in a city whose 11.1% unemployment rate is the second highest in Canada, said Coun. Paul Van Meerbergen.
"It shows a lot of guts."
jonathan.sher@sunmedia.ca
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