This week, I had the opportunity to meet with Dwayne Geldart at Colchester Country Store in Bible Hill to discuss spring results & plans for snow shovels. I visited Home Hardware in Antigonish, Guysborough, Jeddore, New Glasgow, Sheet Harbour, Sherbrooke & Porters Lake. I’m proud Trail Blazer’s new catalogue is now available.
I am very pleased & excited to begin offering Trail Blazer’s new catalogue this week. The catalogue includes our Nova Scotia made products. Products including our award winning collapsible saws, pin-locking extension paint poles, Reverse D-handle snow shovels, Telescopic pruners, loppers, shears, Xtend-A Garden Tools, Xtreme saws, knives & hatchets. The new catalogue also includes six pages for your reading pleasure … pages that will tell you “The Story of Trail Blazer” and a collage of pictures showing the Trail Blazer team in action. Finally there are examples of Trail Blazer products merchandised to give you ideas for your stores. Products merchandised in Blomidon Nurseries, BMR Hardware, Co-op Country Store, Kent Building Supplies and Scotian Gold Cooperative Limited. Would you like a copy of Trail Blazer’s new product catalogue? If yes, please e-mail me [email protected]
Along with the new catalogue, we introduced new pricing that will be taking effect the first of July … Happy Canada Day, and it will include a program that will allow independent dealers to compete with the larger chain stores and a product assortment that will offer you a different option than the same old products we find at discount retailers.
Proudfoots in New Glasgow & Stellarton will begin merchandising their new location next week and plan to open in September. Highland in Antigonish opened a satellite location in Sherbrooke. Jeddore is making changes to their merchandising with new displays and plan to be completed by August. Cameron in Porters Lake has asked me to merchandise the Mark’s Choice & Trail Blazer products. This will give their community an offering of Nova Scotia made product that are winning awards around the world.
During my travels I learned the sad news that Weber’s Store & Motel in Lake Charlotte was closed and is for sale. Anyone who grew up in the Eastern Shore, like I did with a cottage on Lake Charlotte, will smile when telling a Weber’s story. Weber’s was a store that was a huge part of the community (more like a landmark) and will be greatly missed.
During my meeting with Dwayne Geldart at Colchester Country Store in Bible Hill, we showed the importance of having sales reps visit the stores and continually offer suggestions that will make the store more successful in selling the products. They should suggest ways that make every store offer the same information & products at the same value as the next. After we finished discussing spring performance, we discussed our Reverse D-handle snow shovels. Colchester Coop Country Store will be replacing their shovel assortment & offering Nova Scotia made snow shovels next season.
These times when I get out of the office & meet the stores allow me to take the valuable information I discovered with Dwayne and share it with the other 24 Co-op Country Stores in Atlantic Canada. This way they all can become more successful when selling Trail Blazer products at the same value as every other store is offering in Atlantic Canada.
This week started off with a celebration as my oldest daughter, Natalie, graduated from grade 9 & Eric Graves Junior High. Monday we followed Natalie, and all her friends, around Sullivan’s Pond like paparazzi. The whole grade nine class where there, taking pictures before their year end dance that evening. As I followed her from photo opportunity to the next, I remember how I have always called her my little princess since she was born … but this time I was stunned, My Natalie was a princess and more beautiful than words can ever describe. Tuesday we had the great pleasure of watching Natalie receive her certificate for graduating with all her friends … Wow, my daughter is going to high school!!! During the ceremony I experienced a large amount of pride when Natalie received the top math student award. Natalie, I love you and I am very proud of you!
Monday evening was also Prince Andrew High School’s safe grad celebration, at the Holiday Inn, where my son, Travis spent the evening. Travis will graduate next year, but this week he celebrated with friends who graduated including one of his best friends, Shawn Nickerson … Congratulations Shawn!!! And good luck at Saint Mary’s University.
Back at the office, Monica Furlotte & Betty Millard are working hard to achieve our financial objectives and it is much appreciated. It was determined in February that delays in shipping our products, were our biggest problem. Monica has put together a purchasing schedule, allowing production to have product completed and ready to ship, based on sales history & projections. Betty finds ways to decrease shipping expenses, while working with Monica to provide prepaid shipping programs to increase sales and together, they continue to manage & achieve profits.
Justin Caldwell is taking on customer service responsibility while Monica is spending more time managing the production team. I will be looking at hiring someone to relieve Justin of his Administration responsibilities or to assist Monica with handling all customers’ request within 24 hours … which is my main reason I’m looking at hiring.
All the Best, Shawn Levangie
amazing products.