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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, December 10, 2002-11 i MacDonald fulfilling dream of owning business Opens Chic N Tique furniture business By FANNIE SUNSHINE The Champion Carol MacDonald had always dreamned of own- ing her own business. lns October, that dream becamne reality. She transformed part of tbe luncbroom of Moffat Autoworks on Main Street, owned by ber two brotbers, into what is now bier shop, Chic N Tique. The store is filled with furniture items Ms MacDonald bas bougbt and tben redone to give it an antique look. Sbe also selis atificial trees and greenery. A smaller room in tbe store is used as ber work area. 'T[m only open Tbursday to Saturday because I need tbe otber four days to redo tbe pieces and sort tbem out," sbe said. Sbe said sbe's redone fumiture in tbis particular style for years. but only siaried to do so seriously for tbe past tbree years. I would make pieces for my friends and famnily and tbey would say 1 sbould do it for otber people. My broibers offered me tbe space and ibaïs bow I started rny own business. 1 get sucb a kick out of mnaking tbe pieces but I wasn't sure if otbers would like tbem." Ail fumiture sold in Cbic N Tique is made of solid wood, Ms MacDonald con- tinued, stressing she doesn't strip tbe natu- raI colour of the wood, just adds ber per- sonal toucb to i. "I work on tbe pieces botb on the outside and inside," sbe continued, gesturing to tbe inside of a drawer. "Ifs my trademark." Tbe customers tbat bave wandered into ber store bave sbowed the most interest in trunks, rocking cbairs and greenery, sbe said. "['m not going to be selfing candles, notbing otber tban wood," Ms MacDonald said ftntly. "Eveiy item is one of a kind. 1 look at a piece and tbink, wbat can I do witb it?" Altbougb customers can custom order pieces. sbe refuses to redo fumiture that other people own. "If ibe customer doesn't like tbe finisb. tlhen wbat do I do' If ifs mine I can figure out wbat I want Io do witb il and tben bave otber people buy tl." So far, Ms MacDonald said sbes pleased \vitb the sale figures, as news ofI ber busi- ness bas been strictly word oIfînoutb up until now. 1I get sucb a kick wben someone likes a piece I bave donc. 'm boping tbis w ilI be successful. Tbis is wbat I ssanted to do so I wanted to give il a shot." SXC renews big contract Pbarmaceutical company Blue Cross Blue Sield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) will continue to access bealtbcare information tbrougb Systems Xcellence Inc. (SXC> fo~r tbe next two years. SXC, a provider of bealtbcarc informa- tion tecbnology solutions tbrougbout tbe pbarmaceutical suppfy cbain. renewed its Application Service Providers (ASP) witb BCBSAZ. wbicb will aflow tbe American company to bave a direct link into SXC's system. Tbe ASP will belp witb pbarmacy bene- fit management, data warebousing and information analysis tools and perform- ance-based contract management of pbar- maceutical company rebates. "We bave been doing business witb BCBSAZ since f998 and wc are pleased to, retain tbem as a client." said Cordon S. Glenn. president and CEO of SXC. wbîcb is located on Industriaf Drive. "'[bis renewal not onîy maintains our relationsbip wîîb BCBSAZ, it also sup- ports our strategy on increasing tbe avaif- ability of our ASP services." Cbris Hogan. vice-president of pharma- cy benefit management ai BCBSAZ, said SXC bas demonstrated uts commitment to customers witb a steady issue of unique product releases. "Tbeir applications bave given us imme- diate acccss to and control of our pbarma- cy benefits information, wbicb provides us witb a greater ability to customize our solu- tions. " Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Chic N Tique awner Carol MacDonald la proud of her new business. BUYING TOO SA&LTr MUCH SALI? Start soving TODÀY À I When you purchase or rent a ayif7m ___HIGH 7Z* EFFICIENCY aY* rGSol SOFTENER' YurBAK CALL FORA U TLSH