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Collins explained that any business done on 1_syy1ay would, have to be low-key. "We'd have to be semi-conservative," she said. "We wouldn't be open the full "We'rd a tourist town," she said. "We're the perfect store for that type of con- sumer." The historical significance of the Water- loo region draws a lot of tourists to the area'. Since the opening of the Seagram Museum many of these tourists have been coming to downtown Waterloo - especially on Sundays. Denise Collins. manager of Import Bazaar on King Street, feels businesses should be allowed to take advantage of this revenue potential. “It the retailers are open they're going to want the banks to be open so they can make their deposits at the end of the day," he said. "if the banks are open. then why shouldn't city hall be open? It will soon be that you can't tell one day from an- other." "PeopWhaire more time to shop now than they've ever had in their lives," he said. Rigby doesn't believe people need am other shopping day. Just ask any one of them about the possibility of doing business on Sunday - then stand back. Some of them are for it, some of them are against it. Few are without an opinion. Alan Rigby is "dead against it." The owner of Alan Rigby's House of Furniture on King Street was eloquent in his condemnation of the idea. They might appear placid and easy- going, but the merchants of Waterloo are a highly-opipionated group. - Catherine Miohm Chronicle staff In spite of this prediction, the Water loo Chamber of Commerce has appoint- ed a subcommittee to study the mat- The committee, which was estalr lished last month by the government affairs committee, is being chaired by Waterloo lawyer Hilde English. Chronicle Staff Even though the Supreme Court of Canada recently declared the federal Lord's Day Act unconstitutional be- cause it has a religious purpose, Herb Epp. MPP for Waterloo North, doesn't think the option of Sunday business will be available to Ontario merchants tor quite some time. "The provincial government won't be addressing it immediately," Epp said. "There are too many other things on the plate right now. Immediate concerns are with separate school funding and job creation." "Our job will be to look at the various legislation regarding Sunday open- ings," she said. "We will also look at Ontario won't address issue immediately “I definitely don't like the idea," he said. “I would have to hire a lot of people who would not have experience and could not give good service. I think it would do more harm than good." The president of Zehr's Markets, Grant Heimpel, doesn't believe opening his stores on Sunday would accomplish any- thing. "We haven't really looked into it but we're not in favor of it," he said. "it would basically just spread six days' sales over seven days. There'smothing to be gained from that." A boost for local employment, as well as increased sales, is the reason Len Menary, owner of Len's Mill Store on Moore Ave., would like to do business on Sundays. "We've got real good students standing in line to work here," he said. "It would create a lot of new Jobs." Menary also feels that there is no question as to the success of Sunday shop- ping. Import Bazaar experimented with Sun- day hours last year but found it unprofit- able. "The problem was we couldn't adver- tise," Collins said. "We quietly stayed open for a few weeks but we just didn't get the sales." “I know it works," she said. "We have other stores in major cities that are open on Sundays and they've had no prob- lems." George Kauntz, owner of Household China and Gifts on King Street, is opposed to opening for business on Sundays. Collins is confident that if merchants are given a free rein, Sunday shopping would be profitable. day, just afternoons." Recently. the Supreme Court of Canada consented to consider the ar- guments of three Toronto merchants about the unconstitutionality of the Act. They plan to tight it on the grounds that it infringes on their right of religion and conscience guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The current provincial law, as de- tailed in the Retail Busines,s Holidays Act, prohibits most retail business from operating on Sundays. According to the Act, those found guilty of breaking this law_are liable to a fine of up to 810.000. This law. however, mayGo soon be changed. A lawyer tor one of the merchants expects the Supreme court will reach its decision before the end of the year. what has been repealed and the type of legislation the city could use in making changes." English said that the recommends tions of the committee, which will probably be tabled in the next four to eight weeks, will be turned over to the mayor's office to assist them when the matter comes before council. "We have the experience that it works," Because of the existing law, Suzanne Fakes, owner of Westmount Home Hard- ware and Variety in Westmount Mall, has to cordon off the hardware area of her store in order to legally do business. Fakes. however, is satisfied with this arrangement and has no strong feelings about being allowed to do business in her entire store. Gary Boudreau, regional manager for Cambridge Leaseholds, which owns Wa- terloo Square and Conestoga Mall. said. "Our companies will not be the initiators. We may. however, be forced to react depending on what the circumstances Boudreau said that some centres owned by Cambridge Leaseholds in western 'Ut doesn't really matter to us," she said. "Six days a week are enough for pepple to be able to get hardware." - The owners of W-atertoo's two largest mglls are adopting a wait-and-see atti- Religion, and the traditional sanctity of Sundays, were other reasons for opposi- tion. Irvine Nichol, vice president of the Artstore of Waterloo, was adamantly opposed to Sunday business. This conéem is shared by Ken Ray- mond, the owner of Raymond's Flower Shop on Bridgeport Rd." “Something like this creates staff prob- lems for small merchants," he said. This was also one of Rigby's arguments. He believes Sundays should remain set aside as a day of rest. "Sunday isrthe only day for families to get together." he said, "And let's face it, we're losing the family." “l have no problem with being open." he said, "But I might have a real problem with staffing." "it's the Lordh; day," he said. "Busr. nesses should be closed." Tim Pearson, manager of Gus Mane Sports on King Street. doesn't believe business on Sunday would be feasible on a regular basis. "The increase in sales would be min- imal," he said. “I would only carry it out on a promotional basis. That's the only way we'd see a substantial increase." Brad Braun, manager of Valdi Discount Foods on University Ave., has reserva- tions as well. he said. Menary has a store in Port Dover that is open on Sunday and says it has been very successful. "People like to shop on their leisure time," he said. Not everyone shares Menary's con- fidence. WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, I985 - PAGE 5 'People have more time to shop now than they've ever had in their lives.' Badour doesn't see the issue posing any problem for management. Canada have begun to open their doors on Sundays in order to remain competitive. "It will all have to be based on sale gain," he said. The merchant's have talked about it and I think most of them would be willing to give it a try. If they find that they're only spreading their normal sales over seven days, I don't think they'd stick with it." - "It doesn't make any difference to us." he said. "We're here on Sunday any- way." "If the same thing happens -here, we might have no alternative," he said. Jim Badour, manager of Conestoga Mall, echoed Boudreau's wait-and-see at- titude. 'We wouldn't have to be open the full day, just afternoons.' Alan Rigby Denise Collins