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gg members of the family, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1948 NAG BI WORE NTIS DRI AR OER 0 AR MO 255 THE DAILY TIMES-GAZETTE PAGE THIRTEEN Breslin's Open New Store Here Whitby Boy Comes Back With Modern Business Ideals Maurice Breslin Has Had Varied and Successful Career in Retail Busi- ness and is Giving Whitby an Up-to-Date Clothing Store for All the Family In coming to Whitby to open his splendid new clothing store for all Maurice ¥ Breslin is really coming home, as a typical example of the "local boy who makes good." His career, since the July 4, 1904, on which he was born, reads like a modern business ormance, and the fact that he was born in the town of 'Whitby gives added interest to his story from a Whitby standpoint. Maurice Breslin, in spite of his aggressiveness in business, is modest and unassuming when it comes to securing details of his life story. He very much dislikes talking about himself, so the story had to be pried out of him in snatches in between discussions of his plans for the opening of his new store in Whitby. Born in Whitby, he is a son of Hyman Bres- lin, who had a store in Whitby be- tween 40 and 50 years ago. The family later moved to a farm on Ross' Hill, and young Maurice at- tended the Model School in Whit- by, and later, he attended schools in Toronto and Owen Sound. Broad Experience As a young man, Maurice Bres- lin decided that the retail mer- chandising field was to provide him with the career he sought, so he went to New York and acquired ex- perience there, working in various stores from the humbler establish- ments of 14th Street to the exclu- sive salons of 5th Avenue. After his New York venture, he returned to Toronto and was married to Edith Crabtree, one of the fateful events of his life, for his wife has proved to be one of his greatest assets, not only in their home, but also as a guide in business. His next move was to Chicago, where he worked in retail clothing stores and eventually became manager of a chain store system. Canada beckoned, however, and he returned, to his native @buntry to settle in Montreal, where his broad experience in merchandising \ Of The New BRESLIN STORE In Whitby J. A. BESNER & SONS CLOTHING MANUFACTURERS 1604 St. Lawrence Boulevard MONTREAL Having completed more than fifteen years of congenial business rela- tions with Breslin's we are delighted to Join this company's many friends In extending congratulations and good wishes for many more years" of successful service to their clien- tele. Proprietor M. BRESLIN His new store opens in Whitby to- morrow morning. He will give 100 one dollar bills away. to early visit- ors, \ soon brought to the position: of as- sistant manager of a large depart- mental store there. For a short time he managed a chain of stores in Northern Ontario, but his great ambition was to go into business for himself, and he consistently work- ed towards that end. First Business Venture His first venture into business on his own account was interesting. He mought himself a cheap, sec- ond hand car. The firm of H. En- gel of Oshawa at the time was over-stocked with men's suits. Maurice tells how he took over these surplus suits, loaded them in- to his second-hand car, and tra- velled all around the northern part of Durham county selling them right at farmhouse doors. He sold them all, and made many good friends in the process, as some of the men to whom he sold these suits 22 years ago are numbered among the best customers of his store in Bowmanville, Through the many friendly con- tacts made on that tour of Dur- ham county, he decided to start in business there, and secured a small store in Orono. Mr. Breslin plug- ged along in that store for some years, worked hard, and developed modern merchandising methods which were new to a town of the size of Orono. .Fourteen years ago, he decided the time had come to seek a larger sphere of activity, so moved to Bowmanville and opened a larger store there. His broad experience in merchandising stood him in good stead, and he was full of ideas for business-building. Served In Army Then the war came. Mr. Breslin heard the call of duty and enlisted in the Midland Regiment, formerly known as the Durham and North- umberland Regiment, and left his wife to operate the business in Bowmanville. She did a splendid Job of it, and Mr. Breslin is quick to pay tribute to her for the man- ner in which she carried on dur- ing the war years. "In fact", says Mr. Breslin, "she is still an impor- tant part of the business, and without her constant help I could not do the business I am doing." During his time of service in the army, Mr. Breslin had opportuni- ties for thinking and planning for the future. He tried to visualize the course he would follow when he had completed his service to his country. In 1944 he was discharg- ed from the army and returned to his business in Bowmanville, de- termined to put these new ideas into practice. He decided. to em- bark on a large-scale advertising campaign, to follow sound mer- chandising 'methods and build up a substantial business. He succeed- ed beyond his own expectations. usiness Growth Knowing that the ordinary method "of advertising without much thought was throwing money away, Mr. Breslin gave careful thought and planning to his adver- tising. He always made sure he had sufficient stocks of advertised goods, so that customers would not be disappointed. He started on what, for his business, seemed a large-scale of advertising, spending $600 the first year. It brought re- turns, and the second year he doubled it. The business continued ta grow, and he found that be- cause of the volume of business created by his advertising he could sell at cheaper prices. He built up volume by a combination of good merchandising and unusual types of advertising, but he declares that he never made any attempt to un- dersell anyone, but concentrated on giving his customers the best pos- sible value, He adopted the policy of "satisfaction or money refunded" and the people liked it, just as they liked his policy of allowing them to look around the store without be- ing subjected to any pressure to uy. From his father, Mr. Breslin had "| picked up many smart ideas on ad- vertising. After his second year, he decided to again increase his space, so he went to the: Bowman- ville Statesman and made a con- tract to use a'full page of advertis- ing every week. During his war service years, he I... moved into a larger store. He tells how the moving was done while he was home on a 96 hours leave, during which the whole business was mov- ed from one store to another with- out losing a single day's business. When he left the army, he re- modelled and modernized the store, and prepared to go ahead. Con- sistently since then his business has grown, proving that his methods for ensuring complete customer satis- faction are paying rich dividends. Active In Community In addition to becoming a suc- cessful Bowmanville business man, Maurice Breslin has played an ac- tive part in the affairs of the com- munity. He was a charter mem- ber of the Bowmanville Lions Club, and was one of its leading spirits Manager JOHN KAHN who has been appointed to manage the mew Breslin Store in Whitby. He has had many years experience. until after the war, when he trans- ferred his activities to the Cana- dian Legion, and played a large part in building up the Bowman- ville Branch and securing for it the splendid quarters it now oc- cuplies. Friend of Boys Perhaps his greatest contribution to Bowmanville's community life has been made through his inter- est in sports for the boys of the town. As a member of the Lion's Club, he undertook the manage- ment of the boys' hockey team. In 1936, after the Bowmanville rink was burned down, it was feared that hockey would have to be drop- ped, but, liking work with boys and being fond of hockey, Mr. Breslin kept his team together, and al-+ though without a home rink, play- ed in the Lakeshore League. For three years the team made an ex- cellent showing, but' when the war came along, most of the players en- listed, and the team was broken up. When he came out of the army, Mr. Breslin took over management of the midget and juvenile teams, outfitted them at his own ex- pense, and for the last four years he has been sponsor, manager and coach of the team. In spite of the fact that they had no home rink, in the 1946-1947 season his Juve- nile B team ' won the Ontario championship in a thrilling final series with Bolton. Mr. Breslin, who has become af- fectionately known as "Moe" by the boys with whom he works and his close associates, not only manages the teams, but does a splendid job of character-building. No one who travels with his teams, and no boy on the teams, is per- mitted to swear, smoke or drink. That is a fixed rule, and because of it, parents are pleased to have their boys associated with him. One interesting experiment he made was with a boy from the Boys' Training School at Bowmanville. The boy was an expert hockey play- er, and he was put on his honor and allowed to play on Moe's team. The experiment was so successful that within three or four months the boy had become rehabilitated to such an extent that he Was allowed to go home, with a com- pletely changed outlook on life. Mr. Breslin is a charter member of the B'Nai B'Rith in Oshawa, and in 1938 and 1939, just prior to the war, he did much excellent work in settling refugees from Hit- ler"s Germany in the district. Coming To Whitby This year, Mr. Breslin felt the time was ripe for further expan- sion of his business activities, In his store in Bowmanville, he was serving customers from as far afield as Oshawa, Whitby and Ajax,-as a result of his advertising policies. This caused him to look around for premises for another store, and his WHITBY BOY (Continued on Page 16) . Best Wishes GRAND OPENING SE BRESLIN'S NEW WHITBY STORE Supreme Mfg. Inc- "The Perfect: Garment" "Manufacturers of Men's and Boys' Pants. and Breeches" 1596 St. Lawrence Blvd. Montreal Best Wishes WILLIAM PRAGER LTD. 389-391 ADELAIDE WEST TORONTO Suppliers of Duran Plastic Mannequins -- Chrome Racks. -- Stands -- Hangers and Display Equipment TO BRESLIN'S 7170 CLARK ST. Congratulations Best Wishes On the Opening of the NEW BRESLIN STORE -- from -- me ABBEY co "Neckwear Manufacturers" MONTREAL 219 KING ST. Bill Brown & Clarence Reeson DECORATORS Congratulations. Bost Wishes BRESLIN'S Whitby's Newest Modern Ladies' and Men's Wear Store It was indeed a pleasure for us to do the Interior Decorating on this Store * Bill Brown s Clarence Reeson PHONE 2538 We Are Indeed Happy To Extend Our Congratulations On The Opening Of The New Breslin Store (In Whitby) Admiration. (lothes "Clothes To Admire" 1276 St. Urbain St. 'Montreal We Take Pleasure In Adding Our Congratulations and Best Wishes -- for the Success of the -- NEW BRESLIN STORE (IN WHITBY) -Limited- 431 KING ST. WEST TORONTO a --