Canadian Retailer - Store 2013 - 23

AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR

SCORING FOR THE COMMUNITY

Newfoundland independent
retailer honoured with RCC
Ambassador of the Year Award
BY D’ARCY JENISH
PAUL AND GLENISS Thomey gave up good jobs nearly two

ful careers. “The majority of our employees
decades ago—he with a Newfoundland phone company, she are students,” Paul says. “We work very hard
with the provincial government—to go into retailing. From to make sure they’ve got time to study. We
day one, they made it their policy to go the extra mile for their build our schedule around their availability.
customers and the community. The husband and wife team Over the years, our employees have gone on
own That Pro Look, a licensed sports apparel and memora- to become lawyers, doctors and chartered acbilia store in the Avalon Mall in St. John’s and they are this countants. We’ve got a good mix of alumni
year’s recipients of Retail Council of Canada’s Ambassador of from our staff.”
the Year Award.
The Ambassador of the Year Award recog- Q&A WITH PAUL AND GLENISS THOMEY
nizes the outstanding contributions of a local Favourite stores:
“My wife likes to shop at Talbot’s. They’re not in Newfoundland so
independent retailer to his or her community she has to do that when we travel. I love Canadian Tire. I’ve always
and for their vision, innovation, and for being been a fan. I just go in and visit and look for deals. We’re always
an integral part of the community that they monitoring what others are doing to get ideas for merchandising.”
serve. Recipients of the award are also known Retail game-changer:
to be interesting to see how far the trend toward
for their community involvement, customer “It’s goinggoes and how you remain competitive. We’re veryonline
shopping
loyalty, and support of locally made products much bricks and mortar. We have a website and we ship. We have
and services. The Thomeys exhibit all of these to keep up with online and social media generally. Advertising is
moving from traditional newspaper ads to Twitter and Facebook.
characteristics, and more.
to be there
in
“If we don’t have something in the store, You need because weto staywefront of people. We’re making the
transition
know
have to be there.”
we’ll make a special effort to find it for our
customers,” Paul says. “We donate to sports teams when
The couple came by their interest in the
they’re having fundraisers and we give our time to commun- sports apparel and memorabilia business
ity organizations.”
through their own participation in sport. GlenThe Thomeys hold in-store Christmas and summer fund- nis was a goaltender in hockey. She played 10
raisers each year. They have been big supporters of the Sal- seasons in the Newfoundland Women’s Senvation Army’s Happy Tree gift drive which takes place in ior Hockey League and was the top netmindthe mall every December. The Army erects a large artificial er every year. She also played for provincial
tree nicknamed Happy and local residents drop off gifts for teams that represented the province in Atneedy children. The Thomeys sell raffle tickets for an auto- lantic and national tournaments and in 2004
graphed hockey jersey with all proceeds going to the Happy became the second woman inducted into the
Tree campaign.
Newfoundland Hockey Hall of Fame. Paul
“We’ve been doing it for 14 years now and over $20,000 has played first base in softball and was handy
gone back to the Happy Tree,” he says. The couple hold a similar enough at the position to play for a number of
fundraiser in the summer and in the past they have donated provincial teams.
the proceeds to Ronald McDonald House. Though, this year the
Their playing days are behind them now,
funds went to the Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation.
since both Paul and Gleniss turned 60 this
The Thomeys also take considerable pride in the number of year, but their love for sports continues, alstudents who have worked for them over the years who have lowing them to contribute to and support the
gone on to acquire post-secondary degrees and enjoy success- community they work and play in.

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