Thursday, March 28, 2013

Important Announcement re Blighty's Tuck Store

A Personal Message from Blighty's founder, John Corby

It was eight years ago when I conceived the idea of opening a British store in the Town of Orangeville. It was a bold idea and worked out surprisingly well. I purchased a small commercial condominium unit at the end of a ginnel behind Broadway and, after a couple of months of frantic preparation, we opened the doors to a waiting crowd at 10:00am on the 4th July 2005. We have always appreciated the worldwide celebration of the event that takes place every year.

Within 18 months the premises I had bought proved too small and too secluded. We found a new location right in the heart of Orangeville's traditional main shopping district. Our neighbours are the big box stores like Staples, Leons, Canadian Tire and Future Shop.

After a couple of more years, with business running at a steady pace, Blighty's opened a second store in Elora. The end of the economic downturn was in sight and we hoped to parlay the success of our first store into a chain of stores around southern Ontario. Alas, it was not to be. The end of the economic downturn remains elusive and the Elora store closed 18 months later. Now we are looking into the future and making fresh plans for Blighty's Tuck Store that we hope will bring refreshing changes and a bright new outlook.

Blighty's Tuck Store will be closed on Good Friday. We will re-open for last minute Easter shoppers on Saturday 30th March. The store will then be closed on Sunday 31st March and Monday 1st April. Blighty's will re-open on Tuesday 2nd April under new ownership.

I have decided to move on to new challenges in life. I am going to take a break for a few weeks before deciding what to do next. My blogs will continue but with a new home and new names. If you are a Coronation Street fan you can continue to read what has become a very successful Corrie Fan newsletter at: www.roversreport.com.

If you share my enjoyment of poking innocent fun at politicians and other sinners back across the big wide wet patch called the Atlantic, please check out "The Fameless Scribe" at www.thefamelessscribe.com".

Here at Blighty's Tuck Store everything will continue as normal. You will recognize a familiar face behind the counter and I hope you will continue to support the store as you have in the past.

I have met a lot of very fine people during my eight years at Blighty's and I want to thank you for all the many happy memories. All my best wishes go to you and your families for a happy and prosperous  future.

John.

8 comments:

  1. Good luck with all your future plans!

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  2. Good luck in the future John. Thanks for all the smiles as well as all the great British products over your time at Blightys.

    Diane, a customer who traveled all the way from Milton once a month to your store as it's the best bar none!

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  3. Thank you John... for bring us HOME everytime we step thru your door. All the best with everything you do now!!
    Joanne (cheap crisps heckeler)

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  4. Oh, it is so sad that you will not be with Blighty's anymore. I'm glad that the store will continue, but it won't be the same without its creator. I wish you all the very best, John, that you will find the perfect thing to do. And I hope the new owner will be as good as you have been.

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  5. Good luck with your future endeavours John. It was a pleasure to meet you at the British Show and I'm ever so thankful to have found your wonderful Coronation Street newsletter. I have just signed up for the Rovers Report and look forward to hearing from you even if it is in a smaller capacity.!

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  6. Hi john, sorry to see you go, I wish you well on your future endeavours. Also your blogs have been a delight to read. One suggestion for future blogs would e Repartriation back to the U.K. from Canada. Info on tax filing, handling Canadian bank accounts, taking pets back etc etc. There is info, but it is scattered. A simple guide to repatriation would be helpful to the many brits leaving Canada.

    Thanks.

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  7. Wishing you all the best John in whatever you do, and also wishing the new owners all the very best as well, look forward to meeting them. will miss you but know you will do good in whatever you decide to move onto.

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  8. Wow John, that was a surprise! Thanks for the past 8 years of treats from back home. We will miss you and wish you every happiness in your new venture.

    Intrigued to find out who the new owners are and wish them all the best in their new venture too!

    Best Wishes.

    Loreen

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