The Fish Hoek Central Improvement District celebrated `beautiful ‘ businesses and service excellence at the annual Keep Fish Hoek Beautiful Awards evening at the Calders hotel and Conference Centre last week.  Vanessa Husband, the convener of the awards read out the names of the winning businesses. She shared a concern with the judges that although there were a number of positive improvements along Main Road, there was “absolutely nothing that made us say Wow, Look at that.”  

The awards for the Best Service in Town went in order of best to 4th best to  Lamitall Printing,   Royal Majestic,   Central Bag & Shoe Repairs   and Supa Quick.  Read the nomination letters below.

Expresso Coffee Shop won the best eatery award .    Did you know that there are 30 eateries in Fish Hoek? 

The following businesses received awards for their physical appearance:

Triangle Square: Most Improved Building.       

Secrets Of Babylon: Best window Display 

Napoli Restaurant:  Best Kept Pavement

The Paddling Centre:  Best Kept Frontage – small business

Thorpe Delta : Best Kept Frontage – big business

 

Best Service Nomination letters:

1st Place: Lamitall Printing,  Recreation Road, Fish Hoek

I first met the girls at Lamitall late last year when needing assistance with my wedding invitations.  Charmiane is the staff member that assisted me with the invites and then soon progressed into a continuation of stickers, letters, posters and the entire graphic artwork for both my husbands’ and my business: “LoveJoy Building and Maintenance”.

I have been able to simply give a skeleton idea and concept of what vision I want in every case and Charmiane has perfectly executed my vision on every project with patience, professionalism and skill. I am always in their shop with work needing to be carried out and always Charmiane delivers with consistent and an excellent interpretations of my needs.

A case in point that is a necessary read for all members of our community:

Last Friday I was unwell and had to walk to the pharmacy from Highway Road as my husband had the car for work and also had my mobile phone due to misplacing his.   Unable to withstand the pain I was in, I had no choice but to walk to town for medicine.
I managed to get halfway down 1st Avenue when I was struck by dizziness. I could not walk for fear of collapsing so sat on the side path pondering how I was going to get help.

I saw three elderly and tried to ask for however I got no further than “excuse me” and was cut short by one of the women. My response – well, simply I cried looking rather hopeless and feeling all the more helpless.
I managed to retrack to the community hall to request assistance only to be told they refused to make “mobile” calls, my reponse – “wow what does one do when you legitimately needs help”.

After much effort I got to Lamitall knowing they would let me use their phone.
However never did I expect such generosity. Leslie immediately offered the phone to me and got me water, sat me down and dialed my husband for me.  Then Leslie used her own cash to go and buy medication from the pharmacy and let me wait out the back for my husband, Clive.

I do not begrudge the women in the street or at the hall, they did not know me. Yet it does bring one pause for thought what it must feel like being a nameless soul sitting on the side walk needing a helping hand to help lift them to their feet again.

I too have been guilty of this, just shaking my head in auto pilot without actually attempting to scope the legitimacy of a person asking for help. What has happened to our society where people including my self simply turn a blind eye and paint people with the same brush through prejudice and fear.
It is true that our attitudes have been shaped through threats to our safety. A lack of tolerance has sadly become the resulting general attitude.

So on Friday I had the unfortunate yet at the same time privileged lesson of experiencing what sitting on the wrong side of the pavement can feel like. I got to experience first hand what it must feel like and how soul destroying the nameless face can be.

Lamital gave me a hand and for this alone I thank them and for all of their brilliant work over the last year.

When I saw the advert asking for business nominations I felt this was the perfect avenue to voice both excellence in service in the business community of Fish Hoek but to also nominate those within this business for true community spirit in a humanitarian sense.

Thank you for taking the time to read my nomination.

Warm regards, Stephanie
(shortened slightly by the editor)

2nd Place: Royal Majestic, Main Road Fish Hoek

After 62 years in this world, I acquired my first Pomeranian puppy.  I live in Zambia and was handed a book to read on how to care for a dog.  This changed my life, I started an animal welfare society in a small town in Zambia and became very interested in visiting pet shops in South Africa.  There is a pet shop in Sandton City, where the
service is not over friendly, the shop does not look great, and poor animals are kept in cages looking miserable.

I have visited CT five times.  The pet shop “Royal Majestic” is mind blowing.  It looked immaculate, clean and stocked an excellent range of animal products.  I have seldom had such friendly and caring service in CT or JHB.  The owner (I presume) Richard has gone out of his way to procure items not on his shelves.  He has been a mine of knowledge and assistance to a person new to this field.  He advises me on nutrition, on pet products, and what is not considered safe for my small dogs.  Since November last year, I always hold back on my pet products purchases till I reach CT to promote the business of a person who cares so much about the welfare of his customer’s animals and not only out to make a profit.  As a matter of fact he has always given me things to give to poor people’s dogs in Zambia.

He will go on the internet to find information and sources for any assistance he can render.  I wanted to purchase some medical equipment for donation to VETS who have almost nothing and are practicing out of a plastic box.  Richard went to great lengths to find addresses and suppliers who could help me.  Without his help, a lot of animals would be suffering.

I cannot stress strongly enough how important Royal Majestic is to customers and how important it is to give people like the owner our full support.  

I wish you would give him this year’s award.  Just unpacked something from CT and saw the article “Name your best business’ .  I sat down immediately as today is 5th Nov and I might just be in time.  In case I win anything, please donate it to Tears.  Hope I am right, they are a sort of SPCA in CT (I think).  

Please let me know if Royal Majestic wins. Thanks you. Shahida

3rd Place: Central Bag & Shoe Repairs Central Rd, FH

 I would like to nominate the above-mentioned business for service of an outstanding nature – a quality that is rare to find these days !

Richard helped me above and beyond normal business practice.   I had been unsuccesfully looking to buy a pair of beige -coloured, flat not rounded, shoe laces for several months.   Nobody seems to stock these small items these days. !   A friend recommended that I try Central Bag & Shoe Repairs.   Richard could not have been more helpful in that after searching his shop but to no avail, he then said that he would try to find me some the following week as he was visiting a leather supplier in Salt River who sometimes has “odds and ends”.   You can imagine my surprise when he contacted me the following week and said he has got me the laces.   I was amazed that he remembered me and on top of this, he only charged me R6 for all his efforts !

I also remember another excellent service that I received a couple of years ago now.   As I was shopping in Fish Hoek, the zip broke on my handbag.   I called into the shop for an emergency repair, which was done immediately and I was not charged a single cent.

I realise that this is a “small business enterprise” compared to others that are available in Fish Hoek, however, I feel that this owner with his little shop is at the heart of the whole friendly, family orientated,pleasure of shopping in the pretty little town. It sums up what is so well worth preserving in the CBD – customer service is alive and well in Fish Hoek, providing goods and service of all sorts to young and old alike.

Yours sincerely,  Mrs Linda Howland

4rd Place:  Fish Hoek Supa Quick

WOW!  Yes, indeed – Fish Hoek Supa Quick certainly lives up to its name.

I was in a tizwoz when I noticed a pool of oil on the garage floor under my car, and knew something had to be wrong.  I rang supa quick, and in double quick time two mechanics arrived and took away the car.

Problem solved!  How I appreciated a speedy response, efficiency, and welcome courtesy (which I have also experienced previously).  Their free Vehicle Inspection and Report service is also a fine offering.

Mr Van’ Ro, Russell, Charmaine, in particular make this business a delight to deal with.  I commend it for Service Excellence – and I’m sure there are many others who agree with me.

Happy Car Owner, M Aston