Tiretown

There used to be a tire business on 176th Street just south of Highway 10 called Tiretown. It was the first business that people travelling north saw in Cloverdale. The name really bothered my mother because she thought that people travelling through would think they were driving through the town of Tiretown instead of the town of Cloverdale.

In the early 70's when the Cloverdale Bypass and the bridge going over the train tracks was built, Tiretown ended up being on the dead end section of 176th Street where a few business remained, cut off due to the new bridge.

My father has been buying tires there for decades and for most of that time its been run by a man named Gordy, one of these good neighbour type businessmen offering great service and good prices. In the late 70's my father had a couple of extra tires from a truck he used to own. He brought them down to Tiretown and had them keep them on consignment. He told Gordy when they sold they'd both make a little money. After a year or so Gordy called and said the tires had been sold and come down and pick up a cheque. I was driving by that time and my first car was a VW Beatle Bug. My father went down and made a deal to outfit my car with good winter tires on the back. After that whenever it snowed my father took the Beatle because he said it was the best car we had for driving in the snow.

Eventually I started using Tiretown to buy my tires and sometime over the years the name evolved into Tireland.

My front right tire was low and I filled it with air about a week ago. Today I noticed it was down again and decided to take it over to Tireland to get them to look at it. Probably picked up a nail on the road somewhere. They do repairs quickly and very inexpensively. I drove up and there's a sign on the door that they're closed and now operating out of the Langley Tireland. That's too bad. I'd heard the building had been sold and the plan was to close down one of these days but its always a surprise when that happens. A tire shop has been operating in that spot as far back as I can remember.

Heads up to anyone heading that way for tires. Tireland, formerly Tiretown, is no longer operating in Cloverdale.

Penny for your Thoughts?

The Canadian mint stopped printing the penny this past week and retailers now have to round penny amounts to the nearest nickel.

I was at a shop yesterday and my purchase came to $10.53. They don't have the cash register doing the rounding to the five cents yet. But they are not dealing with pennies. My change was rounded up to the next nickel and they gave me .50 cents in change so I made a couple of cents on the purchase.

That's part of the plan to remove pennies from circulation - don't give them out as change. Or at least at that chain. This is very new and a few bugs to be worked out so all shops might not be on board yet.

I have my father's old penny collection. He gave it to me years ago in a nice blue book with each year holding a penny and the date mounted below. I heard on the news that 1925 pennies are very rare and worth about $50 so I checked the old penny collection and no luck. The closest I have is a 1926 penny.

I also have a bunch of pennies kicking around in my piggy bank. Might be time to roll them up and take them into the bank.

Playing at the Clova from February 9 to 13, 2013

Playing at the Clova from Saturday February 9th to the 13th is:

7pm - Zero Dark Thirty

9:55pm - The Last Stand

Last show lets out around 11:45pm. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. $15 if there are 2 in your party. Add $4 for each extra person.

Playing at the Clova on Friday February 8, 2013

The Clova is playing a documentary called Off the Wall in China for one night only on Friday, February 8, 2013. Show starts at 8pm and costs $24.99.

It features William Jans and his slides of travels through the Philippines and China.

Pancake Breakfast at Cloverdale Legion on Saturday February 9, 2013

The Cloverdale Legion is holding a pancake breakfast this Saturday February 19, 2013 from 8am to 11:30am. Cost is $4.50 and includes pancakes, eggs, sausages, coffee, tea, and an orange juice drink.

The Legion is across the street from the firehall at 17567 - 57th Avenue.

Free Chocolate Samples at Into Chocolate

In the Cloverdale Brick Yard Station - corner of Cloverdale Bypass, 57th Avenue, and Highway 10 - there is a shop called Into Chocolate.

I noticed a sign in their window saying they are giving away chocolate samples until Valentine's Day.

Many find chocolatiers offer one free sample of their wares to a customer trying to make a decision so it would be my guess that Into Chocolate is offering one free sample per person per day. Good promo leading up to Valentine's Day!

Playing at the Clova from February 1 to 7th, 2013

Playing this week at the Clova from Friday February 1st to Thursday the 7th, 2013 is:

7pm - This is 40

9:30pm - Broken City

Last show lets out at 11pm. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. $15 for 2 people. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.