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Taking Customer Service Into Account

July 31, 2019David Lipton 2 Comments

Sensors Quality Management Inc. is coming up to its 26th year in business. Many years ago, when we first started out, I was fortunate that a few of my friends in accounting assisted me from time to time when we needed help with the books….the dreaded financial books!

When we got to the point where we needed an actual accountant, I had initially reached out to my good friend and lawyer, Mitchell Rose, who immediately recommended a colleague of his who he had met during university: Brian Bossin.

Brian’s accounting firm is named Bossin, Tin Yan Chartered Accountants, and right from our first meeting 20 years ago, I knew that Brian was going to be the perfect fit for both myself and SQM. Brian was clearly experienced and knowledgeable enough to deal with larger corporations, but also patient enough and willing to work with smaller, local businesses.

Unlike the bigger firms that often nickel and dime you as soon as you pick up the phone, Brian and his colleagues are more understanding, and are willing to take calls without running the meter, or meet from time to time to provide advice and direction.

In addition to doing the accounting for SQM, over the years, Brian has also taken care of my personal income taxes, done taxes for other family members, worked on other business-related projects, assisted me with various government applications and paperwork, and played a role in providing me with advice on tax and estate planning.

During the 20 odd years that I’ve known Brian, it’s become increasingly clear that he is knowledgeable and experienced with many facets of both personal and business accounting, and for areas in which he is not an expert, he can often direct me to somebody who is. I know that his advice and expertise are just a telephone call away.

Whether you’re looking for somebody to handle personal matters or your business, I highly recommend you consider Brian and the team at Bossin, Tin Yan Chartered Accountants for all of your accounting needs.

Bossin, Tin Yan Chartered Accountants
416-492-8484

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Good Customer Service is Only a Phone Call Away

July 24, 2019David Lipton Comment

My story starts out a number of weeks ago, when I was having problems with my cell phone….had encountered the black screen of death!

I took the phone to one of my suppliers and he indicated that I was having a software problem. When I got the phone back, it seemed as if he had corrected the issue, and the screen of death was gone, but I now noticed a pressure crack on my screen. After speaking to someone else, I was told that the LED bleeding was only going to get worse, and eventually take over the entire screen unless I fixed it.

With that in mind, I took it to the neighbourhood store, called UBREAKIFIX, where I met Steve. Steve was a nice fellow and told me that he would only fix my screen if he could also clear all of the remaining software issues. He took some time to run a diagnostic, and with my approval, decided to reset/wipe my phone.

After he did all of this, I decided to make a call to Rogers (another blog) before I spent the money on a new screen, because replacing it is fairly expensive. My contact at Rogers managed to get me a new phone, at no charge, and as a result, I did not have to incur the costs of putting a new screen on my old phone.

While there was no guarantee that if he fixed my software problem, he could fix my screen, Steve spent a lot of time trying to help me out. In a day and age where businesses know what they want and how to get it and have this “what’s in it for me” mentality, Steve took the long-term approach to build a relationship with the customer as opposed to trying to make the quick sale.

While this situation didn’t result in a sale for Steve at this particular time, I’ve already shared my experience with friends and colleagues and recommended Steve’s store. Of course, I will definitely use his services in the future as well.

For any electronic or technical challenges, Steve and the team at UBREAKIFIX are efficient, kind, and a pleasure to deal with.

UBREAKIFIX
416-483-3773
https://www.ubreakifix.com/ca

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Dialling Up Great Customer Service

July 17, 2019David Lipton 1 Comment

Many of the blogs that I write about are based on my own experiences, and while I try to write stories about my travels and encounters outside of Toronto, I do realize that many of my topics are centred on the Greater Toronto Area.

However, this story is about a Canadian company, and while they are here in Toronto, they’re also right across the country. I’ve written about them in the past, but I feel like it is necessary to mention them again.

For many years, my cell phone and cable provider has been Rogers. One of the reasons behind this is because when I ran into a problem several years ago, I came into contact with a customer representative who was extremely helpful and kind. Ever since then, I’ve kept in touch and she’s always been able to help me out whenever I’ve been in a pickle.

In more recent times, she’s taken on another position within the company but has been thoughtful enough to direct me to employees as kind as herself. Back a few weeks ago, I had a software problem with my phone, which then turned into a hardware problem. I realized I needed a new phone and reached out to one of my new contacts at Rogers—John.

I first connected with John when I was looking to reduce some of the costs connected with my services. At the time, John made a few adjustments, so I ended up with more features and services while at the same time, reducing my monthly costs.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, when my phone had died and I reached out to him in a little bit of a panic, because like many people, my phone was like my life and I needed it to be working for various reasons. On top of that, my phone was fairly new…only two years old…and should have been operational. Even though John works on the west coast, he got back to me within minutes of me sending him an email, asked me what the issue was, and told me that if I could give him a bit of time, he would work on a solution.

In less than an hour, he got back to me and gave me a number of options—all but one of them involved a new phone without any extra charges or long-term commitments. Once I made my decision, I received my new phone just two days later and I was back up and running in no time.

You would expect a company in telecommunications like Rogers to understand the urgency of uptime, and clearly, they do from the way that John and some of his other colleagues work.

To tell you how Rogers is evolving as a company, years ago if I had a problem with my bill, phone, or other services, and I had to call Rogers, the hair would stand up on the back of my neck because the entire process was often quite frustrating.

In more recent times, they seem to be changing with the era and adapting to the growing need for good customer support. I now know that I can count on Rogers to stand behind their services, and support me when I need them.

Rogers
1 (855) 381-7834
www.rogers.com

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Ensuring You Use the Right Insurance Company

July 10, 2019David Lipton Comment

This week, I’d like to write a blog about Intact Insurance, however, I’m going to take a slightly different perspective on the subject.

Insurance is one of those industries that touches just about everyone, whether or not you own a house, rent an apartment, drive a car, or run a business. As one of my colleagues says, “you can never have enough insurance”. Most people deal with an insurance company or a broker on a somewhat regular basis, and while buying insurance typically comes down to the cost, I would think that it’s always better and easier to be dealing with an insurance company that has a good reputation in the industry.

Oftentimes, I hear stories about insurance appraisers and adjusters that try to pay as little as possible for claims or make it very difficult for one to resolve their claims or issues. That said, this story is meant to look at an insurance company from a different angle….

A couple of years ago, my 90-year-old aunt tripped on a mat, fell, and broke her hip while shopping at a grocery store. As a result of this accident, a lawsuit was filed as my aunt was incurring a number of significant expenses associated with her injuries. As the lawsuit progressed, we began dealing with a lawyer for the insurance company that was representing the grocery store.

Although I often hear horror stories about dealing with lawyers in such cases, the lawyer representing my aunt was pleasantly surprised by the insurance company’s approach to handling the situation. While many insurance companies would have dragged the process out for as long as possible, given my aunt’s advanced age, all parties involved were looking for a reasonable solution so that my aunt could return to normal life as soon as possible. While it’s difficult to put a price tag on such a terrible accident, and my aunt didn’t necessarily feel that she received as much money as she deserved, the willingness of the insurance company to move the process along was very much appreciated. It was truly a breath of fresh air to see both the lawyer and insurance company treat my aunt respectfully and professionally, while simultaneously looking out for their interests as well. After the case was settled, I took the time to call the President of Intact Insurance to acknowledge how their in-house lawyer handled this difficult matter in a professional and respectful way.

During the conversation, the President mentioned that Intact Insurance attempts to be a different type of insurance company, and treats people the way their employees would want to be treated themselves. While many companies in the industry say this, very few put their words into practice, however, I can tell you firsthand that Intact Insurance really does have this kind of culture and approach.

Again while I realize that purchasing insurance often boils down to price, I highly recommend that you at least look at Intact Insurance for your insurance needs. They are truly an excellent company to deal with.

Intact Insurance
www.intact.ca

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Ten Things To Do During the Canada Day Weekend

June 21, 2019David Lipton Comment

Canada’s birthday is approaching, and 152 has never looked better! If you are unsure of what to do for the upcoming long weekend, look no further.

Fireworks: If you’re in the mood to create your own DIY fireworks show, there are many pop-up locations that will suit all of your needs. Kaboom Fireworks, Phatboy Fireworks and Rocket Fireworks are all good choices. If not, you can check out your local parks in order to see if they are doing their own fireworks show.

Wonderland: The amusement park is fun for the whole family! In addition to the spectacular rides, there will be street performers, traditional Canadian food and a light show.

Harbourfront Centre: There will be paddleboard rides on the Natrel Pond from 3:00 – 8:00 PM. At night, make sure to catch the live indie music that will be playing at the Harbourfront Centre Concert Stage!

Blue Jays Games: There will be games every day from June 28th to July 1stat the Rogers Centre. There will also be giveaway prizes on Friday and Monday. Be sure to grab tickets while they last.

Ribfest: The Etobicoke Ribfest is back for another year! From June 29th to July 1st, there will be many activities run from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Stop by to hear live music, visit the Beer Garden and the Kids Zone, all while enjoying delicious ribs. There is something for everyone!

BBQ: Thinking about having a family barbecue or food with friends? Cumbraes and the Healthy Butcher have a wide selection available both in-store and online. While it is always nice to support a local butcher, you could also visit your grocery store’s butcher section.

Craft Beer: What’s better than celebrating the country’s birthday than cracking open a cold one? Be sure to check out your local brewery, but please remember to drink responsibly.

Ottawa: Planning on spending the weekend in the capital? Events will be held at Parliament Hill, Major’s Hill Park and the Canadian Museum of History. Check out the official list of events.

Parades: In the mood for travelling? There will be parades held at Niagara Falls and in Downtown Vancouver. Both parades will be followed by fireworks over the Falls and at Canada Place.

Concert: At the North Maple Regional Park in Vaughan, multiple live performances will be played. The headliner will be Toronto’s very own reggae fusion band, MAGIC! See the full details here.

Whatever your plans may be, I hope that you have an enjoyable time. I wish everyone and their families a safe and happy Canada Day!

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A Reye of Sunlight at the Gym

June 19, 2019David Lipton Comment

This week, I’d like to talk about a personal trainer who has gone above and beyond the call of a regular trainer.

For over 30 years, I have been a member of the Columbus Centre’s gym / fitness club. Over my time there I’ve gotten to know many of the staff and personal trainers. One of the trainers who I find myself chatting with about anything from sports, to business, to life in general, is a gentleman by the name of John Reyes.

John works at the Columbus Centre part-time, a personal trainer, and has also recently become a registered kinesiologist. While the kinesiology work that he does is at a separate clinic and has nothing to do with the Columbus Centre, he often uses his knowledge, education, and experience in kinesiology when working with his clients as a personal trainer.

A number of weeks ago, I decided to pick his brain as I was having some difficulties loosening up, even though I stretch regularly. It just seemed that despite my ongoing efforts, I was extremely tight, which was impacting my ability to properly complete some of my exercise routines. John suggested a few stretches and within a short amount of time, these stretches seemed to be working, as I seemed to be improving.

A couple of weeks later, I came back to him again because I was still tight…I just couldn’t loosen up completely. Even though John was only there once a week, he would try and line up his times with mine and take me to one of the fitness rooms where he would help me stretch. These kinds of stretches were challenging in that you need a second person to help do them properly.

We figured my loosening up would take a few weeks of stretching on my own, in addition to his assistance. True to his word, after some time I was once again making good progress and returning to normal. While I’m sure other trainers could have assisted me with the stretches, I believe that John’s background in kinesiology very much helped get me moving in the right direction.

If anyone is looking for a personal trainer, or someone to help them with their stretching and range of motion, I highly recommend John Reyes.

John Reyes
J-rey636@yahoo.ca

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Nothing’s Tougher Than a Burton

June 12, 2019David Lipton Comment

For transparency purposes, I will say right off the bat that the person I am writing about just so happens to be my next-door neighbour, however, this article is based on work that he has done for my family.

Back about three years ago, my 90-year-old aunt fell in a grocery store and broke her hip. Because we felt that the grocery store was responsible for her fall, we quickly decided to retain a lawyer who specialized in personal injury law. While there is certainly no shortage of advertisements for these types of lawyers on TV and in newspapers, I had the good fortune of knowing one who lives 20 feet away from me: Jonathan Burton, who works at Gluckstein Lawyers.

The fact that he was my neighbour and lived nearby was only one factor in deciding to use his services for my aunt. Jonathan has been practicing law for a number of years, and my research indicated that he was extremely experienced, well respected by his colleagues, and specializes in personal injury law. From the beginning, I could tell Jonathan knew how to handle the situation. Whether it was quickly drafting up a letter, scheduling meetings with my aunt and myself, or just organizing his work the way he does, I was able to see that I made the right decision.

Over the course of the case, there were certain objectives that needed to be completed, and Jonathan always made sure to give us the information and heads up in advance. He was always prepared for upcoming activities, and we could tell that we were in good hands.

A few weeks ago, we had a scheduled mediation. For those who are unaware, before you are able to arrange a date for certain types of trials, in Ontario, you have to participate in mandatory mediation. This involves a third, unbiased party, working with both sides to find common ground. and a settlement that both can live with. It may come as a surprise to many, that the majority of cases are settled at mediation and never end up going to trial.

We were fortunate in that we had a good mediator handling my aunt’s case. Jonathan presented himself in a professional manner and dealt with the mediator and opposing lawyer in a skillful way. The other party was open to a settlement, and after a few hours of discussion, the case was settled.

I truly believe that one of the main reasons the case was settled was because of Jonathan’s reputation amongst his colleagues in the legal profession. Jonathan was never rude in his dealings and treated people with respect and honesty. He was always willing to listen, however, he recognized that he was there for his clients’ best interests. I often hear of lawyers who are rude, bullies, and not open to discussion, however, when you take on tactics like these, I believe you do it at the disservice of your clients.

I wouldn’t wish my aunt’s situation on anyone, but if you do need a personal injury lawyer, I highly suggest Jonathan Burton.

Jonathan Burton
Gluckstein Lawyers
416-408-4252
burton@gluckstein.com

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Dyson – A Sucker for Customer Service

June 5, 2019David Lipton Comment

Back a couple of years ago, I wrote about Dyson when we had an issue with our office vacuum cleaner. At the time, the vacuum was under warranty and Dyson, without causing us any grief, quickly sent us a replacement part so we were able to get back to cleaning our office. The entire experience was friendly, efficient, and stress-free, and their customer service department was a pleasure to deal with.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, when on a Friday we realized that a small piece of the vacuum had broken and cracked, and as a result, we couldn’t use it. One of my colleagues got on the phone, explained the problem, and provided Dyson with our vacuum’s registration number. The employee looked us up in their database and indicated that the vacuum wasn’t under warranty anymore, but told us in the same sentence that they wanted to make sure we were happy and were going to send us a replacement part at no charge.

Since the piece had broken due to heavy use, and not necessarily some sort of mechanical failure, it made the gesture extra special. The fact that they stood behind the product goes to show you what kind of company they are, and what kind of customer service you can expect from them. The piece arrived within a few days and we were back up and running in no time at all, once again using our spiffy Dyson.

Presently, I have three Dyson products: an upright vacuum, a handheld vacuum, and the office Dyson, and I am extremely happy with each product.

Dyson was originally established in the United Kingdom in 1991 and has recently announced that they are moving their headquarters to Singapore. James Dyson, the founder, felt that vacuums could be more efficient, based on the fact that the one he was using constantly clogged up and lost suction over time. As a result, he went about inventing a completely different type of the machine, and if my experience is any indication, he seems to be on to something!

Skip to the present, and Dyson now has a line of not only vacuums, but hand dryers, lights, fans, heaters, and more. I know my wife is dying to get her hands on one of the new Dyson hairdryers, but unfortunately, given how expensive it is, she’s going to have to wait until the price comes down a bit…or I win the lottery…before I can buy it for her.

To their credit, I’ve never heard anyone complain about any Dyson product, and the reliability of their products, combined with their customer support just goes to show you why.

Dyson Canada
1-877-397-6622
https://www.dysoncanada.ca

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Cooking Up Five Star Customer Service

May 29, 2019David Lipton Comment

Caplan’s Appliances, on Weston Road, south of Eglinton Avenue, is a family-founded appliance store that first opened its doors in the 1940s. Their recently renovated store has a wide selection of brands to choose from, including: Maytag, Whirlpool, Bosch, Sub-Zero, and Wolf, to name a few. In addition to the long list of brands which they represent, a few years ago they opened up a separate Miele showroom right across the street from the main store.

The owner of Caplan’s, Bob Caplan, is an old friend of mine, and I have been doing business with Bob and his family for many years. Since I know he treats everyone like he treats me…he probably treats others much better :-)…I’ve always been recommending him to my family and colleagues who have been in need of appliances.

I’ve visited Bob’s store many times before, and I felt that it was time I give his store a shout out, based on my most recent experience there. Back a couple of months ago, I was in the market for a new stove for my aunt. My aunt is 93, living on a fixed income, and Bob was aware of this. Instead of selling us a high-end appliance, Bob had given the salesperson a heads up and they were able to find us a good quality stove at a reasonable price.

In addition, Caplan’s will offer to deliver the new appliance and take away the old one. In my aunt’s case, we needed added assistance because the stove was a gas range, and it’s not something you can just easily unplug from the wall. As a result, you need a gas fitter to disconnect the old one and install the new appliance. As it turns out, the salesperson was kind enough to find me a gas fitter and coordinated the timing so we were able to remove the old stove at the same time as they brought the new one in. The fact that they were willing to go the extra mile to help out my aunt for what amounted to a small purchase, just shows how much they care about their business and their customers.

Aside from the gas fitter, Caplan’s has partnerships with other people in the trades, including interior designers, builders, and construction companies. Bob is truly a one-stop solution for all of your appliance needs.

Caplan’s has been around for a long time, and they understand the value of having a customer for life. Whether you’re looking for a starter or base type of appliance, upgrading to a new model, looking to redo your kitchen and get high-end appliances, Bob and his team are there for you.

Caplan’s Appliances
416-767-1655
https://www.caplans.ca/

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Introducing Minus H2O

May 16, 2019David Lipton Comment

As some of you may know, my business partner and I are currently involved in a company completely unrelated to SQM, known as Minus H2O. Minus H2O is an ever-expanding line of super-concentrated household cleaning products.

Presently, we offer three products: a multi-purpose cleaner, a toilet bowl cleaner, and a window and glass cleaner, with more to come in the future. The company was founded with the purpose of addressing significant environmental issues relating to carbon emissions and plastic pollution in consumer packaged goods. When it comes down to it, most consumers don’t realize that when you buy a bottle of cleaner at the store (or many household products), you’re basically paying for water!

In fact, in many cases, up to 98 percent of what’s in the bottle is simply just water. By taking the water out of our product, it becomes 133 times more concentrated than what you’d normally buy in stores. In addition to significant reductions in carbon emissions and the use of much less plastic, consumers also pay a heck of a lot less.

Here’s the math behind our theory….since one capful of Minus H2O makes up an entire litre of cleaning product, each of our bottles will yield many more litres of cleaning product, as compared to our competition, for a fraction of the cost.

If your average bottle costs $4.00, our 60ml bottle, which makes 8L of cleaning product, will save you $30.00…enough money for you to take a friend to the movies. Our 250 ml bottle makes 33L of cleaning solution and is calculated to save the average consumer over $125.00…enough money for dinner out. And our 1L bottle makes 133L of cleaning solution, and is calculated to save the companies $500.00….enough for a staff appreciation event!

While I might be somewhat biased, just about everybody who tries the product says that in addition to the above-noted benefits, it smells great and works extremely well.

Presently the product is available in Canada, online at Staples, and in the United States on Amazon.

Whether you care about the environment, want to save a helluva lot of money, or a combination of both, I highly encourage you to give Minus H2O a try.

As always, thanks in advance for your support and consideration.

Minus H2O
416-847-1029
https://www.minush2o.com/

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Sharing is Caring

May 14, 2019David Lipton Comment

Several weeks ago, my wife and I went to a popular restaurant called Parallel. I have an upcoming separate blog about my experience at this restaurant.

This restaurant is great in many ways. During our visit, we saw something in particular that we had never seen before. They had Sharing Bottles. They are large bottles of beer, approximately 500-600 ml in size.

In comparison, a regular bottle is about 355 ml. We thought that this was a great idea, as groups of people could try multiple beers and have a small sample of each since beer comes in many different unique flavours. This makes the dining experience very enjoyable and interesting, as both food and drinks can be shared with the people you care for.

Parallel is not the only place that has these bottles available. There are a couple of breweries that have these Sharing Bottles available, and my wife and I have tried a few of them. There are two places that I recommend.

Blood Brothers Brewing has a large selection of these bottles. My wife really enjoyed the Shumei and the White Lies bottles, which are 500 ml each. The Shumei has different styled IPAs blended into it, with hints of citrus and pine. The White Lies is a sour ale that was inspired by white wine.

Blood Brothers is very convenient, as they have their own online shop. You can shop for your favourite flavours in the comfort of your own home!

Another bottle that my wife liked was from Beau’s. It was called Paper Chase and is a birchwood ale that has hints of caramel, dried fruit and baking spice. While Beau’s does not have an online beer store, they have other merchandise that could be purchased, such as apparel.

We hope that this becomes more of a trend, as this is a good way to try different beers without consuming too much. If you have a brewery that you like, you should suggest this idea, and try to see if they will start
to sell Sharing Bottles!

While trying these bottles, please remember to drink responsibly.

Blood Brothers
http://www.bloodbrothersbrewing.com/
(647) 628-6062

Beau’s
https://beaus.ca/
(866) 585 BEER

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Things To Do During The Victoria Day Long Weekend

May 9, 2019David Lipton Comment

BBQ: Now that the weather’s warming up slightly, it’s always nice to throw a BBQ with family and friends. Vicentina Meats is a great place to satisfy all of your meat needs, and if you’re in need of a new BBQ, you could always visit Dickson’s Home Hardware on Avenue road.

Bike Rides: It’s the perfect time of the year to get in some extra exercise! At Toronto Island, hop on a bike for a leisurely ride. It’s $9 per hour for a single bike, or $16 per hour if you want to double up.

Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays are in town, up against the Red Sox on Monday, May 20^th—grab a pair of tickets if you’re around for the game.

Road Trip: If you’re up to it, take a road trip to Niagara Falls for some wine touring. For the kids, there’s Bird Kingdom, mini golf, and the Niagara Skywheel.

Museums: Visit and support your local museum on the weekend. Victoria Day Weekend at The Royal Ontario Museum includes Animal Explorers scavenger hunts for children 12 and under, and #FNLROM, featuring live music, food, dancing, and DJs.

Patio: Hit up a patio for some good grub and a good time. I particularly like Taylors Landing at Don Mills, because the service and food are excellent. Lavelle is perched on a huge rooftop complex with an excellent view of the CN Tower, and El Catrin is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Toronto.

Canada’s Wonderland: If you’re not afraid of heights, try out the new Yukon Striker aka the tallest dive roller coaster in the world! Be sure to stick around for the evening fireworks show.

Potluck Picnic: Spend this Victoria day weekend with all your friends! Sugar Beach Park is a great place along the Harbor Front to meet up and enjoy a delicious fun-filled afternoon.

Whatever your plans may be, I sincerely hope you and your family have a safe and restful long weekend!

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Good Things Come in Slightly Larger Packages

May 8, 2019David Lipton Comment

A few weeks ago, I was dining at a restaurant and something on the menu happened to jump out at me. The establishment was offering what they called “shared bottles” of beer. It turns out that these bottles were about one and a half times the size of a regular bottle of beer, and the idea was that it is too much for one person but perfect for two people to share. As it so happens, I’m not a big beer drinker but was with some other people who enjoy trying different beers, so it was perfect for the occasion.

The company that I know of which offers this feature, is a microbrewery in the Toronto area called Blood Brothers Brewing and is located at 165 Geary Avenue.

I really found this to be a great idea, and I’m sure there are other breweries that do it as well, but I thought It was an interesting marketing tactic to get people to try your product. Often, my wife says that a bottle of beer is too much for her, but half or 75 percent of one is the perfect amount.

Given that in today’s marketplace, there are hundreds of different beers and breweries, and even more beverages available, you really have to be creative to succeed. Normally, companies just come up with a catchy name or label but don’t do anything else to change up their product.

Alternatively, I’ve noticed that one of the tactics US companies use is to simply increase their price and portion size. However, Blood Brothers is taking a different approach, and I applaud them for doing so. I encourage other companies to think outside of the box as well.

In the meantime, give Blood Brothers a try. I’m told that their beers are all quite enjoyable.

Blood Brothers Brewing
647-628-6062
http://www.bloodbrothersbrewing.com/

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The Buzz About Great Customer Service

April 24, 2019David Lipton Comment

For many years, whenever I was driving along Wilson Avenue, to the west of my neighbourhood, I noticed a small restaurant in a strip mall, called Buzz Buzz Pizza Family Restaurant. Despite driving by the location numerous times I never had the opportunity to stop by until a few weeks ago when, ironically, after going to a restaurant in the area for dinner we found ourselves still hungry.

A few of us decided to stop off at Buzz Buzz for a quick bite and to check the place out. It’s a small restaurant, with seven to eight tables, the prices are reasonable, and is known for their Italian food, Greek food, and most of all…their pizzas. Other popular items are their veal parmesan, veal sandwiches, meatball sandwiches, souvlakis, and salads.

Since the pizza on the first visit was absolutely delicious, about a week later, we decided to order the veal parmesan dinner, for delivery. When it arrived we were surprised to see it included a big piece of veal, tons of pasta, garlic bread, salad, and a can of pop for $12.99. The food arrived hot and fresh, however, I was told that depending on how busy they are, sometimes it takes about an hour for delivery. Nonetheless, you can’t beat the price of their items!

Buzz Buzz is a family-run restaurant, operated and owned by a Greek gentleman by the name of Tony. He runs the restaurant with his wife, daughter, and a few other people. Although they are also well-known for their delivery and take-out, they do have regulars in the area that stop by and eat while watching TV. The place also has a liquor license, so if you wanted to, you could grab a beer or glass of wine with your meal. Perhaps the most telling sign about the business, is that every time I’ve been to the restaurant, it’s been consistently busy.

Tony and his daughter are a pleasure to deal with—they are amazingly friendly and are willing to bend over backwards for special requests.

In a day and age when the pizza business is dominated by big chains, it’s nice to find a local, friendly business that provides good food at a reasonable price.

Buzz Buzz Pizza Family Restaurant
416-630-7777
http://www.buzzbuzzpizza.com/

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Prioritize the Customer….Not the Size of the Project

April 11, 2019David Lipton Comment

A couple of years ago, my wife and I were travelling and went to the Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville. While we were there, we bought a poster that displayed the musicians that were playing that night but was done in a style that had probably been used since the early days of this venue.

Given that the Grand Ole Opry is a country music establishment, I thought it would be interesting to frame this piece of art in a different way, than simply using a frame. In particular, I thought it would be cool to mount it on barn wood—wood from a barn—to play with the country theme. After doing a bit of research I discovered barnboardstore.com: a store known for selling barn board and what is generally known as reclaimed wood. In addition to barn board, they are also known for selling wood with live edges—in other words, wood with the bark still on it. Both types of wood are high-quality and can be used for furniture, floors, and walls. For me, I only needed a small piece of wood because I had a relatively small poster.

When I went to barnboardstore.com, they were very accommodating. Even though this was a small project for them they let me pick out a piece of wood with the nice colouring I was looking for. They also spend a few minutes helping me the size and cut it, so all I had to do was glue everything together and put the poster on.

Because they took such good care of me I kept them in mind for other projects. My wife and I are currently in the process of creating some built-in bookshelves, and we wanted the counter of the bookcase to be barn wood. Just like my first experience the staff were extremely helpful and came up with ideas that made more sense and were more cost-effective. All the staff are a pleasure to deal with, and this was something exceptionally notable because, in a day and age where many companies are just looking for the “big sale” and spend as little time as possible with customers with smaller projects, it’s nice to see a company that puts the customer first.

If you have a project involving wood and are looking for something a bit different, I definitely suggest checking them out.

Barnboardstore.com
416-471-9452
http://barnboardstore.com/

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Hungry for Hungarian Food?

March 27, 2019David Lipton Comment

A few weeks ago, I visited a popular, Toronto restaurant, that has been around for many years….Country Style Hungarian Restaurant. It’s a cozy Hungarian restaurant located at 450 Bloor Street West, and should not be confused with the larger donut chain, Country Style.

Country Style Hungarian Restaurant has been around for over 50 years as a family-run business. It’s an old-school restaurant with classic red and white checkered tablecloths and wooden chairs and tables. They’re famous for their schnitzel, but some of their other go-to dishes include cabbage rolls and perogies. They of course, also have goulash soup and cucumber salad, and their wiener schnitzel is absolutely to-die-for.

Aside from ordering a la carte, they also have a delicious platter prepared for two or four, which comes with a variety of meats, sausages, and potatoes. For those who are less hungry, there are schnitzel and chicken sandwiches. If you’ve saved a little room, they have great desserts including palacsinta…a Hungarian-style crepe with chestnut puree, as well as apple and cherry strudel. All of their desserts are tasty and most are homemade. Lastly, one of my favourite items on the menu is their raspberry soda…..a cold drink that is somewhat different from most pops.

Their food always comes out hot, fresh, and very quickly, and in addition, the service is great. All of the waiters are friendly and helpful, and if you ask for the sauce on the side or other dietary requests, they are very accommodating.

I find the restaurant is busy at any time, especially on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, but you usually do not have to wait too long to be seated. After dinner, if you want to listen to live music, there’s are some bars in the area, as well as live theatres, all of which are accessible via public transit.

If you’re looking to experience a different, homey kind of restaurant, head on over to Country Style Hungarian Restaurant…you will not be disappointed.

Country Style Hungarian Restaurant

416-536-5966

http://countrystylehungarian.com/

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Why you should visit the St. Lawrence Market

March 14, 2019David Lipton Comment

As is the case in many cities, there are always one or two popular markets where people go to get fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, high-quality meats, and specialty foods. Toronto is no different, and for many years the go-to location has been the St. Lawrence Market.

The market, run by the City of Toronto, is located on 93 Front Street East and is currently comprised of three main buildings: The South Market, the North Market, and St. Lawrence Hall. It’s a combination of vendors where you can buy anything from fresh meat and pastries to seafood, olives and cheese. You can also get breakfast and lunch, as well as coffee and juice.

My understanding is that the lake used to come right up to the back of the market and vendors were able to bring their fish right up from the water, but the shoreline has since receded.

The market always exhibits a fun, bustling atmosphere. The vendors are always kind, and it’s great to support small, community businesses.

There’s also a number of places where you can buy meals….for example, Carousel Bakery at the market is known for its superb peameal bacon sandwiches. Buster’s Sea Cove has amazing fish and chips and Uno Mustachio is known for their large veal sandwiches.

What people often go down on a Friday or Saturday morning and get their groceries for the week. Since the market is closed on Sundays and Mondays, a couple of hours before closing on Saturday afternoon some of the vendors will put their products on sale or markdown the prices. Regardless, you can always kick it old school and try negotiating a deal.

Whether it’s to stroll around, grab a bite, or do your grocery shopping, I highly recommend visiting St. Lawrence Market.

St. Lawrence Market
416-392-7219
http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/

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Ask and ye shall receive (great customer service)

February 6, 2019David Lipton Comment

Quite some time ago, I wrote about a great phone repair store called Stellar Cellular on College Street. The person who ran that store was named Richard, and he was an overall great guy to deal with, who did amazing work.

A couple of weeks ago my wife was having a problem with her phone, and so I reached out to Richard and asked him for some help. To my surprise, he said his store had moved out of town and he was not doing repairs anymore. He highly recommended Maaz at Ask Computers and suggested giving them a call. Ask Computers is run by two brothers, Maaz and Mani, on Front Street.

I called up Maaz and mentioned his colleague, Richard said I should give him a call. I explained the problem with my wife’s phone and he invited me to stop by whenever I could. They’re closed on Sundays so I drove down on a Saturday, showed him the phone and explained the problem. Right away he knew what the problem was.

Unlike some places that gave you a ticket, Maaz writes up a work order and a quote, then have you sign off electronically. Additionally, he will also text you updates when repairs are underway and when repairs are completed. He told me he’d try and get back to me later that day, but otherwise, it’d be done on Monday.

Much to my surprise, about two and a half hours after I dropped it off, I got a message saying it was ready. I stopped by again, paid him, and tried the phone out. The phone was working perfectly fine again, and I even got a follow-up email thanking me for my business and asking me to leave a review.

The location is a small store but it was neat and clean, and right away, between the look of the store and the initial conversation, I had felt I was in good hands the entire time. The whole customer service system he had in place was great—something you don’t see often in small businesses.

Whether you’re looking to buy computer equipment, get something repaired, or whether you just need advice, Maaz and Mani have a great store and I highly recommend stopping by for your tech needs.

Ask Computers

416-862-9595

Askcomputers.ca

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