Why Allwest Commercial Funishings is a very successful local company

In the Saturday, May 11, Edmonton Sun Hicks on Biz Column, the subject of passing the torch from one owner to another was explored through the sale of Edmonton’s Allwest Commercial Furnishings from George Smith to the like-minded Colin Eicher. The story earned its keep, given how difficult it is these days for any company to change hands and yet retain its legacy and business culture. This story has a happy ending. New owner Eicher is cut from the same entrepreneurial cloth as Smith, recognized the qualities and corporate culture that made Allwest so distinct and successful, and is soon to embark, with Smith staying on as his CEO and Lorne Wight as President, on a business expansion. The secondary question I had was what made Allwest such an successful company in the first place? How did it thrive and grow in a world where, more often than not, established local stores are bought up and integrated into national chains. How did George Smith find the cash to renovate Allwest’s showroom and ... Read the rest of entry »

Car technology making leaps and bounds: Hicks on Biz column originally published Edmonton Sun, April 20, 2013

BY GRAHAM HICKS ,EDMONTON SUN There's little point in questioning the wisdom of automobile automation. Technology is taking us, by leaps and bounds, into a future that the best of science-fiction movies cannot conceive. On display at the Edmonton Motor Show this weekend, through April 21, is automotive technology we didn’t dream of 10 years ago. It has moved, in the blink of an eye, from proof-of-concept to full commercial production. Even more astounding, the cost of technology comes down so rapidly as to be part of a “normal” sticker price. “Self-parking cars are now priced in the $20,000 to $30,000 range” says show manager Bob Vilas. “Within five years, a technology that was confined to a top-line Lexus is now in a Ford Fusion.” Automotive industry futurists suggest the "self-driving" car, the one Google is already playing with, will be a reality by 2025. The hold-ups will be regulatory, legal and consumer resistance, not the technology. Insuran ... Read the rest of entry »

Sloppy Hoggs a carnivore's delight: Weekly Dish column originally published Edmonton Sun, Wed. April 17, 2013

BY GRAHAM HICKS ,EDMONTON SUN Sloppy Hoggs Roed Hus 10406 – 118 Avenue 780 477 2408 www.absolutelyedibles.com (click on sloppyhoggs tab) Food: 4 of 5 stars Ambience: 3 of 5 stars Service: 3.5 of 5 stars Dinner for two (without beverages): Basic, $40; Multi-course, $60 Rejoice! There is room still in this nutritionally correct world for a carnivore’s delight, for a plate spilling over with a juicy, tender, maple-smoked slab of meat, a heap of fries, brown beans and cornmeal, downed with an ale, followed by a Mississippi mud pie dessert containing at least another week’s worth of calories. When you leave Sloppy Hoggs Roed Hus – sorry spell-checker, that’s the actual name - you will waddle. Wear a belt with two extra notches. You’ll need ‘em. Seriously, I couldn’t patronize this delightful hole-in-the-wall, tongue-in-cheek, southern-style roadhouse too often, for I’d rapidly become as wide as I am tall. Sloppy Hoggs ... Read the rest of entry »

Sorrentino's Garlic Festival another success: Weekly Dish column originally published in Edmonton Sun April 10, 2013

Hicks: Sorrentino's Garlic Festival another success  Sorrentino’s 22nd Annual Garlic Festival Downtown – 10162-100 St. – 780 424 7500 South – 4208 Calgary Trail – 780 434 7607 West – 6867 170 St. – 780 444 0524 Little Italy – 10844 95 St. – 780 425 0960 Bistecca Italian Steakhouse – 2345 111 St. – 780 439 7335 Food: 4 of 5 stars Ambience: 4 of 5 stars Service: 3.5 of 5 stars Festival dinner for two without beverages, $50 basic, $85 loaded. Some dining traditions are just meant to be. Like the 22nd Garlic Festival at the four Sorrentino’s Italian restaurants in town, plus Sorrentino’s St. Albert and the Sorrentino’s affiliate the Bistecca Italian Steakhouse. At least a decade ago, Sorrentino’s Carmelo Rago and I had a long chat about this food festival. If garlic was to run its course as a theme, what would be an alternative? Lobster or seafood? Saffron? Ethnicity? H ... Read the rest of entry »

Nosh nothing to look at but food is fine: Weekly Dish originally published Edmonton Sun April 3, 2013

Nosh Café10049 156 St.780 757 7550Food: 3.75 of 5Ambience: 1 of 5Service: 4 of 5Dinner for two (without beverages): Basic, $20; loaded, $30.It’s pretty terrific to see the entrepreneurial immigrant spirit alive and well.The story line is familiar.South Asian chefs who are trained at five-star hotels in Indian, or on cruise ships, come to Canada on foreign worker visas. They manage after a few years to get regular work visas, then landed immigrant status.Once free of contractual obligation to the original sponsoring restaurant, off they go to work for somebody else. Because of their training — you name it, they can cook it — they’re in demand.Instead of heading off for higher wages, a couple of immigrant South Asian chefs have opted to work for themselves and opened their own, hole-in-the-wall place.Nosh is nothing to look at, just another store in a rundown commercial strip on 156 Street south of Stony Plain.But it’s been getting an excellent word-of-mouth reputation for i ... Read the rest of entry »

Independent Edmonton-based LogiCan flourishes: Hicks on Biz column originally published in Edmonton Sun Sat. March 23, 2013

Before Christmas, using plastic products maker Drader Manufacturing as an example, this column highlighted a glaring regional business contradiction.Conventional business wisdom often declares that manufacturing (outside the oilpatch) in this neck of the woods is "impossible".If that's the case, hundreds of good businesses are indeed doing the impossible."That column hit a home run," responded Warren Sheydwasser of LogiCan Technologies. "Manufacturing can and does exist here. We manufacture electronic circuit board assemblies for companies all over the globe. LogiCan is a near-shore Edmonton-based company that has seen almost two decades of growth without a single loss."How does an independent Edmonton company flourish in such a ferociously and globally competitive business?How has LogiCan grown without a nearby, supportive, sector cluster? Other than MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) manufacturer Micralyne, no similar business exists in Greater Edmonton.LogiCan, in its own building in the Edmonton Resea ... Read the rest of entry »

Some advice for Normand's Bistro: Weekly Dish originally published in Edmonton Sun March 6, 2013

Normand’s Bistro10177 99 St. (Citadel Theatre building)780 425 1008normandsbistro.comFood: 3 starsAmbience: 3.5 starsService: 3 starsDinner for two, basic (without beverages) $60; multi-course $90Normand’s Bistro has now been open on 99 Street, across from the downtown library in the Citadel Theatre building, since last fall.It’s veteran restaurateur Normand Campbell’s’ third restaurant. For decades he has owned Normand’s Restaurant and a few years ago became a partner in the Glenora Bistro.Norman, please consider this review as constructive criticism of your latest venture.One, the menu has to change. The location, for a target theatre-going audience that has an hour to 90 minutes to eat before a show, begs for lighter fare.Two, the cooking has to improve.Normand, your menu is old school. The entrees are heavy and traditional, all short rib, steak, duck leg and pork belly, osso bucco and salmon. There’s a few pizzas, a few salads, but little choice. The pricing is at the upper end, $28 for the beef short rib ... Read the rest of entry »

Pick up trucks top choice in Alberta: Hicks on Biz originally published in Edmonton Sun Sat. Feb. 9

Greenies, transit lovers and urbanites will not like this column.It’s our love affair with bright, shiny, new and big vehicles.In 2012, more new vehicles per capita were sold in northern Alberta (i.e. Red Deer north) than anywhere else in Canada.In 2012, Albertans purchased 239,000 cars and pickup trucks. Of those, about 60%, or 144,000, were sold in northern Alberta.Divided by a regional population (i.e. The Edmonton Sun’s circulation area) of about two million of Alberta’s 3.8 million residents, that’s one new vehicle for every 14 northern Albertans. The national average was one out of 21.About 1.5 million northern Albertans are licensed drivers. So about one in 11 regional drivers bought a new car or pickup last year.Speaking of trucks, of those 239,000 vehicles sold in Alberta, 190,000, or 80%, were trucks!P.S. This is misleading. For illogical reasons, the vehicle industry places all SUVs (big and small), all “cross-over” vehicles and all mini-vans in the “light truck” category. That cute little Honda CR ... Read the rest of entry »

Canteen's food is both fun and fine: Weekly Dish review originally published in Edmonton Sun, Jan. 23, 2013

Canteen 10522 124 St. (780) 485 6125 www.canteenyeg.caFood: 4 of 5 starsAmbience: 3.5 of 5 starsService: 3.5 of 5 starsFull dinner for two (without beverages): Basic, $60; fully loaded, $!00“It’s not about ‘fine food’ anymore,” says Canteen executive chef and owner Frank Olson. “It’s about ‘fun food’.”With all due respect, Frank, I beg to differ.The food at your new Canteen restaurant on 124 Street is both “fun” and “fine”.The Moroccan style lamb chops are the best lamb chops ever brought to an Edmonton restaurant table … with generous portions to boot.The almond-crusted Arctic char, with a dab of sweetened orange/butter sauce and a wee bit of pork belly (AKA fancy bacon) on the fork as well, is the work of a master chef who knows exactly how every flavour adds to the total experience.Remember, Frank has been at the helm of the consistently top-rated Red Ox Inn for 17 years with his wife Andrea as maître d’. Canteen is their second restaurant project.The “fun” and “fine” dance together in three variation ... Read the rest of entry »

Confidence in Edmonton's economy is growing: Hicks on Biz column, originally published Edmonton Sun, Dec. 29, 2012

Swagger is the wrong word.Edmontonians don’t swagger. That’s Calgary.But as we walk into 2013, there’s a spring in our step that’s truly remarkable.Brad Ferguson, the new, youthful boss of the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, feels it everywhere he goes.Call it a coming of age, call it a declaration of confidence - based on reality, not hype.Call it what you like, but it’s tangible and has resulted in the most positive business outlook in decades.Ferguson may be in his early 40s, but he’s been an Edmonton-based management/business consultant for some 20 years. He’s been through the lean times.“Confidence has returned,” says Ferguson. “You can feel the excitement. Business people are realizing our economy is resilient.“The world economy stopped in 2008, but we kept ticking along. We’re realizing oilsands investment can’t be turned on and off.”With confidence in the sustainability of the oil sands, Edmonton businesses are investing in the future, “far more so than in the boom/bust cycles of the past.” ... Read the rest of entry »