Heard On The Street

A largely-vacant strip of Tecumseh Road East between Lincoln Road and Windermere Road, in Windsor, appears to be ready for a transformation with two vacant properties already sold and two others for sale. Brandon Ives has already planted his flag in the middle of the block at 1666 Tecumseh Road East with the mid-March opening of Skate Temple, a skateboard and accessories shop. “I’ve been renting the space since October and hoped to open by Halloween, but COVID-19 restrictions stopped that from happening,” Ives indicates. “I’m just happy to be open and it’s a great location with lots of traffic.” He is also a partner in Skate TF, an indoor skateboard training facility at Howard Avenue and Shepherd Avenue, which is just minutes away (SkateTF.com). “I had to choose between being close to a skate park or on a busy road and I went with busy,” adds Ives. Skateboarders are a tight community and Ives expects fans and enthusiasts will find him. Elsewhere on the block, there are a number of vacant storefronts, including Palazzo Moda, a bridal and formal gown shop, which fell victim to the cancellation of proms, weddings, galas and charity events over the past 12 months. The building is for sale along with an adjacent storefront, as well as a former CIBC bank building at the corner of Lincoln and Tecumseh.

After more than 30 years working for U.S.-based travel agency companies, Beverley Power decided to strike out on her own this year and launch POWERBEST TRAVEL, an independent business. “I started with Travel Agents International in 1989 and that later became Carlson Wagonlit Travel,” explains Power of her career journey. A re-brand to CWT Vacations followed in January 2020. Once the pandemic hit a year ago and took a huge bite out of the travel industry, Power felt that she and many fellow travel agents weren’t getting sufficient support from CWT and she decided to set up her own agency. “I’m confident travel will bounce back because there’s going to be a huge pent-up demand once restrictions are lifted and people feel confident about travel again,” she says. In the meantime, the industry has been decimated and many smaller companies have closed their doors. “It’s my stubbornness,” admits Power of her desire to remain in the travel business. “It will take time, but my phones are beginning to ring again, not so much for bookings, but for information about what people will need when they do start to travel again.” Power adds that this is likely the most important time to use a travel agent, rather than booking online, because local agents can provide all the necessary information about restrictions in countries across the globe. “If all you do is sell tickets, you’re not servicing your clients,” Power expresses. Great advice indeed! POWERBEST TRAVEL is located at 1206 Ouellette Avenue. To learn more about this agency log on to: POWERBESTTRAVEL.ca.

A new three-physician cardiology office is under construction at 4440 Tecumseh Road East, in a space previously occupied by Golden Griddle and most recently Rise N’ Shine, a pair of breakfast-focused restaurants in Windsor. It’s just one of many projects being handled by Petretta Construction Inc. (PetCon.net), according to Jonathon Lot, the company’s Vice-President of Operations. They include completion of a five-floor modular student residence at St. Clair College, the first phase of Crossings at Heritage, a condominium development in LaSalle, the Harbour Club condominium on Old Tecumseh Road in Tecumseh, a new telecommunications office for Windsor Family Credit Union, phase one of three phases for a new condo development at 140 Main Street in Kingsville, a new condo on the site of the former Sunnyside Tavern in LaSalle, a variety of projects for Planet Fitness, and new condos on land east of Place Van Niforos, owner of the Penalty Box restaurant, plans to open a second location by early summer on Cabana Road East at the intersection with Howard Avenue in Windsor. While many restaurants have been hard-hit by the year-long pandemic, such is not the case at the Penalty Box’s location at 2151 Walker Road. “We’ve been very lucky,” says Niforos. “But, that’s not the case for a lot of people in this business.” While business has been good, Niforos says he misses the people. “It’s not the same because I enjoy meeting people and seeing the same loyal customers coming in all the time,” he adds. When the new restaurant opens, it will offer takeout only, depending upon whether or not COVID-19 related restrictions are still in place. The Walker Road location will remain open offering all the same services as before. For more information, see: PenaltyBoxWindsor.com.

The retail and hospitality landscape in Windsor continues to change. Chef Matthew Johnston, Owner of Amherstburg’s popular Artisan Grill is opening a second location at Devonshire Mall in a space previously occupied by Moxie’s Grill & Bar. An opening date is largely reliant on when Windsor emerges from COVID-19 restrictions and restaurant capacity limits are increased. The original Artisan Grill is at 269 Dalhousie Street (ArtisanGrill.ca). T. Kettle, a Canadian-based loose-leaf tea chain, is also opening at Devonshire Mall (updates on: T-Kettle.com) beside Michael Hill Jewellery. Also, at Devonshire Mall, Urban Behaviour has closed its doors after less than a year of operation in the former Forever 21 space. And in the neighbouring shopping area Winners has opened its fourth area location at 4339 Walker Road in a plaza anchored by the Real Canadian Superstore. Winners also has stores at 2430 Dougall Avenue, 7201 Tecumseh Road East, and 250 Erie Street South in Leamington.

barBURRITO, a Canada-wide chain of Mexican restaurants, with 140 locations in seven provinces, has opened its first Windsor location at 7555 Tecumseh Road East in a space previously occupied by the Captain’s Home Furnishing Centre. The chain specializes in burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, gluten- friendly options and a variety of side dishes. Visit: barBURRITO.ca.

Steve “Beller” Bell — A Nice Guy Who Still Finishes First

By Joe McParland

The calendar had just flipped from February to March when 41 year veteran of radio, Steve Bell (“Beller”) of AM800 CKLW, found out he would not be reporting for work the next day.

He was given no warning or heads up. His job had been eliminated; he had been let go.

No chance to say goodbye to the thousands of Windsor Essex folks who invited Bell into their homes daily over the past four decades.

No chance to say goodbye to colleagues.

No chance for his followers to say goodbye to him and to thank him for being Beller — both on radio and in the community.

Welcome to the brutally cold and heartless world of corporate restructuring.

Beller was left breathless by the news, but courageously finished his 41 year marathon and crossed the finish line with class and dignity. But he soon found out that what he had really crossed was not a finish line, but a starting line for some exciting new adventures for both him and others in our community.

Goran Todorovic knows a winner when he sees one. His real estate brokerage confirms this fact. On March 4, 2021 in a media release, his business, Team Goran RE/MAX CARE Realty (refer to: TeamGoran.com), issued the following . . .

“Goran Todorovic, Broker-Owner of RE/MAX CARE Realty & Team Leader of Team Goran has been recognized by RE/MAX World Headquarters as the #1 Owner Team in all of Canada, which honours the high-achieving real estate teams for their service to buyers and/or sellers during the past year. This is the highest team achievement in the RE/MAX network.” (And, further on) “Team Goran actively supports our community through the Team Goran CARES program, spotlighting local businesses with the Team Goran CARE Ambassador, Steve Bell.”

Todorovic’s monumental achievement of reaching #1 in national status and 27th worldwide with RE/MAX, included both the number of transactions and the number of commissions earned in 2020. But the savvy businessman that he is, Todorovic shared this moment in the spotlight and used this announcement to introduce the latest member of his team — Beller — the newly appointed CARE Ambassador.

A 32 year veteran in the real estate business, Todorovic explains the addition of Beller to his team this way: “We called ourselves RE/MAX CARE Realty because we really do care. It is more than just words, it’s actions. The CARE Ambassador is a new and evolving position with us. Up to now, Beller has been one of Windsor’s most recognizable voices in the community. Now his face will become just as recognizable as we help businesses and families survive the next little while until we reclaim our normality — whatever that may be.”

A Team Goran videographer will accompany Beller as he promotes, highlights, and assists local businesses throughout the community.

Growing up in Kincardine, Ontario on the shores of Lake Huron, since the age of seven Beller knew he wanted to be in radio.

From the mid to late 1960s he and his three older sisters fought his parents for radio time. The parents listened to CKNX in Wingham for local news and memoriams,

Steve Bell (right) is stepping up his game as he is welcomed by Broker of Record and Owner of RE/MAX CARE Realty in Windsor, Goran Todorovic, as the newly appointed Team Goran CARE Ambassador. Bell and Todorovic give the thumbs up sign to our photographer during the photo shoot at their office situated at 1610 Sylvestre Drive. Photo by Rod Denis.

while he and his siblings tuned into “The Big 8” CKLW out of Windsor and Detroit. These were the glory days of “The Big 8” with radio personalities like “Super” Max Kinkel, Johnny Williams, Tom Shannon, Charlie O’Brien, Gary “Morning Mouth” Burbank, “Brother” Bill Gable and Byron MacGregor, just to name a few.

Beller admits to loving sports, but being a lousy athlete. Even after all the charity golf tournaments he has participated in, he considers himself a scratch golfer happy to break 100.

As a young teenager playing road hockey with his buddies, he could also be heard doing “play by play” of the action on the street — foreshadowing his future. He would even attempt the national anthem beforehand.

Even though Beller saw his dream job as a DJ in radio, after graduating from high school he worked for a year back home at what was then known as Bruce Nuclear Power Development, to save enough money for his future schooling. He then moved to Toronto and enrolled in Humber College in Public Relations.

Why?

“As much as I wanted to be a DJ, I still had some apprehension about sitting behind a microphone,” he explains.

After just one day in the Public Relations Program Beller realized he should be in Humber’s three-year Radio Program. However, he had to finish the Public Relations Program for at least one year before transferring to the Radio Program.

Since Fanshawe in London had a sterling reputation for their two-year Radio Program, he transferred and graduated from there and was immediately hired in March 1980 by CKSO 790 in Sudbury at the age of 22.

Only six months into his first DJ job, a former classmate of Beller from Fanshawe now working at CKWW 580 in Windsor, played a taped portion of Beller’s DJ work for his boss. Beller was on air in Sudbury when he received a phone call from CKWW Program Manager Kevin McGowan with a job offer to come to CKWW for double his current salary.

Thus, began Beller’s career in Windsor as a DJ in the company of Sports Director and Spitfires announcer Dave Quinn, also Cam Gardiner, Lynn Martin, Kevin McGowan and other notables. When Quinn moved to Toronto in 1986/87 Beller took over his position as the Windsor Spitfires play-byplay announcer, and sports, for the station.

By the way, this is where his nick name “Beller” came from.

“Quinn was always called Quinner, and he in turn tagged me as Beller,” he tells me. “And I’ve been Beller ever since.”

Beller has a treasure trove of memories from his 41 years in Windsor. The years 2009, 2010, 2017 were Memorial Cup Championships for the Windsor Spitfires.

But the strongest — and most painful memory — dates to February 18, 2008.

When I asked him about this date he paused, his eyes welled up with tears and he quietly responds: “That was the day we lost the Captain, Mickey Renaud, #18. I was on a freeway in Detroit at the time and had the radio on when the news broke that Windsor Spitfires Captain Mickey Renaud had died. I remember breaking into tears and had to pull to the side of the freeway to take it all in. What I most liked about Mickey was that always present big smile of his, and how decent and good a young guy he was. To know his family is to know he was a chip off the old block and was raised so well.”

In his daily sportscasts Beller gave as much prominence (or more) to local collegiate, university, high school, and amateur sporting events in Windsor Essex as he did to keeping us updated with professional sports.

This thrilled many a parent, grandparent, and friends of young athletes as their names went out over the airwaves.

Throughout his career Beller has been one of Windsor’s most beloved media personalities, both for his on-air style as well as for his endless volunteer work for charitable organizations in the community.

Ask people what they think about Beller and the most frequent response is “nice” — he is just a nice guy.

So, I asked Beller what makes him so nice, and he replies: “You have got me blushing, but thanks. I guess it goes back to roots — a small town kid from Kincardine and my dad’s words to me: ‘Always try to do the right thing, son. It is not about money; it’s about being happy’.”

Beller will continue to be the voice of the Windsor Spitfires. And besides his promotional work with Team Goran, Beller will stay on as promotional spokesperson for Lally Ford in Tilbury (LallyFord.com);

Expert Windows, Doors, Roofing &

Siding (ExpertExteriors.ca); Furniture

One featuring: LAZBOY ComfortStudio

(Furniture1.ca); and Antonino’s Original Pizza (OriginalPizza.ca).

Let us be clear that even though Beller has crossed the finish line of his radio career that spanned four decades, he is pumped to be at the starting line for the next chapter of his life with all its exciting possibilities. And our community is pumped for him, too.

He puts to rest the outdated saying that “nice guys finish last.” Beller will always be first in the hearts and memories of Windsor and Essex County!

Without a doubt Beller will always be one of Windsor’s most beloved media figures. Photo by Rod Denis.