Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 13/99) - The business community's condition continues to worsen as a second batch of Yellowknife stores will soon close their doors.

Mil-Spec Northwest Territories, Eko Holistic Beauty and Work World are calling it quits. And last Friday, financing company Superior Acceptance shut its Yellowknife offices.

The business community can add this group to Munchkins, Damoli's Card & Gift and White Bear Chrysler.

It was a fairly short run for Mil-Spec. The army surplus store opened in April of 1997.

"It was a unique venture. There was never anything like it in Yellowknife," co-owner Dave Bondy said. He felt army surplus items, of which may are geared to winter climates, would go over well in the North.

But availability of sizes and the Canadian dollar were factors in the turn for the worse, he adds. Much of the merchandise comes out of the U.S.

Bondy said the business did well in the first six months, but sales figures have fallen over the past 13 months.

"This town's economy is changing radically," he said.

Bondy, who worked for CBC for 27 years before starting Mil-Spec, said he is not sure what he will do. "I may have to move on."

Mil-Spec will attempt to sell off its remaining merchandise to the public as well as other retailers. Bondy said the plan is to shut down by the end of the month.

Eko owner Cal Smith said her lease is up at the end of February and that's when the business, located in the Scotia Centre, will shut down.

Eko provides hair and other services such as manicures and pedicures.

"I'm closing for lots of reasons," Smith said. She cited the city's changing economy, family commitments, keeping staff, as well as a desire to do something different as reasons.

"I'd like to sell the business," she added. If no buyers emerge, Smith adds she may end up donating stock and equipment to the YWCA of Yellowknife.

Smith bought the business over seven years ago when it was called Hair 4ever. Five years ago, she changed the name to Eko.

Superior Acceptance manager Barbara Fournier said last week that the finance company had merged with the Associates, another financing firm. The Associates is a Texas-based firm which down-sized its Canadian operations, Fournier said.

"As of Friday (Jan. 8), I'm out of a job," she said.

Fournier said if anyone has inquiries for Superior Acceptance or the Associates, they should contact the Associates' Edmonton offices.

At Work World, manager Rhoda Gacayan said the Centre Square Mall store is closing but a date has not yet been determined.

Work World stores are owned by Mark's Work Wearhouse.

Work World, Mil-Spec, Eko and Superior join a trio of businesses that are faced with closure -- Munchkins, Damoli's Card & Gift and White Bear Chrysler.

Munchkins, owned by Wallace Finlayson and Donna Latremouille, closed at the end of December. Finlayson co-owns Sutherland's Drugs.

Damoli's, owned by Dianne Nikiforuk, will close later this month. The Nikiforuk family owns Jan's Card & Gift.

White Bear, started by Harry Ely and Mark Chang in 1995, was put into receivership Dec. 18.

Ely, who lives in Two Hills, Alta., said he sold his stake in the car and truck dealership to Mark Chang and Tony Chang in '97.

Ely said he thinks the business could make a go of it here.

"I still believe a Chrysler dealership could be successful (in Yellowknife)," he said.

Ely, who named White Bear, now finds himself among its creditors. He said he was "disappointed to see it get to this stage."

The firm of PriceWaterhouseCoopers was appointed receiver for White Bear Chrysler.