Dr. Allan Horowitz, published newspaper article, The Liberal, Copyright 1987-1991


Open letter to Dr. Allan Horowitz, Liberal columnist:

Your aimless pot-shots at shopping centres are hurting my feelings.

At the Shops on Steeles & 404, we work very hard to create a friendly, clean and safe shopping atmosphere for our customer. There are a lot of people associated with this building who take pride in what you term “malling’’.

The following topics are at least as important to everyone’s health as your July 3 column (“Here are some tips on how not to catch ‘mallitis’ “). Please consider sharing them with your readers.

Parking: At the Shops on Steeles & 404 there is rarely ever a parking problem. To be sure, try the lot located on top of the Sears building. There is always room there.

Beware of Hard Floors: Though they may look like marble, they are actually made of a cement-like mixture called terrazo. Like hospitals, city halls and recreational centres, shopping centres are built to look good and last a long time.

At the Shops on Steeles & 404, we have 66,000 people a week walk through our building. (Think about that the next time you look down into that crack between your stove and your kitchen counter.)

If you notice a spill or something on the floor, please tell a merchant or mall staff immediately. We’ll clean it up. The last thing we want is for anyone to slip and fall – it hurts.

Take advantage of our service: Have a glass of cool spring water from one of our stations located in the mall, check your coat at our Info-Lotto booth, use one of our wheelchairs or get your gift wrapped free during most special seasons.

We really care about service. If you want help with some parcels, ask a merchant or mall staff, we’ll find someone to lend a hand.

Take your time: Last year we put in new tables and chairs and new benches. You should find a place to sit down about every 20 feet in our mallways. Have an ice cream cone or just enjoy our climate-controlled, street-like atmosphere.

But above all, if you can’t find something, please ask someone. In fact, ask anyone, chances are the person standing next to you has been coming to the Shops on Steeles & 404 for years, well find it for you.

As for the people who work at the Shops on Steeles & 404, I hope they will disregard your advice to find a job somewhere else. We like them. They are part of our community here.

If they are going to go outside during their breaks, I would advise them to check out the picnic tables on the building’s west side. But like most, people who work here probably have a thousand things to do with their breaks to keep their family and personal lives in order.

Dr. Horowitz, can you see your dentist, have your shoes repaired, do your banking, pick up your lottery tickets, grab a jug of milk and buy your spouse a surprise bouquet of flowers all without leaving the building you work in?

By the way, Doc, if you’re still interested, there is a campaign backing nice, friendly neighborhood stores which has been in operation since 1977. It’s called the Shops on Steeles & 404 Shopping Centre and it’s located at the corner of Steeles Avenue East and Don Mills Road, just west of Hwy. 404 in Thornhill, Ontario.

They’re accepting new members all the time (in fact, I just joined on Feb. 25,1991).

Please do whatever you can to help us out. In addition to all the things outlined above, we’re in business, too.

MICHAEL CAYLEY,

General Msmager,

Shops on Steeles it 404,

Thornhill