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ELECTION: Candidates address the issues /A8&9 ARTS: Oak Bay hosts writers’ festival /A11 SPORTS: Long road ahead for short-track skater /A17
OAK BAYNEWS Wednesday, November 5, 2014
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Signs spark debate on Twitter
Pair putting new shine on old idea
Christine van Reeuwyk
News staff
Christine van Reeuwyk
News staff
Campaign signs sparked a Twitter conversation this weekend between a handful of Oak Bay council candidates. Incumbent Coun. Kevin Murdoch tweeted a photo of the signs along the boulevard of Cedar Hill X Road reminding fellow candidates in a plea for candidates to abide by Oak Bay’s “no signs on public property” rule. Oak Bay’s sign bylaw prohibits political signs on public property. Specifically, political signs can’t be erected more than 30 days prior to election, must be removed within seven days and can’t be put up on public property or where they interfere with traffic safety. Staff at municipal hall take a practical approach, they say, to the bylaw during election time. Unless there’s a specific complaint or traffic safety concern most signs are left alone. cvanreeuwyk@oakbay news.com
In the ongoing pursuit of quality, a pair of Jamies aim to add shine to the lives around them. Jamie Neilson of Oak Bay and Jamie Gagan of Langford hope to have men, perhaps women as well, investing in quality shoes, and maintenance. “We went from “Men’s care products, they’re huge right now,” idea to launch and said Neilson, citing friends earning a living in beard wax $1,500 in sales within sales. eight weeks.” They noticed men these - Jamie Neilson days seem to be taking more care in their appearance; a return to classic looks and styles. The Shinekits endeavour started with Gagan discovering under-serviced keywords online. Among them the demand for shoe shine kits with little decent product available. “Everyone has one nice pair of shoes that they don’t wear every day but they need to polish,” Gagan said. With a background in the import business, Neilson went in search of the products needed to create the kits. They priced out less expensive items that they could turn around quickly and cheaply, but their moral sensibilities and desire to create something long lasting, a potential heirloom even, won out. “Hopefully people are willing to pay for quality,” Neilson said. Turns out they are. “We went from idea to launch and $1,500 in sales within eight weeks,” Neilson said. The website, shinekits.com went live in June and they’ve shipped around the world including Australia, South Wales and the U.S. “We’re having fun, and it’s nice to create something,” Neilson said. Christine van Reeuwyk/News staff
Jamie Gagan, left, and Jamie Neilson show off their quality shoe shining kits in Neilson’s Oak Bay home.
PLEASE SEE: Hardwood boxes carry heirloom feel, Page A10
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