Alley Kat
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http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/ted_woloshyn/2008/09/20/6822616-sun.html
The other King of Kensington
Tom's Place has collared the market for 50 years, and it suits the family just fine
By TED WOLOSHYN
When William Mihalik stepped off the boat at Halifax's Pier 21 in 1956, he couldn't have conceived what he was about to create.
A little more than a half a century later, his legacy flourishes through the determination and work ethic of his progeny, Tom. It is he who transformed William's Bargain and Second Hand Store into Tom's Place, a $10-million-a-year clothing shop which caters to some of this city's biggest shooters, right smack in the heart of Kensington Market.
So what would William, who died in 1984, think?
"He would say, 'Tommy go f--- yourself, this is a fluke,'" laughs Mihalik. "To my face, he never complimented me, but behind my back he would be very proud."
William Mihalik began his life in Canada with $5, and found a job as an assistant cook at a hospital in New Brunswick. Two years later, William moved to Toronto.
At the time Kensington Market, or the Jewish Market as it was known, was home to many immigrants, including some of William's Hungarian friends from Budapest who owned shops in the area. It was they who helped convince him to open a store. He took over a used clothing store at 55 Kensington Ave.
"Before I came to Canada in 1968, I was told that my father was a millionaire who owned a department store. When we arrived in Kensington market and saw the store, I said this can't be, there must be some kind of mistake," Tom Mihalik says with a chuckle.
Although not Jewish, his father had many Jewish friends who supported him, and to this day Tom is still very close to the Jewish community. In fact Tom has donated close to a million dollars to the Miles Nadel Centre on Spadina, where a dressing room in the centre's fitness club is named after him.
In my 12 years as spokesman for Tom's Place, I have witnessed his generosity toward Sick Kids' hospital, the Children's Breakfast Club and dozens of other charities. He also spearheaded a campaign to erect a statue of Al Waxman; the star of television's King of Kensington.
Over the years, there was much the father taught the son.
"We would travel to Montreal by bus to buy clothing. My dad would slip the driver $20 so we could put boxes of clothes on board, because he wanted the clothing in the store right away. All our deals with the manufacturers were done with a handshake," says a beaming Mihalik.
HAGGLE AND WIN
"I saw that being honest meant so much in the business world; that and selling good quality clothes at a reasonable price. We had no price tags, so customers would haggle with you, and win. If my father couldn't convince the customers his price was better, he would send them to Eaton's, and then they'd come back," Mihalik says.
After he took over the business, "I went to the top manufacturers and distributors and bought samples, clearance products, and mid-season high-end stock. The concept really kicked in during the height of the recession in the '80s. But as business grew, I started to travel to Italy and placed in season orders, along with Canadian manufacturers, all the time sticking to the same principles as my father did," says Mihalik.
Mihalik's good friend, the late billionaire Ken Thomson proclaimed: "Tom is like a walrus. He is able to make a living in a harsh environment. To sell designer clothing in a market known for fruits and vegetables is truly a miracle. He has to be the greatest Canadian I've ever met."
FAMILY BIZ
Tom's at his store seven days a week, working with his sister Annette, his brother Willy, and Tom Jr. Another son is off at university. His loyal general manager of 14 years, Paul Bourne, also plays a major role.
And, boasts Tom, "My mom is here everyday, she eats her food right in front of the cash, keeping an eye out."
I can only imagine what goes through her mind as she watches her son, knowing it all started with her late husband 50 years ago. You can't buy that kind of maternal pride. Even at Tom's prices.
The other King of Kensington
Tom's Place has collared the market for 50 years, and it suits the family just fine
By TED WOLOSHYN
When William Mihalik stepped off the boat at Halifax's Pier 21 in 1956, he couldn't have conceived what he was about to create.
A little more than a half a century later, his legacy flourishes through the determination and work ethic of his progeny, Tom. It is he who transformed William's Bargain and Second Hand Store into Tom's Place, a $10-million-a-year clothing shop which caters to some of this city's biggest shooters, right smack in the heart of Kensington Market.
So what would William, who died in 1984, think?
"He would say, 'Tommy go f--- yourself, this is a fluke,'" laughs Mihalik. "To my face, he never complimented me, but behind my back he would be very proud."
William Mihalik began his life in Canada with $5, and found a job as an assistant cook at a hospital in New Brunswick. Two years later, William moved to Toronto.
At the time Kensington Market, or the Jewish Market as it was known, was home to many immigrants, including some of William's Hungarian friends from Budapest who owned shops in the area. It was they who helped convince him to open a store. He took over a used clothing store at 55 Kensington Ave.
"Before I came to Canada in 1968, I was told that my father was a millionaire who owned a department store. When we arrived in Kensington market and saw the store, I said this can't be, there must be some kind of mistake," Tom Mihalik says with a chuckle.
Although not Jewish, his father had many Jewish friends who supported him, and to this day Tom is still very close to the Jewish community. In fact Tom has donated close to a million dollars to the Miles Nadel Centre on Spadina, where a dressing room in the centre's fitness club is named after him.
In my 12 years as spokesman for Tom's Place, I have witnessed his generosity toward Sick Kids' hospital, the Children's Breakfast Club and dozens of other charities. He also spearheaded a campaign to erect a statue of Al Waxman; the star of television's King of Kensington.
Over the years, there was much the father taught the son.
"We would travel to Montreal by bus to buy clothing. My dad would slip the driver $20 so we could put boxes of clothes on board, because he wanted the clothing in the store right away. All our deals with the manufacturers were done with a handshake," says a beaming Mihalik.
HAGGLE AND WIN
"I saw that being honest meant so much in the business world; that and selling good quality clothes at a reasonable price. We had no price tags, so customers would haggle with you, and win. If my father couldn't convince the customers his price was better, he would send them to Eaton's, and then they'd come back," Mihalik says.
After he took over the business, "I went to the top manufacturers and distributors and bought samples, clearance products, and mid-season high-end stock. The concept really kicked in during the height of the recession in the '80s. But as business grew, I started to travel to Italy and placed in season orders, along with Canadian manufacturers, all the time sticking to the same principles as my father did," says Mihalik.
Mihalik's good friend, the late billionaire Ken Thomson proclaimed: "Tom is like a walrus. He is able to make a living in a harsh environment. To sell designer clothing in a market known for fruits and vegetables is truly a miracle. He has to be the greatest Canadian I've ever met."
FAMILY BIZ
Tom's at his store seven days a week, working with his sister Annette, his brother Willy, and Tom Jr. Another son is off at university. His loyal general manager of 14 years, Paul Bourne, also plays a major role.
And, boasts Tom, "My mom is here everyday, she eats her food right in front of the cash, keeping an eye out."
I can only imagine what goes through her mind as she watches her son, knowing it all started with her late husband 50 years ago. You can't buy that kind of maternal pride. Even at Tom's prices.
