The photo is an accurate depiction of the street view of my Dad’s children’s wear business (Dean’s Tots-n-Teens) for many years. It was located at 380 Main Street – directly across the street from the Hudson’s Bay – at the corner of Main and Wade Street. The TD Bank/Canada Trust building sits there now. From my fading memory, there was a butcher shop located immediately to the north of my Dad’s business for a period – and then Tony Stolz opened a stereo and furniture shop when the butcher closed the doors. At one point the building housing these businesses was owned by Mr. Cummings – who is still alive and well here in Penticton. Trivia:  Mention of Dean’ Tots-n-Teens can be found in the Hollywood film – “My American Cousin” (Director – Susan Wilson from the Naramata family) during the Teen Town dance at the Band Shell scene –  which I am sure you have seen or heard about.

My Dad (Burton) was involved in a number of local businesses since 1950 – he started a wool shop/ toy shop in a combined location near where ‘the Bellevue Cafe’ is right now on the west side of Main Street; Dean’s Tots-n’Teens; and he bought Robbie’s Datsun from the original owner in the late 1960’s (located in the mid 500 block on the east side of Main Street) – and sold it as Robbie’s Nissan years later to a Vancouver party who subsequently went broke. He started a fast food business called ‘The Beefeater’ in 1967 near where the original A&W was on the east side of Main Street (north of the Cherry Lane Mall)…it didn’t do so well, and he ended up putting Robbie’s Nissan Used Car lot on that location. In addition, for many years, he leased all of the summer beach concessions from the City of Penticton and employed not only myself and brothers Doug and David – but also most of the high school fraternity that sought summer jobs during those years!

Both my Dad and my Mom (an RN who was the Head Nurse on Emergency and PRH for many years) have passed on in 2002 and 2003 respectively, but (having been born here) I am the lucky recipient of a lush history of the early years from the 1950’s while Penticton blossomed as a tourist destination and businesses grew. I was raised at the family home 258 Windsor Avenue – beside the boulevard.

I have two younger brothers – Doug (now a retired school teacher who owns a Wine Tour company in the South Okanagan); and David (a Professional Engineer semi-retired in private practice in Kamloops, B.C. He was formerly a City Engineer in Penticton for a few years). I was born here, too, in 1953 and have lived elsewhere in Canada pursuing my Air Canada piloting profession since 1973 – returning to the Naramata/Penticton area in 1998. I remain employed as a senior Boeing 777 Captain flying out of Vancouver on overseas routes with 40 years of service…retirement is nigh! I have other business interests including Vinifera Custom Viticulture Ltd. which is a secret love involving the wine industry.

Sorry to have bored you to death – all as a result of a photo from the past! Thanks for the opportunity to revisit my family’s Penticton past – and keep up your great work in making sure we all remember!

Story by Gary Dean as told to Doug Cox