Variety store owners moving on

CLIFFORD - Having served the community for 23 years, Ho and Karine Park have sold their business, Clifford Village Variety and will be leaving Clifford on May 27.

With COVID-19 protocols in affect, farewell festivities are fairly simplified. There won’t be any, no come and go party at the hall, no wine and cheese buffet, no grand gestures. With only three customers allowed in the store at a time, there won’t be any big in-store celebration either.  However, they are open seven days a week from 7am to 9pm, so local residents have an opportunity to wish them well in person before they leave and settle into retirement.

Over the years, shoppers could find a wide variety of goods and videos, the staples expected to be found in a variety store, the necessities essential to a community, especially one without a grocery store. Several years ago, the Ontario Lottery Corporation supplied a terminal, adding lottery tickets to the front counter and giving people another reason to stop and shop in Clifford. With the closing of the Royal Bank, the most logical place for an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) was at the variety store.

Ho joined the Clifford Lions Club, promoting the sale of chocolate Easter bunnies and dog inspired calendars to raise funds and awareness for the ongoing programs of the Lions.

Karine joined two church choirs, offering to share her singing talents in both English and Korean, and after learning how to play the flute, she shared that gift of music as well.