The John Bead Corp. held its Runway '08 fashion show featuring some of the top runway models from the Czech Republic. The models displayed the numerous ways that beads are used in fashion and design - from high-end jewelry to fine detailing in clothing, shoes and accessories. The company held a similar fashion show last year.
If you haven't already guessed it, John Bead is in the bead business and goes by the tagline "Canada's largest bead importer".
With more than 45,000 products at its 100,000-square-foot showroom in Scarborough on Bertrand Avenue, the company ships beads all across North America.
But as with any large company, John Bead had humble beginnings.
John Bead began in 1954 shortly after Czech-native Fritz John came to Canada. Looking for a way to make a living, the 24-year-old fell back on a trade he knew well - the bead business.
He had family ties in Czechoslovakia (as the Czech Republic was then known) to the bead business. Czechs then, and still do, had a reputation for making some of the finest beads in the world.
"My father enjoyed the business," recalls his son and current owner, Michael John.
"He was more into the accounting side of the business."
By 1974 when the 19-year-old Michael got involved in the business, John Bead had moved to Spadina Avenue in the middle of the fashion district.
While his father focused more on the accounting end of the business, Michael dealt with the customers. The business really took off with the development of the First Nations glass-seed bead market. First Nations people use the beads in their fashion and artwork. Today that segment of the market remains an important one with an estimated 25 per cent of the company's business coming from the Aboriginal market.
The business continued to grow and moved east to Scarborough in the 1980s with the family purchasing their first building on Bertrand Avenue. Over the years the company moved three more times on the same street, ending up at its current location, 20 Bertrand Ave. in 2003.
The family affair continues with Michael's son Daniel getting his feet wet in the company. Daniel spent a good part of his life working at the company on his summer holidays and after school. Now finished university, the 24-year-old is working full time at the company. He hopes to continue developing the marketing side of the business.
Part of the success for the business is maintaining close ties with the customer base built up over half a century.
"It's nice to see the same customers," Michael said. "It gives you a good warm feeling dealing with those customers today."
That's a part of the business that Daniel wants to keep alive too.
"I want to continue the tradition of developing a close relationship with (customers)," he said. "We still have very loyal customers who come in and talk about when we were on Spadina Avenue."
At 85 years old, Michael's mother, Betty, still works at the company dealing with customers.