Bleeker Stereo & TV: Top notch service for over 45 years

Back in 1965, a customer came into Bleeker Stereo & TV and bought a state of the art Grundig console stereo for $479.

That purchaser recently came into the Clyde Avenue store again, and in honour of the store's anniversary, offered the stereo back.

"The radio still works, and you can hear it in the store", says Rob Bleeker, vice-president of Bleeker Stereo & TV, and son of company founder Hans Bleeker. "It even has the bill of sale, signed by my Dad"

Hans Bleeker started in business back in 1961, with a little electronics repair shop in the east end of town.

The company has evolved into three locations- 977 St. Laurent Blvd. in the east end, 499 Terry Fox Drive in Kanata, as well as the main store at Clyde and Merivale where they've been located since 1971.

Bleeker was the first electronics store on Merivale Road.

"It was outside Ottawa city limits and so we could stay open until 9 p.m.," says Rob.

Repair and electronics was the original focus, and then Hans Bleeker decided if a TV set couldn't be fixed, then he should sell a new TV to his customers instead of sending them somewhere else.

These days the company consists of several different divisions- the sales department with about 20 sales people, a service and repair department with about 10 technicians, and a delivery department with 10 people on staff and six trucks.

There is also a custom installation division and a professional/industrial division for corporate clients.

Bleeker Audio Video & Appliances is the largest independent dealer in Eastern Ontario for many of the lines they carry. The mainstay of the business continues to be the audio and video product, with a wide selection of new high definition flat panel televisions, home theatre systems, and video cameras.

"We carry many unique products from our suppliers which we call 'Bleeker Unique'," says Rob Bleeker. "These are value-added products that are not sold in any of the box or chain stores due to the fact that they don't have the expertise to properly show or demonstrate these products. An example would be Hitachi plasma TV; the less expensive, basic version would be sold by all dealers including ourselves but we also have a unique model with better performance and features for the same or slightly higher price which can not be found at other retailers."

They are also one of the biggest dealers in Ottawa for Maytag appliances, which they have offered since 1974.

With their team of expert sales professionals, Bleeker is considered by many to be the foremost authority in all those categories. When you're buying a brand-name product, Bleeker believes you deserve service after the fact.

"In such a competitive business as electronics, Bleeker is right there with the best prices," says Rob Bleeker. "We believe that at Bleeker you don't pay more, you just get more. We are there from start to finish, making sure we find the right product for the client and then making sure the product is delivered and installed correctly. We're there after the sale to answer questions and then we're there down the road when you need service."

Most sales people at Bleeker Audio Video & Appliances are career sales people. "They are professionals who specialize in this category," says Rob Bleeker. "They're not just here for a temporary job. This is their chosen profession. We have a loyal clientele who have made many purchases over the years. We believe in building a relationship with our clients. With our career salespeople, you can build a long term relationship. That way you can come back in six months or a year after buying your TV and see the same sales person who is familiar with what you already have and can recommend the proper audio system or DVD player to complement it." Hans Bleeker, 70, has been retired for awhile, but still comes in a couple of times a week to make sure things are running smoothly. "He still loves to come in and catch up with the mail and chat with me about what's going on," says Rob. "To me, working with Dad is like working with a best friend. It's so nice to have family around."

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