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| Manxie sets up TT
merchanise Company in Canada
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A former Island resident has taken his love of the TT
with him to Canada and set up a successful company selling racing and Joey
Dunlop merchandise. Ron Paradise, who used to live in Friary Park, Ballabeg, is
the president and director of sales and marketing of Infront Racing Apparel.
The company designs and makes motor racing clothing and has been
granted the sole licence to print clothing with graphics of Joey.
A
portion of the profits generated by the company will go to charities once
supported by Joey and now his widow Linda. Ron and girlfriend Ingrid live in
Victoria, Vancouver Island, and are in contact with Linda and her family. The
fledgling company has been in business nine months and sells goods including
T-shirts and bike accessories. Ron explained: 'I originally thought of running
a business of this nature several years ago and then, by chance in June last
year, I met Ingrid who has outstanding abilities in computers and website
designing.
'After long discussions and many, many hours of work we
formed a partnership and entered our first motorcycle show in September. 'We
now have five major motorcycle dealers who are our distributors with more
showing interest and in the coming months we will be more diversified with the
type of products we sell.'
Ron is disappointed the TT is not going
ahead but understands the government's decision. He said: 'As a former resident
of the Isle of Man I fully understand how hard it must have been for the Manx
Government to make a final decision regarding holding the TT, obviously it will
affect those involved with tourism, hotels, etc which has a spiralling effect.
'I am sure most motorcycle enthusiasts, not to mention competitors,
were devastated on hearing the races had been cancelled.'
Ron can be
contacted at
Infront Racing Apparel,
510 Gore Street,
Victoria, BC,
Canada, V9A 5E4.
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