FALL RIVER: Little did Mehsen Nakad know when he made a mention of the need for sign to grab new residents’ attention of his store’s location to a customer, that the new sign would generate such community interest.
Nakad, who owns Fall River Convenience—better known to many locals simply as Mason’s on Fall River Road—mentioned the need to Terry Morris, a new entrepreneur. It is located at 1080 Fall River Road.
“I mentioned to him couple months ago that I was looking to have a sign for getting the new resident’s attention especially that the store is little far away from the road,” said Nakad. “People said that they’re always missing the store because there is no sign for.
“Terry said do not worry about. I am going to make a beautiful unique sign.”
And so, Morris, who has started TM&K Milling in Windsor Junction, began his task. The K in his company name stands for Kahlua, Morris’ four-legged sidekick that does more sleeping then delegating what should be done.
Using some old maple trees from a neighbour of Mason’s, the new sign has come along nicely. Photos of the new sign and its progress as it was built has been shared widely on local community Facebook pages.
“Really what he is doing there is getting everyone attention and a lot of compliments about it already,” said Nakad.
Morris is happy to help. He said the sign will comply with all HRM rules, set back from the sidewalk that runs adjacent to the road on Fall River Road.
“I told him if I could put TM&K Milling and my phone number on the sign, I would build him it,” said Morris, in between measuring and putting some finishing touches on the lower part of the sign. “If I can get, even a small increase, in business for him I will feel that my task has been fulfilled.”
The sign is sized as 78 inches wide by 80 inches horizontal. The sign itself is made of two by 10 by 10s cut in half, to make it five feet. It’s biscuit jointed and then glued, so he got a friend that brought him two metal straps to wrap it.
“He came back with the straps, and all I had to do was hook it up,” he said.
Morris, a retired Military veteran who had time at CFB Gagetown, said the design is made solely on what he had available, accumulating most of the stuff over a few months.
“I never had an idea how I was going to plant it until the neighbour invited me up to get her maple tree,” said Morris. “If I didn’t have that maple tree, I wouldn’t have the footing and shape single.”
He said the sign is also the best piece of advertising he, as a new business owner, could get.
“People can see what I build, not wondering if I can,” he said. “It’s beneficial for him to help build his business with new residents, and for me as a picture tells a thousand words.
“When you have a big picture, it tells a thousand big words.”
Nakad is grateful to Morris for what he is doing. Currently, because of COVID19 and being back off the road, Mason’s isn’t doing quite as well as it was pre-COVID19.
“I can’t thank him enough for what he is doing,” said Nakad. “I have a business that is not doing well lately, and I got couple offers to sell it the last couple years, but for me and for a lot of people in our community this store means a lot. It’s the community’s store.”
Morris said he hopes the new sign will be noticeable to the motorists that zoom up and down Fall River daily.
“The ones going up and down that aren’t from here, who don’t know the store is here, they will know that it’s here now thanks to the sign,” Morris said smiling.
