Let’s go back to 1964 and the Know Your Friendly Ladner Merchants special section that in the Optimist in March of that year.
One of the businesses featured was Overwaitea Foods, a grocery store located at 4857 Delta Street.
It was opened by George North in January 1933.
“The store was only half the size it is now, and it was the old style counter service” said North.
“In 1950 I enlarged the store and opened the first ‘self-serve’ in this area. It was also one of the first self-serve stores in the Overwaitea Company. Some people thought that they would never get used to choosing their own grocery needs from the shelves, but they soon got used to it, and I don’t know anyone who would like to go back to counter service.”
George North was an active member of the community, participating in various community groups
Born in London, England in 1906, North started to work at the Vancouver branch of Overwaitea when he was 19.
Married with three grown kids, North had time to give back to municipal affairs.
He was a member of the Delta Advisory Planning Commission, the Delta Chamber of Commerce and was president of the Ladner Businessmen’s Association. He was also a charter member of the Kinsmen Club of Ladner.
“I think that Delta has a great future and is now developing steadily and strongly,” he said.
He noted he thought one thing that Delta really needed at the time was more apartments for the elderly and young couples, as well as people like himself "who have other things to do than spend our summer evenings cutting grass."
