Team Musings

  ERNA VAUSE - Team Member  South Africa  

Life at Game changed my Whole Life!
I first became acquainted with Alan Hellmann and Jack Schaffer in October 1967 when I applied for a position with Grants Discount Stores.  I had increasingly become frustrated with the Fisons Fertilizer Company where I had worked and after 10 years with them promotion had become limited for women in management. Although I had done well in that time and was doing the work of a branch accountant was never given the recognition and the salary that goes with this position because I was a female.  How far women have advanced since those days!

My husband Frank noticed an advertisement in the Sunday Tribune for an Executive Secretary with accounting and administration experience and felt this might be what I was looking for. I promptly made an appointment to be interviewed for the position.  Having great expectations I dressed to the nines in a smart bright red and black business suit and high heels and walked down Smith Street from Durban Club Place to where the Grants store was located.  This was quite a walk I might add!

When I arrived at the premises of the store I was greeted with a sight I would never forget! The store was decked out in combat materials and staff was dressed in army uniforms. The music being played was some march and I thought I had arrived at the wrong place.

An enquiry from a lady at the till (who I later found out was Dorothy Hellmann, Allan’s mother) confirmed I was in the right place. Well, I nearly fainted and wanted to run right back to my smart conservative office furnished in a glass top desk and leather chairs.

However the walk had been long and I thought well I am here, might as well see what it is all about!  Bernard Shapiro who had been one of the staff dressed in army gear escorted me to the back of the store and I arrived at a makeshift office which had been built on two large wooden tables.  These had been purchased from Randles Bros and Hudson the wholesalers a few months before where they had been used to store large rolls of materials.  This was quite ironic as my husband Frank had worked at this company and was retrenched when they closed their doors 18 months before.

I went up some steps into this office (which was very messy to say the least) with samples of merchandise all over the place and with two guys sitting at makeshift desks. I almost tripped and stepped into one of the aluminum pots which made one lot of noise. After many apologies from them for the mess they introduced themselves as Alan and Jack.  Jack did most of the interview but Alan asked some questions from time to time. This is the only time in my career that I have been interviewed by two people. Anyway they offered me the job but stressed that I had to be prepared to work very hard and long hours. The concept of discounting consumer goods was very new to me but sounded very exciting and of course the enthusiasm from the two of them was what really got me interested. It was not the money but the promise of some exciting possibilities for the future that made me accept.

I immediately accepted and was asked to start immediately. This I could not do as I had to give one month’s notice to my current employer. However I offered to come to the office after 17h00 each afternoon to start sorting out all their administration. This I did 4 times a week and by the time I started I was well into the job.
I was not very happy in the first six months of my employment and in fact considered resigning and told Jack so as I felt they were not happy with my work with always showing criticism and never a world of praise. I think the turning point for me was at that point and was immediately told not even to consider it and was given a raise and more responsibility.

From then I loved the job and the company was growing and doing well and added more stores and expanded by opening branded Furniture and bedding to the range of merchandise. We even moved our offices to the old Woolbrokers Hall in Sydney Road with the plans to open not only a warehouse but also a mega store.

To obtain stocks was not easy in those pioneering years as very few suppliers would sell to us directly.  We had to use third party friends to acquire stock and I remember the Kajee Bros and Joe Pestana as particular good friends that would acquire stocks for us and without them we would have never survived. Suppliers were told by the department stores that if they supplied goods to the discounters they would close their accounts. However as time went on the department stores lost ground as customers came in their droves to purchase their branded goods at the discounters and department stores were accused of over pricing. We worked very hard during those days and my work load was never ending and hours were long often working well into the night just to keep my head above water. We were doing well and the business kept growing until 1969 Alan and Jack decided to sell the company to Rave Discount Store in Johannesburg which was at that time owned by Dion Friedland. Rave had just gone public and Grants was sold for Shares in Rave.  In fact most of the management staff acquired some these shares. Sadly within the year the shares had dropped and Dion sold to Rave Company to Greatermans (Today Checkers.) This was a huge shock for all of us and Allan and Jack flew to Johannesburg to meet with Norman Herber the Greatermans Chairman to try to buy the company back.

The attempt failed and they were treated very haughtily by Norman Herber who just laughed in there faces with a statement “I buy companies I do no sell Companies”
Very desponded by this treatment Allan and Jack put on their thinking caps as to what to do next! They certainly did not want to work for Greatermans as their methods of doing business was just poles apart from their entrepreneurial ideas. After a few weeks Jack called me aside and said we are going to start a new business and asked me and a few others to join them. Barry Clements, Chris Burlock and I said yes and promptly resigned from Grants. Leslie Linder had inherited a wholesale business from his father selling blankets and army coats and wanted to sell it as he was not interested in running it. It was two doors away from Grants and the floor space was almost the same.

I remember we first had to sell all those blankets and overcoats. Thousands of these coats were imported from various armies around the world and sold to the blacks on the farms and townships. So the first task was to get rid of these stocks and collect monies from debtors. So whilst this was going on Alan, Barry, Trevor and Chris were preparing the premises, ordering stock and preparing marketing materials, Jack and I were planning the administration strategies. We were all given a minority share in the new company.
It was during this time that Chris Burlock came up with the new company name “Game”, was born out of the belief that shopping had become a tedious and boring pastime in the department stores at that time. We wanted to create a fun shopping environment and so conceptualized retailing as a game. The signature shocking pink logo designed then has still prevailed to this very day. I remember the day well as we had a meeting at Alan’s house in Ferndale Road when Chris revealed her marketing plan and logo and we were all so excited with the concept.

Things were progressing very well when the next bombshell dropped!  Alan and Jack received a letter from Greatermans’ Attorneys informed him that they believed that they were the rightful owner of the company and premises were had acquired and accused them of having started negotiations with Leslie Linder whilst still in the employ of Greatermans. This of course was not true but was a stalling tactic to stop us trading next door to Grants.

The Discount store concept had really taken off with customers who could buy branded goods at a fraction of the price to the department stores and we were a real threat to their turnover and profits. Legal opinion was sought and the advice given was that it would probably be better to walk away instead of spending months and maybe years with having legal battles to fight and taking us away from the focus of starting a new company.

So we gave notice to Greatermans that if they were so frightened by five little people starting a business we would walk away from it. It was arranged that they would collect the keys to the Smith Street premises at 12h00 on a Saturday afternoon. We waited until 12h30 and no-one arrived so Jack put the keys in the door and we all drove to the Edward Hotel on the Beach front to have a stiff drink to drown our sorrows!
However this was not for long. I remember Jack saying to me, sit tight for about six weeks, and we will make a plan to start again.

It was about four weeks later Jack phoned me to tell me that they had found even better premises than the Linder Bros store. This turned out to be the premises vacated by J.W. Jaggers Wholesalers which had ceased to do business and the whole building all four stories of it was to let.
The decision was taken to take on the whole building (now Doone House in Smith Street), trade on the ground in part of the first floor and let the balance. We let the third floor to Royal Doulton SA and a clothing manufacturer took the fourth floor. I cannot remember who took the second floor but I know this was not for long.

We took occupation of the building in the March of 1970 and I remember sitting around makeshift tables on the ground floor with no electricity planning our next moves. There was much work to do as we need to open a store very quickly to be able to pay the rent and in the middle of May of 1970 the first Game Store was born after much hard work and burning the midnight oils.
The store was an immediate success and the advertising campaign with Alan as the brand holding up his arms next to the Game Logo caught the public’s imagination.  Thousands of people poured into the store that promised them the following:-

At Game, our customer ALWAYS WON because of our three guarantees:

1. Found it cheaper? We beat any price. We would not be undersold! - If the customer purchased any item from Game and, within 7 days, found the identical product at a competitor for less, we would refund the difference.
2. We swap it if we stock it. If you've changed your mind - bring it back in unused condition, in the original packaging, and we will either exchange it or refund you.
3. Guaranteed service on every product sold. We will have any item under warranty, repaired for you - should that take longer than 21 days, the item would be replaced or refunded. For warranty purposes, proof of purchase was required. We also ensured ongoing service on any product bought from Game even after the warranty expired.

The Store immediately separated itself from its competitors by proposing to customer that shopping would be a fun experience. In fact Alan’s favourite says was “If you are not in this game for profit or fun, what the hell are you doing here!”

We carried the concept through to the various departments within the store, creating “Baby Game”. Auto Game”, “Outdoor Game” and so forth.  With the large one floor layout and wide aisles in the store, Game was the first to introduce the now familiar mega store concept to South Africa, creating an African version of Kmart and Walmart.

The brand communicated four main messages, low prices, widest range of products under one roof, branded merchandise and peace of mind. This was achieved with in-your-face advertising with many loss leaders to attract feet into the store. The brand immediately appealed to the needs of the very rich and the very poor which was amazing.

The Game Logo with the combination of the Game Pink, Black and White was also reflected on staff uniforms and the colour was echoed in Adverts, displays etc. This was at a time when Department store staff was dressed in conservative black and white uniforms and we were considered ridiculous dressing our staff in shocking pink as it was called at the time.

It was interesting to note that 2 days after the amazing and successful opening, we saw Norman Herber in the store checking out what we were doing. He was a very distinctive person always immaculately dressed with a bowtie. We watched from the wings as he strutted through the store with his men making notes and leaving a half hour later with a stormy expression on his face. I wonder whether he regretted his actions taking away the Linder Bros building from us as we were now a much bigger threat to him as we were now across the road from all his flag ship stores.

The values on which the company was built were strong and we built a wonderful team of people in those early days and perhaps many of us who were part of this time can honestly say that we have not encountered those times again in any of our careers!  We were all made to feel part of the company and appreciation and rewards was always shown in one way or the other. They were exciting times.

From the humble beginnings of one store more stores were quickly added such as Ordnance Road, Pietermaritzburg and by 1976 we had 8 stores. (The Ordnance Road store was officially opened by Charles Fortune, the very well known cricket commentator in that period)

The turmoil of politics in the country made Alan uneasy and in 1974 he decided to try his luck in the USA and relocated to Miami, Florida. His dream was to start a Game in the USA. His partner Jack, Barry Clements, Trevor Falkson, Chris Burlock and myself remained running the company (although Alan remained a major shareholder and decision maker) and the dream was to build a flagship store in Westville.

I remember in 1976 being awarded the Game person of the year and Frank and I were given a wonderful 4 week holiday all expenses paid. Jack asked me after the holiday to fly to Miami to go and assist Allan as he had purchased a Furniture store called Pullman’s in Fort Lauderdale that was in need of some good administration controls. I was based there for about three months. Unfortunately, the site was not very good and ways of doing business was very different in USA to SA and the business was closed soon after I went back to SA.

When I got back, much work had been accomplished to build the dream store in Westville. Properties had been purchased and demolished to make way for the new store who’s plans had been approved by the then Westville Municipality.

Then we received the next bombshell that the approval of building the store and centre had been challenged by an attorney. After many months of legal wrangle this attorney succeeded in having the approval declared null and void and the centre could not be built. This caused tremendous hardship on the company who had outlaid the money for the property and although it was able to weather the storm caused drop in profits due to having to use loan facilities. Alan and Jack then decided to sell the company to the Beares Furniture Group who were looking for an acquisition that would inject cash flow into their credit business and Game being a cash business was just the company they were looking for. So in 1978 the company became part of the Beares Group of Companies.

Jack and Alan had to sign a restraining order preventing them for five year to enter a similar business. Jack was requested to stay for one year to ease the company into the group. I continued doing Jack’s other company’s books on Saturday mornings as he was involved in leasing equipment and vehicles to various businesses.

Allan and Jack made a big impact on my life and my beliefs and especially Jack who I consider my mentor. He was tough with me, unbending and a hard task master never accepting poor work standards and taught me the finer art of accountancy and business systems and controls. His standards had a profound impact on me and I have applied a lot of this in my own work ethics over the years and I can honestly say this has stood me in good stead throughout my own successful career.

Their families can be proud of their achievements even though there were failures along the way they never wavered from their beliefs and they still have the loyalty from many of the staff that worked for them.  I know because from time to time I run into them as we always talk about the good old days where we were treated as valued people and not numbers.

I am glad I have made the effort to put all this on paper and it has brought back so many memories and glad to now share these with the next generation!

One of the funniest things that I remember is that Alan used to love to eat bacon which he used to do frequently every Saturday morning for breakfast. This was during Grants days. This of course was very naughty as it is forbidden food in the Jewish faith.  He would order a whole plate full from some little restaurant that used to prepare food for us especially when we were working late. (name escapes me - in some alley off Smith St - I remember they would make the most divine Cheese Blintzes)

They would deliver via my office where I would open the door to the street to take the delivery and take it to him. He would alert his secretary at the time, Pat Holman.  Dr Jos Hellmann would visit the store frequently and the secretary would warn Alan that his dad was on his way and the plate full of bacon would be stuffed into the desk drawer until he left. Jos would come into the office and say “what a funny smell in this office. Where does this come from?” Alan would make some remark such as it must be that air conditioner again! The premises we were in was such an old building that anything was possible to explain the reason for funny smells.

Alan and Jack would have such a laugh afterwards and say, “that was a close one”.

I also remember when Jack and Alan purchased their first Mercedes motor cars.  They were both black and there was much excitement.  Jack managed to get the number plate ND 3 and he said he felt very important every time he drove it.  At the same time Wendy’s car was ND 254. He said low number plate were issued to important Durban Citizens. Joke of course but that was all the fun of it.

I (Bernard) remember going with Alan to my friend at the licensing department to look for a suitable registration for his new Merc but there were no low-numbers available so he chose ND125-255. I asked Alan why this and he said “Two Fives”!! featured twice and that was a good sign. You see, “Five” is a slang abbreviation for “Five to Two” which we knew to be the horse-racing slang for “Jew” so that’s why Alan wanted it. Game was owned by two Fives!

Sadly, Erna Vause passed away 23rd October 2019 after a long illness, bravely fought. We will miss her.

PS. It is interesting that the current Game Company still uses the original postal address:  P.O. Box 3743 Durban, 4000.

  CHRIS BURLOCK - Team Member  South Africa  

So many memories….

Soon after Alan had told us of the proposed break away from Rave/Anstey,  I remember collaring Alan in the car park one evening and saying "I've got the name: GAME! You always win at this GAME... a GAME everyone enjoys..."

Alan thought about it for a minute and started to join in "you just can't lose at this GAME... everyone scores here..." If I remember correctly, the name was officially accepted the next day.  My logo design was also accepted with very little hassle.

I learnt so much about 'motivation' and human nature from Alan.  Remember the Silver Till cover awarded to the cashier who took the most each month and made the least ring errors? Suddenly the queues of customers were reduced as cashiers eagerly called customers to their tills with a warm "come let me help you" wave! (Today's Game cashiers could do with some of that enthusiasm!) One of my most vivid memories of Alan was the way he told the parents of the child who had just won a Game art contest that their protégé was so talented they should start saving to send him to Art College. How he kept a straight face and managed to speak with such sincerity I will never know! The task? To draw a smiling face on a paper plate!

The age of the genius? About 5! The parents left Game thinking Alan was just amazing. And of course, he was!

My personal fondest memory was him marching into my office at about 8pm, telling me that the endless overtime had to stop, and he took away my office keys! He then pulled money from his wallet and ordered me to take my friend to dinner and not to come to work the next day. I was so motivated by his kindness I worked twice as hard!
I remember everyone sanding the floors of the huge old building next to Grants... and Jack loading up his car with the second hand jackets and shoes that came with that ‘shop’ and disappearing off to Swaziland or somewhere that welcomed them.

I remember taking Trevor and Alan (at their request) to a gay club one night. They were like kids all day asking if they were dressed okay and what should they say if a guy asked them to dance! (I don’t think anyone did!)

I remember the OK being upset when our Game opening ads cheekily stated (at Alan or Jack’s suggestion) that “The OK Bazaars is opposite us!” as opposed to the more common “We are opposite the OK Bazaars”

I remember the queues outside the first game store when it opened... largely thanks to Alan and Jack agreeing to go with ludicrous opening offers... fridges for R15 (2 of them) ...torches at R1... etc.

I remember how our ‘spying’ visit to Woolworths had impressed Alan. While studying their various shop display units, Alan saw a shop girl tidying and refolding her merchandise... Alan asked why she was doing that “because that’s how it must be done at Woolworths” she replied... Alan then asked how long she had been working there – “This is my first day” she answered. Alan was knocked out and wanted that same dedication to excellence to be an integral part of Game.

I remember working Sundays and late, late nights moving the Game sweets department upstairs and downstairs, to get customers to spend another 15 minutes searching for it as our studies had shown sales increased dramatically the longer they were in the store.

I remember constantly reprimanding Alan for his terrible handwriting... it took me forever to try and decipher his scribbled instructions!

I remember Alan not coming out of his office all day when I resigned.
Chris left Game and later went on to join Paton Tupper and became MD. Chris is now retired, living in the Southern Cape.

  TREVOR FALKSON - Team Member  South Africa  

GRANTS DISCOUNT CENTRES

My initial interview (with broken leg!) up small steps to raised platform with AH & JS

1st job – sort out keys for shop etc
2nd job – on sales floor

I became Alan Hellmann’s assistant in Merchandising/Marketing.

AH’s skill in negotiating was a revelation – he used to “screw the suppliers into the ground” and when they left the office, they felt warm and fuzzy and THANKED Alan for it. (something that I tried to emulate as I sat in most of the suppliers negotiations while “in training” with Alan) After a while, I asked for an office for myself……and was given a hammer, saw, wood and nails and was told by Jack…”If you can find a space, build yourself an office!”

I never forgot how we gave Greenacres/Paynes a stuffing on appliances (very large dept stores in the days during those days).  We used to buy a few at a time from Mr Kajee, a small Indian trader, who gave us a wholesale price. We marked up ± 20% and we came under Greenacres/Paynes’ prices by approximately 30%. Same as Radios, Hi-Fi etc.

When Jaggers building became available we jumped at it to start Game.

The name “Game” was the brainchild of Chris Burlock, our advertising Manager who wanted the FUN, PLAY, TEAM concept to come through strongly – how right she was! The PINK was also her idea and it certainly made the team visible to the customer. NB-employees at Game were ONLY ever referred to as TEAM, never staff!

The COURTESY BAR and MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE at the FRONT of the store was another innovation, as was our Price-Beat policy against the prices of other retailers.

Our policies of CUSTOMERS, our SUPPLIERS and our PEOPLE being most important in the business, is sadly lacking in today’s retail world, even Game. Every day EB Lockhat stood outside the door telling me how I needed him in the business until after all his persistence & pestering I employed him!
He became my valued right-hand man for many years. He still phones me every day on my birthday…nearly 35 years later. He always regarded me as his mentor.

I’ll never forget Norman Dainton, the rep for Plastic & Metal Industries coming to see me, virtually in tears, a man in his forties, because he had been grilled and bullied by the P ‘n P young hot-shot buyers. He said he might lose his job because he walked out of a meeting with them. I phoned his boss and told him what a great rep he was and that he had been unnecessarily bullied – he agreed. I gave Norman a cup of tea and settled his nerves a bit. Our position on Bribery was very strong. One of our Auto Accessory suppliers tried to bribe one of my buyers with an overseas kick-back. He came wide-eyed into my office (the supplier was still there). I called him in and he confessed saying, “He gave it to quite a few retailers”. He got his marching orders from me and only got back in 6 years later. (Things are a little different today)

Because we were a “small family” we could make quick decisions. We rented a small vacant shop alongside Paynes one Nov/Dec and Barry Clements & I worked through the night to fill it with toys only. We took about R70,000 extra turnover in the little shop.

We had wonderful Team days with sporting events and fun outings which included the families.

My first house in Westville was really the courtesy of Alan and Jack. They told Barry & me to go out and look for houses and they would put up the deposit. Because we worked such long hours, they wanted our families to be comfortable while we were away from home.

I went to Jhb on business with Alan to see Dion Friedland (another workaholic). We spent the afternoon and evening in discussions, had supper, more discussions and because Dion loved his tennis, spent from 10pm until midnight playing tennis & holding more discussions.

When Beares took over, the staff was devastated and when Alan and Jack decided they would not work for them, Barry and I thought we might be CEO’s together to carry on the Game traditions. However, the management of Beare Holdings decided otherwise and appointed various supposed boffins, consultants and others to run Game.

After leaving Game one of my career changes was as a rep (how about that!) wholesaling wine and spirits to the retail liquor trade and by chance met Gerry Alberts, who was managing the Boardwalk Centre in Richards Bay. As I stayed over one night a month I spent many nights at Gerry’s duplex reminiscing on the good old days at Game, so much so that I gave a 3 hour presentation some years ago to the tenants of the Boardwalk Centre organized by Gerry, using Game philosophies and policies on Marketing and Advertising.

That original “Game Family” was, in my opinion, what made it the success it was – Alan’s brilliant marketing mind, mixed with Jack’s shrewd accounting mind, a mixture for success. Don’t ask the marketing man to count the pennies, he doesn’t bank percentages (profits) he just sells and sells and sells and keep the accountant away from the marketing man for as long as possible. (until the money is in the bank!)

The core of my working career was in this wonderful environment of Game, where our motto was “If you are not in the Game for fun and profit, then you are in the wrong job!”

I had the wonderful opportunity of visiting many wonderful countries around the world (when the Rand was stronger than the US $!) buying various products for Game and made wonderful overseas friends in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan particularly when we bought a lot of our Auto Accessories, Kitchenware, Toys etc.

One of those trips was with my dear friend, the late Barry Clements to research some stores in the USA and London. Our plane was delayed for about 4 hours at Kennedy International and with nothing much else to do, we spent the time talking, reading and drinking whiskey. As BC wasn’t a whiskey connoisseur (like me!) he remembered very little of the flight and our bus ride into London.

If you were to ask the ex-Game management team of those Game days, when they had the most enjoyment in their working lives, I don’t believe there would be one who wouldn’t say that it was when the slogan GAME WHERE YOU ALWAYS WIN actually meant something.

Loyalty was never questioned – people just worked and committed themselves because they WANTED to, not because they had to. I remember I had a fairly serious Ulcer op when I was ±28 years old when AH & JS came to visit me after the operation and jokingly said, “See you on Monday! Ha! Ha! Ha!” (they visited me on the Saturday)
I was back at the office less than a week later.

One of the saddest days of my business life (besides having to walk away from Hurter and my beloved Game) was at my dear friend Barry Clement’s funeral. Not only in mourning his passing, but when the Massmart Director stood up to say a few words, it was as if he was talking about a stranger. I just thought, at the time, how cold and impersonal it was! He really had no idea how much heart and soul Barry, or any of us, had put into Game. In fact he didn’t even know who the rest of us were!

Game Philosophies

(Not necessarily innovated by Game but well imitated from other successful retailers!)

DINNY THE DINOSAUR
The most fearsome, indestructible animal of its time! But he could not ADAPT to change and as a result disappeared…Payne Bros., Greatermans, Greenacres etc. Adapt or DIE.

MASS MERCHANDISING
Narrow and deep – smaller product ranges with MASS displays – VOLUME selling.

The “P” Principle of Retailing
Public (customers) People (Staff & Suppliers), Products, Presentation, Pricing, Premises, Policies, Procedures, (Admin), Promotions.

Other things that we swore by:

Never forget a Customer, never let a Customer forget You.
Feet across the door! (More customers)
The customer is KING!
Get back to BASICS!
Sell the SIZZLE, not the STEAK! (A delicious crunchy apple!)
GOYA - Get Off Your Arse!
KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid
Turn PROBLEMS into OPPORTUNITIES!
Turnover is the name of the Game, Profit is the Score! (Our favourite)
Loyalty cannot be bought, nor can respect.
What goes around, comes around.
SMILE! It’s infectious and doesn’t cost a CENT!


  KITTY HOOEY - Team Member  United Kingdom  

I worked as an assistant secretary for Jack Schaffer around 1974-1975 and although it was a short time, it was a life changing experience for me.  I worked mornings only with Terry who was private secretary to both Alan Hellmann and Jack Schaffer.  She was extremely capable & very loyal to both men and I guess her workload just became too much for one person.

I remember Erna Vause as the very busy accountant who always wore such high heels.  She was highly respected by Jack, I know.

I also remember Barry Clements who was always so cheerful & worked so hard.  I was sorry to hear of his passing away some ears ago while climbing Mt Kilimanjaro.

Life-changing? Remember this was the Apartheid era, but inside GAME on the shop floor and in the offices and at staff parties there was no Apartheid  It was the first time I had the opportunity to work side by side with Blacks and Indians ad Coloureds and Europeans alike.  And of course experience an office Christmas Party with all races and cultures!!!

The staff worked very hard and gave total loyalty to Jack and Alan.  GAME became their family with Jack and Alan as the heads of that family.  As I did not work for Alan or see a lot of him, most of my personal feelings of loyalty and admiration were really for Jack.  I cannot remember seeing him angry although I did see him disappointed.  He seemed to take a person’s misbehaviour personally and was upset more with himself than with that person.  Jack worked extremely hard and thus set the example for the rest of the staff.  He knew everyone's name and most of their families and their personal problems.  He talked to everyone - he was a 'walkabout manager'.  He did not just sit in his office all day.  He was also very astute.

I met his wife Wendy on a few occasions - I think she enjoyed coming into the office and store, and was known by most of us.  I knew he had 2 daughters whose photographs were in his office, but I did not have the pleasure of knowing them.  But I do know they were a happy family and practised their religion.  I know too that Jack & Wendy helped with voluntary work in the synagogue.  Jack loved to play squash.  He worked hard and he played hard - burning the candle at both ends as they say.

I also remember that when there was a conference in Johannesburg for the directors, Jack and Alan never flew in the same plane.  This is something that came to mind with the tragedy of the plane crash of ALL the Polish dignitaries and government officials flying on the same plane in April 2010 when they flew to Russia for the memorial of The Katyn Massacre.  Such a shame they did not practise in 2010 what Jack & Alan used to do in the 1970's !!

All those pink shirts!  The different races working & playing together!  The constant activity and busy noise of the open plan office upstairs!  The happy Africans working hard but smiling a lot with their big white teeth!  The loyalty of the staff & directors towards each other.  The one Christmas party I attended with all races and cultures partying together!

And the best part of my time with GAME was that it renewed my friendship with Bernard Shapiro whom I had met at 'The Passion Play' in 1960 and again in 1965 when he was an usher in the Durban City Hall and I was in the crowd scenes.  Anthony, Wendy, Bernard and I still have a very close friendship despite living on different sides of the Equator.


  JULIAN ELLMAN - Team Member  USA  

Alan and Jack believed in rewarding their people who always felt like and were treated as partners and therefore worked that way.

I was rewarded very handsomely when Alan decided to leave for the US.
At this time TV was on the S.A horizon and I was made the Managing Director of MAJORS GAME and given 15% of the company. Incredibly then on a return visit by Alan this share was increased to 20% without me asking on the understanding that there were 5 partners involved and it was only fair that each was equal, 5x20%, myself, Alan, Jack, Leon and Jonathan).

In my view another stroke of genius by the guys because I was indeed motivated to heights that I had not expected and the results were great and we provided the much needed cash flow and profit at that time

These guys are legends and simple but profound testimony to their incredible success is that;
Their format still stands right down to the logo and their $ volume exceeds $2billion. My association started after I returned from Israel in 1967 where I served as a volunteer attached to the Israeli Army.
I re-joined Clem McLeish at Moshal Gevisser in an effort to liquidate their inventory.

Enter GAME.

They bought virtually everything and it was a great marriage serving game in those infancy times and helping MG to liquidate.
From the onset they were fair and honest and relied on their merchandising and selling talents to market these goods.

I remember Jack finding a major error in favor of MG and it was NEVER a question but to make it immediately right.

My love for these guys grew from here.
Alan was the consummate merchant and Jack kept everything in line because both these factors were the success.Alan was a genius motivator and built a TEAM…but there was something very special about this. It was not self serving and he did it for The TEAM at all times with the big picture in mind. Jack had his own TEAM in Erna Vause who served the company incredibly and produced the all important numbers while also contributing in no small measure to the ideas that made the company.

I remember:

The time we had the Friday night auctions and one particular incident. Alan was conducting and we assisted. He auctioned pillows that were soiled. When the price was going higher than our regular retail he stopped the bidding and reduced the price. He then directed me to go to the stockroom and bring a bunch more pillows down for the clamoring customers and I did so dragging them along to be authentic!

Alan always motivated us to think out of the box.
I brought a plan to him that was unconventional and he gave me the green light to go for it…always.
Gordons were going out of business and I approached them to buy their toys…a rather big deal at the time. The risk was that in order to get a real deal we needed to buy the lot.
Alan trusted me as he did all his merchants. We bought the lot and I sold a large part of the deal to Akals, a local wholesaler and whatever we kept [GAME TYPE GOODS] was for nothing and we made a handsome profit in addition.
He never took the glory but passed it on privately and publicly…..

He encouraged me to deal at the highest levels without him…..
Benny Sloam…Tedelex ….millions of Rands in TV deals done by me without Alan….The Genius in his way of motivating paid off handsomely.
Similarly with others like Flemming Elvin Jensen…Elvinco……..
He motivated me to socialize here without him….
Think out of the box was invented by Alan….

There are NO negatives….
We were the best of friends and sat alongside each other.
We took a team out to the north after a flood and donated blankets and clothing and food to victims of that flood.
We got loads of publicity but it really was about helping.
I remember some great promotions as I’m sure you do.

My next door neighbor Carl Hagen, an American, worked for Frame and we came up with an idea to sell knitting yarn and with Alan’s blessing we did that and it was a wild success. Out of the Box!
We sold 19cent soccer balls….wild again…
Sold TV’s with a free box of champagne
Brought a Donkey to the Majors game on Moore road….Kids loved it.

Update: Sadly, Julian passed away last year, 24th December 2015. He was 72.



  MIKE  DAVIDSON - Team Member  South Africa  

I was asked to take photos of him handing over to John Dobbin just before Jack was due to leave Game. So Jack sat down at his desk and smiled for the photo – then John sat at his desk as if he had taken over but Jack shouted at him that his seat was not even cold yet and John was already trying to take his place. He grudgingly let him sit there for the photo but then John had to move immediately. Jack sulked for the next few minutes until I left to go back to the buying office on the 4th floor.

I remember once I was out for Supper at Mike and Janet’s – the popular steak house in those days. We battled for a seat and eventually when we were lead to the back to sit – we passed Jack and Wendy plus a whole bunch of his mates and family. He jokingly introduced me to his party and then waved me away and carried on .When we eventually tried to get our bill – Mike (the owner of the restaurant) said not to bother as Jack had already picked up our tab and left without any inkling that he paid for us. When I went to thank him – he sort of hugged me and said that’s what comes from being such a nice Jewish boy working for him at Game

  HOWARD  DAVISON - Team Member  SA  

I can remember on several occasions finding myself and Ruth in the same restaurant as Jack in the evening. In fact the French Nook was the restaurant. On every occasion when we asked for the bill the waiter would say “not to worry, Mr Schaffer has taken care of it”.
This small gesture for me just shows the generosity of the man.

I had no Car….
Some may remember that the Company had a ‘monkey bike’ which I often used to get to the Brickhill Road store. I was new in the Country and it was in 1977 that I think Jack decided he’d like me to live. He offered me Wendy’s Fiat…..the problem was I had no money. Problem solved, he arranged for me to pay it off, best price no interest. My first wheels in South Africa. Thanks Jack, I won’t forget that!

My time was towards the end being 75, 76 and 77.

The Indispensible Man

I remember in 1977 pleading for a small increase for someone who was leaving. I made the mistake of telling Jack the person was indispensable. He asked me to go to the kitchen and come back with a glass of water. Then he asked me to put my finger in the glass and take it out. He said “The hole that is left behind is the indispensable man!”
That was the end of that although I recall that several hours later he called me to authorise the increase which showed the softer side of him. I can’t think of a year when I haven’t used this story.

  ROME MAPLE - Team Member  Australia  

I find it very hard to write everything as so much is narrative as opposed to episodes.

For example, Alan and I worked on the organisation structure of the company, well into the early hours of the morning.  We considered every position from floor cleaner up, drew the organisation structure and graded positions into like responsibilities, salaries etc. It wasn't just one day it took us months of analysis and investigation to ensure job descriptions were precise and that line and staff positions were reflected accurately There were so many facets to Alan and his keen mind was able to see both the big picture and the nitty-gritty.  He had imagination and vision, as
well as an eye for detail a rare combination. I am very glad you asked me about Game and the early days, as it brought back happy memories and I am back in contact with Erna Vause, and you.

As you know Alan was my idol, I don't think I have ever met anyone else as charismatic and motivating.

However one of my favourite funny stories is that first Christmas.  We had a team meeting just after Christmas and Jack stood by the till and said "As you know I am Jewish and don’t celebrate Christmas, but when I came into the store on Christmas Day and saw the empty shelves and counted the money I sang - What a friend we have in Jesus"

How lovely that you are still in contact with Erna Vause, she was also such an inspiration, so pretty and what a business head! I remember how she piloted the introduction of computerisation into Game

I can remember Alan telling me that I had to get a completed personal profile from Julian, and, as you know, he regarded it as unnecessary paperwork. So when he filled it in he called himself Jacob, Jahuda Ellman from Israel and I think he had himself down as a horse trader. (Now I see why he was so reluctant - he knew I would discuss his secrets with the world!)

  DENNIS JACOBY - Team Member  SA 

The clearest memory I have of those Grants days was you, Bernard, trying to sell an umbrella in the front of the shop. You were bullshitting so much Alan and I couldn’t stand up at the back. Still, that was par for the course for all of us back then.

I remember 1966, Friendly Xmas Club, I think... nice Jewish name for a business!!

Can you remember painting the outside of shop that horrible Khaki, which we got from mixing a whole lot of different colour paint together. AND ACTING IN THE “DIRTY DOZEN”. Were we all completely loony back then.  (Refer the pamphlet on the Blog!)

Update; Sadly, Dennis passed away 15th May 2019. R.I.P. (Thanks for the info Tracey-Anne Jacoby)

  VAUGHAN HATTINGH - Team Member SA  

What a great idea to revive these memories? Have so many fond memories from the days of bunking school and working at Grants and then eventually at Game. Have a few great pics together of Jack & Allan, Trevor Falkson, Peter Blair at a Beacon Sweets function (very drunk) and a few others of the gang.

I will never forget an incident where Jack or Allan bought a 4 pack of cheap Chinese straw table mats (Might have been salvage stock) and we sold them at some ridiculous price. I was at the tills assisting and a guy walked up without an armful of them. As he left, he commented “I don’t why I bought them – but shit ! they are cheap”

Those were the days of real discounting and having fun. Ebi and his smile signature have never been forgotten!

  STEVE COOPER - Team Member  SA  

I can still picture, as I worked in the Photographic Department next to the tills in Smith St… the sight of Barry, Trevor Falkson and Jimmy Landsberg,walking along the lane to go to the buying office…all attired in black three quarter Leather (may have been a good quality PVC !) jackets and all with the perfect perm …you and Geoff were no doubt very envious !
Mike Davidson came to the counter on my first day in Smith St.(I started in the Westville store)…and proceeded to do a dust and hygiene check thru the cupboards…someone had left there sarmies there a week earlier…he was seriously pissed off…good old Captain Grumpy !

Lots of other memories….floor boards with holes in them on the ground floor…masonite black pegboard for gondola ends…hanging those awful brown coffee mugs on them…5LT Image PVA…(house brands that Walmart had never even thought of in that era).Castrol GTX…Bakers 2kg Biscuits…Yellow Image Car Shammies….Math Sets that you, Bernie, pioneered I think…going thru customers pics before they collected them and finding some serious naked stuff….remember we only had the Scope back in those days…then “lagging” as the customer came in to collect them not knowing half the management had had a good purve at their secret nude episodes…shocking what! ..and finally going out on a bar crawl after a product knowledge session , all dressed in Pink , and thinking no one would find out where we were from…how doff was that.

  SAM BREWER - Team Member  SA  

I have some very fond stories some of which I tell my Mangosuthu students who I am sure think I B-S..t them, but you and I know they were true.The famous Charlie Richardson BIG SHOUT with the Garden Spades and the Pitchforks "Buy One Get One Free" to try and get rid of the stock upstairs in Smith Street, which then started the  BOGOF promotions.

I remember embarrassing Jack as a student by maintaining that no-one listened to the announcements such as "Mrs Jones we have found your daughter". So Bert Verster burst out "What the hell do you want- a megaphone?!" Whereupon I went to Solly at the back of Brickhill Road and he made me a cardboard one which I then made these announcements "Ten minutes only for a special price for Kettles' (they had been trying to clear them for months) and this voice BOOMED across the store- Jack and Barry were so embarrassed -but as a student I maintained that the end justified the means, every kettle was sold- and so the "Bell" was introduced.

Please do not omit the fact that the 'boardroom table' was a ping-pong table and that the chairs were barstools. The old Game was definitely a "Trading" operation first and foremost.

Additional memories from Sam, updated 14 April 2017

I am doing some work on Retail Management and my mind went back to Game days and I remembered some of the things that happened.

One of the great lessons I learnt from Alan occurred one Christmas when the buying division was under huge pressure (when was it ever not under pressure at Christmas) and we threatened a walkout as a group. Alan got wind of it and called a meeting in the old Smith Street boardroom and when everyone was there he called for a bucket of  water, rolled up his sleeves and put his arm down into the water. Then he said “Look very closely, some of you want to leave, this is how much we will miss you” and he pulled his arm out of the water. The water bubbled for a while and then smoothed out.

“No-one is irreplaceable. The door is there.”  No-one moved. Lesson learnt!

Another massive lesson was when our monthly expenses were due either December or January and because of the buying rush/seasonal pressure we all missed the deadline except for one buyer. Trevor started the next meeting by reading the minutes of the previous meeting where everyone had agreed to meet the deadline and then said “Next on the agenda, next time meet your deadlines”

Since then I have never missed a deadline, ever. (I have had sleepless nights, but I have never missed a deadline) Game was a hard school but a fair school.

In Canada you are specialists in whatever field you're in in the workplace and people do not believe me when I tell them what we did at Game. The experience I gained covered all aspects of the store from the floor upwards, cashiering, service counter, receiving, security with Joe Fink, store merchandise reordering and assisting the Store manager ( in Brickhill Road) and then training with Erna Vause, Bert Verster in advertising and then in the buying department being mentored by you. (Bernard Shapiro). With the breadth of experience comes a depth of perspective into the organisation and how the different parts interact. This is unique in retailing. Think of how many departments you (Bernard Shapiro) bought for and the breadth of experience you gained.

Lastly a game promotion memory which brings back fond images. Vaughn had left to join P ‘n P and Jimmy took over the electricals (Small Appliances) and I took over the non-electrical kitchen as an interim until a new buyer could be found. There was a huge overstock of 20 cm or 23 cm oval stainless steel platters so I placed an advert - 2 for R1.98  and then took a camera into the Smith Street store and got a photo of this horde of women bearing down on the pile of oval platters. They fought and scratched and pummeled and pounded and two came up for air like rugby locks in a line-out, one clutching her 2 platters in one hand and the other hand was beating off all other contenders. I am sad to say that I have lost this astounding photo. The follow-up to this was a student who was pushing a trolley with more platters out of the receiving centre at the back of the store. When the remaining women saw him they screamed “There he is!!” he got such a shock that he ran into a stock cage.......... 

  GEOFF SHAR - Team member & Supplier  SA  

I remember as a supplier to Game, dealing with Vaughan, who bought for Gift Game "Game 13".   He used to screw the s**t out of me and I think that he sometimes felt embarrassed for stealing from me so blatantly, that he put in a good word for me when I went to see Rome Maple for a job. HiYa Vaughan.

One of the fondest memories of how Game was a team company, was they way they used to celebrate their birthday every year and the Geeeees (spirit) that went with it.  At the time of me joining, I went onto an induction course and Smith Street was the store to which I was assigned.  It was their sixth, I think, birthday and the theme was Pirates.  All the team members dressed up as pirates, me included and the overall team involvement was unbelievable. At the end of the promotion an after party, with bring your partner, was held in the stock room on a Saturday night. Jack handed out prizes for various things that team members had done in making the Pirate Promotion an outstanding success.  I won best dressed pirate prize and received a personal note of commendation from Jack for my enthusiasm and level of involvement as a newcomer. In all my working years I have never had so much fun, which has resonated with me all these years.  If you cant have fun whilst working at whatever you do, leave, change but find something to do that you enjoy doing and have fun.

The funniest and also the most embarrassing moment of my life that I remember was one Saturday morning in Smith Street.  I was on the floor doing demonstrations with Arcopal plates from a dinner service.  Arcopal, was fast making a name for itself as non breakable, shatterproof glassware, from France.  So there I was, talking to customers and throwing these plates on the floor in front of them with outstanding success.  As I was doing this, the late Aaron Beare, who had just bought Game, came up the aisle towards me with his walking stick and I let loose with another plate..........needless to say the plate shattered into a million pieces and Mr Beare looked up at me with this look of horror on his face.  It was as if I could read his mind, as I imagined him saying, "Oy vay, what have I got myself into here".........

Unfortunately I never met Alan, as he had already left South Africa.  Jack was an incredible man, taking me under his wing and getting me involved in other projects after he left Game. MHSRIP.

  JOHN NORTJE - Team Member  SA  

Bearing in mind my age, I will give this my best shot.

Beginning at Grants, I recall your late dad would alert us to the back of the store to assist in offloading a couple of stoves /fridges and display. That was TF’S order system. Alan more so than Jack always would stop and ask of us (salespeople) how we were doing, family included, a genuine interest.

I also recall our special Christmas party as we traveled by ferry across the harbor to the former whaling station. It was brilliant. Those early days we were “managed “by Bill Mc Arthur, Bruce Adams, Alan Killeen and Erna Vause. I also recall when we had the opportunity to open our second store in Umgeni Rd. These were the days (newly married) no home phone and obviously before cell phones were thought about. We, I think you were part of the crew, issued with 14 lb hammers to demolish walls after 5. Those days there were no unions, we just did it for benefit of the company.

The training we received and the motivation from Alan /Jack was tremendous, both at Grants and Game. I had the privilege of understudying Jack, and recall going with him to buy blankets from CTM for Game Smith St. We purchased something like 100 cartons took the morning to “ship “upstairs with our antiquated lift and took up the fifth floor. Needless to say it was a “bulk buy “. We did a similar deal with the late Aldo Baladin of Glodina textiles and did we sell nappies!!

I also recall our management meetings commencing at 7am, when we had to report on turnover for the previous week. Why sales were down or up. An amusing incident as Erna Vause took the minutes, was on the odd occasion when he would lose it quite often with Julian, he would swear and with a straight face tell Erna to exclude that from the minutes. Competitive shopping was also initially a challenge, but a great education as to what the opposition was up to.

The most cherished lessons I learnt from Alan & Jack at an early age in my work career, that leaders lead by example and those guys were always the last to leave. They also praised us for a job well done. Finally, at one of the great parties /functions we had, each couple were given a ¼ Kruger Rand coin which we still cherish to this day, some almost 40years later.


  TERRI BOARDMAN (SWEET) - Team Member  AUSTRALIA  

Terri Boardman (Alan’s Secretary at Game) remembers some life lessons and happy incidents… Bacon. Alan did love his sandwich with a bit of that in .. was it bacon and egg or bacon and banana?? Anyway, I would be sitting in his office, taking dictation or whatever and he would be enjoying his lunch and in would wander his dad Jos Hellmann unannounced.  'Terri', Alan would say, ‘please take your sandwich and leave us to talk!'  Handy having a Gentile secretary!

Going back to 1973, I remember…..

It was exciting being a part of the Game Team and wearing a pink uniform! That sentence sounds bland and hackneyed enough nowadays, but in those days the concept of a 'team' and everyone having a uniform (with very broad parameters, we all did our own thing within the colours pink and black ... Well, the girls did anyway!!) was a real first for Durban (and maybe SA?), and of course the Team concept worked brilliantly hand in hand with the name 'Game'.

The concept of using personalized advertising was a real first! Alan's face and name gave the ads a personal feel.  I know.... much my role as his PA was fielding calls; whenever people were not happy or felt let down, they would ring HIM because they felt that they 'knew' him, and that he would always be on their side!
Alan and Jackie were so different.  They balanced each other perfectly and the combination of their unique talents was a formidable one.  They were always playful, bordering on mischievous ... it really was a 'game' they enjoyed playing. The cards they had stuck up outside their offices. I guess nowadays you would refer to them as 'motivational'.  My two favourites were:

'Never ASSUME!  It makes an ASS out of U and ME!!'    (Even my daughters know that one by heart!!)

'I have six serving men, they taught me all I know and their names are WHAT and
WHICH, WHOM, WHERE, WHEN & HOW.

Dale Carnegie Seminars! What fun was had with them!  The Sandwich Technique, which was way over-utilized, to the point where the bits of bread were forgotten and people just got straight to the point, because they knew exactly what was going on! And the 'Schmeer' job.  (I cannot remember whether that was part of the DC courses, but definitely part of Game management repertoire!)  Again, over-utilized and done just for entertainment value for the person on the receiving end!

Family ... they were both dedicated family guys.  Wives and kids wandered into the offices often and were rarely turned away no matter what was going on. And that was extended to the previous generation.. Jack's mum and Alan's Dad were always treated with love and respect. They gave them TIME.

Our Game 'night-out'. It usually took place in February somewhere near Jack's birthday.  What fun they were, I still have pictures!  I remember standing at one buffet, filling my plate with herrings and anchovies and stuff and Jack coming up beside me and commenting on my taste in food!  "I LOVE salty fish", I replied. Jack’s response? "I'm a Salty Fish" he announced! As I said, mischievous!

Still on Jack, he was a true Aquarian.  By that I mean he treated everyone within his orbit with humanity, from the African chauffeur downstairs, to the CEO of an important company we may have been dealing with.  Our Game Parties (onsite) would have been highly unusual in that all Game employees would socialize together.. I remember dancing with said Chauffeur, What was his name?? Aron? He had a problem taking instructions from me ... he explained he was a Zulu and to be told what to do by a woman was demeaning.  How strange, he was working within an organization which in its day was SO liberal, and he reaped the benefits of that, yet he was still hide-bound in his own ethnicity!!

Management meetings (I was present taking minutes!) when policies were being discussed. There was one in particular where Rome was discussing how many people to interview for any job vacancy.  Where did one draw the line? Where did one stop interviewing potential candidates always believing the perfect one would be the next one? Jack rather mischievously decided it could be like a marriage… you made up your mind and filled the position, but id did not stop you carrying out the odd interview every now and then to check you made the right choice! Alan always only writing in pencil, so he could rub out changes! It was so quaint, I thought.

The “Americanisation” of our correspondence! We were instructed to use a lot of YOU to ensure attention, and we were always DELIGHTED, THRILLED, ENTHUSIASTIC, about whatever it was. This was a far cry from the formal letter-writing style of the past.
On the topic of enthusiasm, having it drilled into us that the difference between us and the competitors in the same field, amongst other things, was Enthusiasm!

The library in Alan's office;  we were all encouraged to read such books as 'Future Shock' by Alvin Toffler, 'The Drucker Principle', Peter Drucker, The KITA theory cannot remember who it was by but it stood for Kick in the Ass! Small is Beautiful by the guy from the Ad agency, I think Townsend? Avis? Anyway, we did, and learnt a lot. All the 'cronies' (as I thought of them!) who came in to pass the time of day. Herschel Gelbart, Leon Ellmann, Harry Caganoff (I heard he ended up in Sydney?), Leo Schaffer, and even the odd gentile too, Clem McLeish and his mate whose name I can’t remember.

Lovelace Watkins paid a visit to our store when he was performing in Durban.  What a lovely guy he was, but also registering the look on the faces of little African kids in the throng come to greet him, who must have been mystified as to why this big Black guy, was being treated so royally by these white people!  I remember Lovelace stopping the car in order to give some of them all the coins he had in his pocket.  Harry Secombe was another visitor to the store. There was a huge hole that was left in the office when Alan and the family went off to Florida.  Ian Smith was never going to be able to fill those shoes.

HAROLD SHAPIRO-Ex Student part-time worker, now an Attorney!  SA

I’m not sure that I really qualify. I spent a few university vacations working at Game, Smith Street, as the P/A announcer (before, during and after the Beares takeover/merger).

My most memorable announcement –

“Game shoppers for the next ten minutes you can get stuffed…. Christmas mince pies at Candy Game – just follow the sound of the double bonus bell”.

And then the one that I didn’t get to make  . . when we had a bomb scare a few days before Xmas and the  full store emptied in about two minutes flat!

My main microphone was in the open office with the merchandising clerks and their cardboard filing systems – no computers then – on the third floor and had another microphone at the Courtesy Bar on the ground floor.

Remember the pink Game balls – three for ninety-nine cents and how the queues would form, winding and snaking thru  (all three floors of) the store and the always enthusiastic Sam Brewer trying to get rid of an oversupply of “Might Tyke” tricycles?

Then there were the security searches (the marble in the bag), the shoplifters being caught red-handed, the stock-takes (when, most importantly for a student, free food was provided).

And then there you were, Bernard, glowering at the world from your fortress at Auto Game, Michael Davidson –to whom I am copying this - with ever present camera, crapping out the salesmen, Dougie Guy (of blessed memory) always smiling and  our store Manager Bert Verster (to whom I once referred on the P/A system as “Blurt Faster”) – a true mensch who made me feel that I was truly one of his team – and Mike Ross with his early morning team announcements always ending with “just remember folks – turnover is the name of the game”.

And then the skiving off – napping amongst soft merchandise at the top of a Gondola, making undrinkable tea for Barry Clements (also of blessed memory) and other bosses so that they only ordered me to do so once!

I don’t recall meeting Alan Hellmann but Jack Schaffer (he too of blessed memory) appeared to be feared by all. I subsequently got to know him communally and found him to be charitable, benign and affable in the extreme.

Ah well, as Mad Magazine once said - “even nostalgia isn’t what it used to be”. . . So many happy memories of a carefree time and I was only a temporary part-time employee.

  TONY CONNELL - Team Member  SA  

My info only goes back to ‘78 –

Ask Bert about the team member who blew up a toilet and lit up his arse in the Brickhill Road store, or then there was the ticket writer who spelt CLINT POOL CHAIRS – “C*NT POOL CHAIRS” and plastered price tickets on the outside of the store – [he had dodgy ticket writing technique]

MIKE WOODLEY-Team Member SA

Seems like another lifetime.

I’d been working as the Mens’ Clothing Buyer at Moshal Gevisser, one of the biggest wholesalers in South Africa, for many years and it came as a shock to me that Moshal Gevisser was closing down.

I didn’t know what I was going to do when, out of the blue, I received a phone call from Alan Hellmann asking me to come and have a chat. The offer was made for me to join them as clothing buyer.

This made my day as I knew that I’d be joining a new, exciting company that had been going for about 6 months with their one store, with plans for a second, much larger, branch due to open the following year. I also knew Bernard Shapiro and Julian Ellman who had previously worked with me at Moshall Gevisser.

I had my work cut out for me during the last few weeks before I left Moshall Gevisser and joined Game full time. I had guess projected rates of sales and then place all the orders for Game as everything still had to be made, no manufacturer held stock. In the 3 weeks or so before I joined Game, I’d finish working at Moshal Gevisser at 5pm and then drive over to Game and work there till about 9pm, getting everything ready for the new store. These were long days and nights.

This was going to be a “first” for Durban as, until then, all clothing was only sold in conventional clothing stores and department stores. I knew that it would be difficult to buy the well-known brands (at Game) so, for the next 3 weeks, I began stocking up on all the branded merchandise in anticipation of my move to Game. These big brands included Monatic, Rex Trueform, Tej, Jockey and many more big brands of that era. We packed it into boxes and marked it all so that we could easily identify it once we needed to merchandise it at Game. It was all for the new Game store which hadn’t yet opened, on the corner of Brickhill and Ordnance Roads.

We thought we had enough stock to last quite a long time but in reality, it only lasted a month! Now, the big problem was to buy replenishment stock! That’s when all our problems started. None of these suppliers would sell to us so I had to beg and talk to various suppliers and eventually had success in buying cancelled orders and over-runs.

Michael Angelo closed their operation and I bought their ENTIRE stock! This was high quality men’s clothing and it flew out the stores. Customers were buying like it was going out of fashion.

We had to buy from new suppliers as all the established ones wouldn’t be associated with Game in those days, due to the stranglehold of the major department stores and specialist clothing stores. We never sold any poor quality clothing, it was just unbranded. Our own brand was IMAGE, a play on the name Game.

We then had to build up trust with these new suppliers as we were new. Eventually, we also sold clothing in the original Smith Street store.

One of the best promotions that I can remember centred on the DURBAN JULY horse race, which was one of the premier horse races in South Africa and was run on the first Saturday in July every year. It was schools holidays and Durban was always full of visitors at this time too. During the week prior to the race, we ran an advert that stated, “If you loose your shirt on the July, come into any Game store and buy one at HALF PRICE!” This caused huge problems as we insisted that the shirts had to be high quality and in any case, you couldn’t fool the public. This meant huge pressure on me to source these shirts but we did somehow manage and it became quite a big talking point by our customers and Team for many years.

One event in particular which springs to mind is when Alan asked us to attend a breakfast at the Edward Hotel during which we would  hold a green light session*. Alan insisted that before we attended the meeting, we were to meet at 6 am for a swim at North Beach. In his words, he wanted us to be fresh and wide awake for the session. My wife Doreen could not believe her eyes when she saw me leaving for work in my costume with a briefcase in hand and a towel around my neck. 

At the meeting some crazy ideas came up but the classic was when one of our team members suggested that we ask the railways to construct a railway line past the Brickhill Road Store. I started to laugh uncontrollably. The more I tried to control myself, the worse it became. When I eventually managed to contain my laughter, I sneaked a look at Alan who was staring at me with a grin on his face. This was the catalyst to start me laughing all over again. I must have disrupted the meeting for a full ten minutes.

I don't think many people would today endure the hours we put up with in those early days. We would be at work at 7 am to discuss the turnover of the previous day and the success of the advertising as in those days Game advertised every day. We had no lunch hour and worked until 7 or 8 at night

Alan had picked an amazing management tem who, apart from Alan and Jack, were the strong foundation for Game to enable it to grow into the largest retailer in South Africa.

*Green light session. Loosely defined, is a meeting to bring out new and expansive ideas with absolutely NO comments, criticism or objection allowed to the ideas. Normally, when people tend to participate in a meeting of any sort, ideas are very often shot down unnecessarily and also incorrectly which leads to non-participation of attendees for fear of being criticised or shot-down. At our green light session, we all sat around a large table, there was one person standing at the front with a flip-chart with MANY pages and pens, writing down EVERY idea spoken. Quite often an idea spoken created a spark with another person who then added to this idea or made another outrageous suggestion. The analysis of these ideas was then looked at when we got back to the office and if memory serves me correctly there were well over 150 ideas suggested.

Sam Brewer, London-Ontario remembers...

Game Green-Light Sessions

I remember a specific session which was held after hours at the Brickhill Road store. (If we could meet without interfering with trading we did so). Management, merchandisers, advertising and store managers sat around as the forthcoming Easter promotion was proposed. Alan kicked off the ‘Green Light’ session and ideas began to flow. Comments were shouted out and noted on a flip chart. One of the comments was “Let’s shunt the stuff out of the store!” to which Bert Verster replied “OK, then stick a train inside the store!” this was followed by loud rude comments and other suggestions of where he could stick his train.

Bert rose in a huff and left the meeting and walked out of the front door of the store. Alan called to me to go and fetch him back into the meeting. I went outside and there was Bert gazing out over the carpark towards the garage and a few smaller shops and manufacturers. As I approached him, he smiled, turned and said “I have it, I know exactly what our Easter promotion will be” and we returned to the meeting.

There he took over the meeting and outlined the Easter Promotion. He would get a Yacht (from the sailboat manufacturer across the road) and put it into the store. Fill it up with Easter eggs and run the promotion slogan “A Boatload of Easter Savings” all merchandisers would promote special deals around the theme and come up with incredible offers for the Easter promotion.

And so Brickhill Road customers were amazed to see a huge white yacht with a red sail packed with Easter eggs in front of the tills. Children went crazy ‘egging’ their parents on to fill their trolleys. 40,000+ eggs later the promotion ended and it all started with the synergy of linking a few disjointed thoughts into a terrific promotion.

Let’s shunt the stuff out of the store…. Stick a train in the store…..(be practical) ..in goes a Yacht with associated merchandise and a matching theme.

Bert Verster’s Easter promotion to me highlighted the essence of the Game Green Light sessions.


Additional memories from Sam, updated 14 April 2017

I am doing some work on Retail Management and my mind went back to Game days and I remembered some of the things that happened.

One of the great lessons I learnt from Alan occurred one Christmas when the buying division was under huge pressure (when was it ever not under pressure at Christmas) and we threatened a walkout as a group. Alan got wind of it and called a meeting in the old Smith Street boardroom and when everyone was there he called for a bucket of  water, rolled up his sleeves and put his arm down into the water. Then he said “Look very closely, some of you want to leave, this is how much we will miss you” and he pulled his arm out of the water. The water bubbled for a while and then smoothed out.

“No-one is irreplaceable. The door is there.”  No-one moved. Lesson learnt!

Another massive lesson was when our monthly expenses were due either December or January and because of the buying rush/seasonal pressure we all missed the deadline except for one buyer. Trevor started the next meeting by reading the minutes of the previous meeting where everyone had agreed to meet the deadline and then said “Next on the agenda, next time meet your deadlines”

Since then I have never missed a deadline, ever. (I have had sleepless nights, but I have never missed a deadline) Game was a hard school but a fair school.

In Canada you are specialists in whatever field you're in in the workplace and people do not believe me when I tell them what we did at Game. The experience I gained covered all aspects of the store from the floor upwards, cashiering, service counter, receiving, security with Joe Fink, store merchandise reordering and assisting the Store manager ( in Brickhill Road) and then training with Erna Vause, Bert Verster in advertising and then in the buying department being mentored by you. (Bernard Shapiro). With the breadth of experience comes a depth of perspective into the organisation and how the different parts interact. This is unique in retailing. Think of how many departments you (Bernard Shapiro) bought for and the breadth of experience you gained.

Lastly a game promotion memory which brings back fond images. Vaughn had left to join P ‘n P and Jimmy took over the electricals (Small Appliances) and I took over the non-electrical kitchen as an interim until a new buyer could be found. There was a huge overstock of 20 cm or 23 cm oval stainless steel platters so I placed an advert - 2 for R1.98  and then took a camera into the Smith Street store and got a photo of this horde of women bearing down on the pile of oval platters. They fought and scratched and pummeled and pounded and two came up for air like rugby locks in a line-out, one clutching her 2 platters in one hand and the other hand was beating off all other contenders. I am sad to say that I have lost this astounding photo. The follow-up to this was a student who was pushing a trolley with more platters out of the receiving centre at the back of the store. When the remaining women saw him they screamed “There he is!!” he got such a shock that he ran into a stock cage.......... 

David Hingston - Advertising Manager

I can't remember the exact date I started but I was the second Ad manager after Chris Burlock. My other claim to fame was suggesting IMAGE as the clothing brand.

Although my time there was brief it was unforgettable. Alan was wonderful to me. When Dee and I arrived in Durban we had R50 in a bag and about R12 in my pocket. The R50 was stolen from our hotel room on our first night there. The following day I drew some portraits in a bar for R5 a pop until I had enough money for a few days.

I then saw the advert for an Ad manager at Game.

At the interview Alan simply explained the job and asked me if I could do it. I told him I could piss it and started the same afternoon. After a while I explained my circumstances and he gave an advance on wages and some furniture to be paid off when I could manage it. The wages offered were fine by me but two weeks after starting the job my wage was doubled. No explanation. I didn't ask - he didn't say. That was Alan. If you were valued you were rewarded.

I thought I would give it six months but such was the enthusiasm and commitment from the team it became infectious. I learned what a work ethic really means and the importance of that weekly morning meeting to discuss any problems and express ideas. I learnt a lot in a short time but working in an office designing newspaper layouts was not a good fit for me. Eventually I had a tough decision to make but I reluctantly resigned after 15 months to pursue my art career.

Reading this blog reminds me of the wonderful people I worked with and reminding me of names I had long forgotten. My biggest challenge at Game was to invent a witty headline every day for the Game advertisement. I left Game to pursue my passion for painting. 

I've never regretted that short time when I was young with brown hair.

Since then I did some more traveling to Canada and the US then on to Australia and finally settling in New Zealand and the most beautiful place in the world. I have had some considerable success with my painting and writing (at least I've made a decent living at it). When I turned sixty I was ready for an easy life of golf and painting to end my days and then my daughter was born. That was 12 years ago and she is the light of my life. It's like starting life all over again.

I came across some pics, the only pics I have referring to Game. Check them out on the PHOTOS PAGE.

They are when I was helping Alan at one of the Auction nights. It was seeing these that prompted me to search Game on the Internet and find out what eventuated and how the company fared. It's a bit of a wake-up call to find that so many people from our past have left us. 

Check out David's website to see what he's been doing all these years.

http://www.davidjohn.info
http://www.rushmusical.com