Known for quality products made to last
AT the peak of the demand for canvas goods in Cairns there was always one name on locals’ minds — Geo Pickers.
And over the past 40 years, a lot has changed for the once camping goods retail specialist, now trading as Pickers Vinyl and Canvas.
The business has changed hands three times and its location just as many. It’s expanded its manufacturing arm, changed its name and discontinued camping retail, yet now it has re-entered the retail space by unveiling a new showroom last month, alongside its warehouse at Westcourt.
For the past 15 years, the canvas manufacturer has been owned by Wayne Whalan, who joined the business about 40 years ago, his wife Tracey and Mark Leitner. The trio purchased the business from Mark’s father and uncle — Robert and Peter Leitner. And before them, it was briefly owned by own British Rubber who had purchased it from George Pickers, the original founder.
And although it may seem a new showroom is taking the business back to its old days of a retail shopfront, Wayne, Tracey and Mark say it’s one of their greatest signs of adaptation.
“Geo (George) Pickers used to make a lot of canvas tents during the war,” Wayne says.
“That’s how he got into it, and I think that’s how the store took off. All camping equipment, especially tents, were made from canvas.”
While predominantly selling camping goods, Pickers also became the go-to for major commercial and residential canvas requirements in the Far North including yacht sails.
“Everything was made of canvas — trailer covers, blinds, awnings, we used to do everything,” Wayne says.
“At the time, some of the big jobs we did around town were some conical covers at the Cairns International Hotel. And we did the work at Tradewinds on the Esplanade and Cairns Zoo.”
But as technology improved and synthetic fabrics became more popular, the demand for certain canvas products, from yacht sails to camping goods, began to disintegrate and the retail store was eventually closed.
But through clever business practices, quality tradesmanship and hard work, the Pickers crew ensured the demand for canvas itself never died.
Mark says recognising the market’s preferences and adapting have been the keys to survival.
“We used to do a lot of marquees, the big ones with poles. But now you can just get those from some bigger retailers for cheap, plus they’re fold-out.
“As the times change, the other products are becoming better. There’s materials that are more suited for tents, products that are more suited for boats and that’s fine.”
But he says what sets Pickers apart was the quality and flexibility.
“So if you’re buying a product from a big retailer, it will only come in certain shapes or sizes, where we can do everything custom. We can make everything, if it’s made of canvas and goes under a sewing machine, we’ll make it. And it will be made to last.
“We still get customers coming in with products Wayne made 20 years ago. They’re here for patchwork. So you do take a bit of pride out of that.
“On the commercial front, again we do everything locally and we’re the only ones that do. From designing shade sails, to manufacturing, cutting and even fitting.”
He says he cannot recall an overly quiet period in his 15 years of business.
“And that’s where the showroom comes in now. So when it does get quiet, we keep up our stock products — bags, chairs covers and custom canvas products.
“For us, the showroom now brings all those products in front of the customer. We don’t have to take them out the back anymore.
“They are products we’ve always sold, but for us, it’s just a new way of showing them what we have and a new way of selling.”