KEY POINTS:
A businessman who beamed into our living rooms via television for years has died in Wellington at the age of 81.
Pioneering appliance dealer Alan Martin, the apparently shy face of LV Martin and Son, spent more than 50 years in the job after taking over from his father Leo Martin at his small music and radio shop. He went on to turn the business into a houseware empire and thriving catalogue company.
His mantra "it's the putting right that counts" was taken to extremes when he published his own home phone number saying he would fix any problem day or night.
Mr Martin once said when people phoned him at 2am to report a problem with an appliance, he had on occasion phoned back at a similar hour to check the product was fixed.
He would justify the move by saying he knew the customer would be up at that hour because they had originally phoned him then.
Mr Martin's funeral will be held on Saturday.
LV Martin has five Wellington stores and one in Rotorua. Smiths City Group bought an 80 per cent stake in the electronic and appliance retailer in 2004.
- NEWSTALK ZB
