In 1992 Kennedy's Club embarked upon yet another expansion project. Joe made successful overtures and was able to purchase the building at the back of his town bar. The building was demolished and Irving built the warehouse.

That addition - Kennedy's Club Ltd. ­was unveiled at a grand opening ceremony on February 25, 1995.

Prior to this, the Francises' eldest children were already holding their own in the business, although it was, and still is, Dion who emerged first among equals.

"Amidst the disappointments, hardships and problems there came a blessing," Pauline said at the venture's opening. "Our third son, Dion, who possessed leadership qualities, elevated himself tremendously, and with the assistance of his brothers has taken the business to higher heights."

In fact, family members credit Dion, the business's managing director, with the vision for the 1995 foray - and many successful ones since - and for picking up his father's vision and profundity.

Assuming a position of leadership in the family-owned and -run business was just natural progression for Dion, who, as a youngster, wanted to go to work "for the treats."

"I came into the family business not by choice or force. It just happened. My mother and father taught us to just be there," he said.

"I remember the earthquake of 1974, when all the botdes fell off the shelves and we had to clean them up. I must have slept for 24 hours afterward after inhaling all that alcohol," Dion said in a stroll down memory lane.

For his siblings, these days it's definitely Dion.

"If there is any problem that occurs wirhin the business, Dion knows how to solve it," Denise gave credit to her brother.

"The ideas sometimes originally come from Dad, but Dion is the brains behind him that actually carries them out. Dad has a lot of innovative ideas and Dion puts them into play."

And there is no deviation of thought from Donna: "I think as far as the creation, all the innovation comes from my father. He always comes up with the fantastic ideas ­even up to today. He gets an idea in his head, but...1 think Dion is actually the person to take it forward. Dad conceptualizes and Dion implements. Dion is the one who makes the risky business decisions, and 90 per cent of the time it is the best decision."

After the February 1995 grand opening, the Kennedy's Club family did it again nine months later when they threw open the doors of Kennedy's Enterprises on November 7. Irving was the driving force behind that initiative.

An engineer by profession, Irving said he "thought it best to find an arena to express himself further." A few years earlier, just as her children were beginning to play expanding roles in the business, Pauline had decided that she needed to ensure they knew everything they needed to take over the reins one day.

"After they left school, I told them that they have to learn the ropes before i die so that I can see the country running good," she stated.

Her boys, she said, worked with her as if on a training programme, with her imparting all she knew and allowing them to make their own decisions - and, yes, mistakes -independent of her.

"I taught them well, and I am proud of their involvement in the business; so much so that I can be where I am now, taking a back seat," Pauline said. But taking that back seat didn't come without angst, an unshakable feeling that she had to be front and centre in everything, and, finally, an epiphany - even if brought home forcefully - that the business was, indeed, in capable hands.

In February 2000, Kennedy's Club Ltd. moved its operations to it present headquarters at Cassada 'Gardens, and all this took place while Pauline was convalescing in Miami.

"I asked Dion to hold off on the move until I could be there," she admitted. "I told him I needed to be there, and he said no, I didn't. I then realized that I would be gone soon and they would have to do it all, and so they moved in February 2000 without me."

Part II