STROLL along Parkwood Road and you step into 'Kaminski country'. Here blue lorries, emblazoned with the family name, benignly trundle about their business.

On one side is a garden centre beckoning the green-fingered, on the other a builders' merchants stocked to the ceiling with everything from screws to shower units.

But this mini-empire embraces more than a retail emporium of Aladdin's Cave proportions. Over the years Parkwood Road has become lined with Kaminski properties. Houses have been steadily purchased, and the former Farm Industries premises converted into mews houses.

Just having celebrated his 50th birthday, Tony Kaminski is able to reflect back on a business that has grown from a shed.

'We have loved doing it — but we have never taken a risk because everything was paid for. We always invested our profits,' says Tony.

'We are marathon people. Always have been. We don't look for short returns.'

Son of Edmund Kaminski, who founded the business, Tony is 'hands-on'. It is the way he likes it. With a bellowing voice that can boom above a rasping sawing machine and a Botham haircut that gives him a jaunty, slightly mischevious air, he is the pivotal character in the firm's steady advancement.

Busying himself with whatever job needs doing — from forward planning to unloading the latest delivery— he sees the future naturally developing from the foundations of the past.

'Our endeavours energise us. We were successful in business early on which opened up a lot of options. Retail returns were phenomenal — but the physical efforts were huge,' he says.

As a child he recalls helping his father when he took items salvaged from demolition work for sale in Hatherleigh market in an old green lorry.

'We always had the long-term vision. As he built up the savings from that dad bought a plot in Parkwood Road and began selling from a small shed.'

By now Tony had been accepted by Cardiff University and was a keen sportsman playing for his county in the Devon Under 19s rugby team.

But a serious car accident put a sports career out of reach so his studies led him in a different direction. After gaining a degree then a diploma in personnel management he worked as an industrial relations officer for British Steel.

Now married to Glenda, a teacher, he was promoted as a senior industrial relations officer and transferred to Yorkshire.

They didn't like it there, so the couple — who now have three grown-up children, Katrin, 25, Vicky, 22, and James, 14 — returned to Tavistock and Tony joined his Polish father in the thriving family business.

'Things opened up almost meteorically in that a lot of properties came onto the market.

'We started buying houses in Parkwood Road in 1989. But not only were we buying residential properties to let, we were also building them. Everything we have done is self-financed. We have had no loans from anyone since we started.'

Tony says Parkwood Road was 'specifically targetted' because it meant everything was close and convenient. 'It meant we could supervise everything. Flexibility has been a by-word.'

The strategy has worked with the company now owning an all paid-for property portfolio of 26 executive and town houses and a thriving holiday business from which the large annual rental income is ploughed back into the business to develop further projects.

But while it has been hard work making the dream become a reality it has been hugely satisfying for the Kaminski family — both financially and emotionally.

'I love the routine of work as long as I have a good team around me. We are building people, we build up foundations,' says Tony.

It is, he says, a unique outfit. The right blend of staff, a perceptive selection of projects and ability to head off the competition.

'We are not interested solely in the money side. The adventure of building this up is more important than anything else.'

The Kaminskis pride themselves on the quality of their work. When they converted old premises into residential properties Edmund Park and Anthony Park they won plaudits for the superior standard of the architecture.

'The manner in which we have done the renovation was very much in sympathy with the surroundings' said Tony.

'It is a lifetime's work-cum-hobby. This is a way of life. Implanted in me has always been this anxiety to make the best, do the most,' he says.

His 75-year-old father still enjoys working every day — and is the first one up to open the gates for Tony and the seven staff.

'The contemporary image of Kaminski's is far different from the way we started. We cater for the modern market. We don't theorise. You control what you can control and don't worry about what you can't. You have to go past your fears,' says Tony.

'We are positive but with a realistic outlook. We just strive to do our best and not cheat ourselves or anybody else.'

His office is a cramped eyrie wedged on the labrynthine first floor of the warehouse. From here he shouts instructions, fields interruptions, drinks tea, cracks jokes, juggles jobs, and drives Kaminski's successes steadily onward.

'There is only a limited time to achieve things when you are healthy — and the time is right if you don't put off today . . . ' he says, smiling at the cliche.

'All these cliches are right. You don't put off what you can do today until tomorrow. It is all about common sense.'