Village Squire, 1974-06, Page 12Coffee and Scones
are served at
Old Roy's Church
People are sitting drinking coffee in the
choir loft of Roy's Presbyterian Church, but
the minister doesn't complain.
Ten years ago, of course, he would have
been a little perturbed if someone in the choir
loft had been eating scones and drinking
coffee while he was trying to preach a
sermon, but there are no sermons in Roy's
church these days. There's plenty of coffee
and scones, though.
Roy's church near Russeldale south of
Mitchell, is a church no more. It was closed
several years ago and scheduled for
demolition, until Ross and Shirley Smith
happened to be exploring the countryside one
day and:discovered it. And, to make a long
story short, Roy's Church became the
Country Spire. Thus the coffee and scones.
There's much more at the Country Spire, of
course, such as Canadian and imported crafts
and the sort of quality goods you find in many
of the small shops in the area.
Country Spire, of course, is no small shop.
Compared to many of the boutiques of the
district, it looks like Eatons or Simpsons. The
former auditorium of the church provides a
Targe floor space for display of the goods.
For the Smith's, Roy's church is more than
a store: it's also a home. For the past two
years the Smiths have been working to turn
the old church basement into living quarters.
The job is partially completed with a modern
kitchen and big fireplace making it a homey
place, though they are still working ort
completing the job.
It may not be perfect yet, but for the
Smith's it's wonderful just the same. They
were both born in this area, Shirley in
Whitechurch and Ross at Wingham, but for
several years they had been living in Toronto
where Ross found the pressure of his job
getting too much for him. They began looking
for something that would get them out of the
city. Five summers ago they bought a store in
Grand Bend and started Shirley's Canadian
Crafts and othe Fine Gifts.
It was the Grand Bend shop that indirectly
10, VILLAGE SQUIRE/MAY 1974
Shirley Smith in the choir loft turned tea room.
A little house of gift ideas in one corner of the old church.