HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1979-06-28, Page 34General store
1
is a village institution
Mr. 'and Mrs. Ross
Robinson purchased the
general store in Auburn
from Mrs. Gordon Taylor
in 1967.
Ross and Marg, who
came from Belgrave, saw
an ad for the store in the
newspaper. Ross' mother
was from Auburn, so they
knew the village and
wanted to come to it.
They have made several
improvements in the
building.
The store, situated on
the corner of Goderich
and King Streets, was
originally a carpenter
shop built by James L.
Young It was remodelled
into a store and
residence.
The main store was
built first and the flat roof
part afterwards. It was
sold to Louis Wettlauffer,
then to W.T. Riddell
about 1895. Riddell slid a
flourishing general store
business for 30 years.
The business' was
purchased by J. Taylor
and his son, Gordon in
1925. Alfred Asquith
bought the flour and feed
business in 1932. 'A Store
at your Door' service was
carried on from 1933 to
1946 by Kal mer K.
Dawson and later Gordon
Dobie.
In 1934, the father and
son Taylor "partnership
was dissolved and
Gordon carried on the
business. A government -
approved egg -grading
station opened in 1942 and
by 1947, about 75,000 eggs
were handled.
The store, store room,
and home were badly
damaged by fire in 1949:
It was brought under
control by Auburn, Blyth,
Clinton and Goderich fire
brigades. Taylor carried
on his business in the
Orange Hall until
Christmas when the store
and home had been
rebuilt.
Because many far-
mers were giving up the
poultry business, the egg
grading station was
discontinued in 1955.
After the .death of
Gordon Taylor in
February, 1967, Mrs.
Taylor carried on until
September 1, 1967 when
she sold to Mr. and Mrs.
Robinson.
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CONGRATULATIONS
AUBURN
ON YOUR
1 25th BIRTHDAY
We would like to thank all our customers for
their past patronage.
FROM THE STAFF AT
FREERS HARDWARE
MAIN ST. BLYTH
MONDAY to SATURDAY
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
�Y.r3.�i ��✓�.
Ceramics by Bess
a booming business
Bess Slater has been
firing her kilns for about
three years. Before
opening her gift shop,
Bess and her husband
had a grocery store in
Auburn for ten years.
Bess started giving
ceramics classes two
years ago. She has about
50 students, who come
from all over the area:
Most of them are women,
anywhere from 12 to 65
years old. She holds five
classes a week in the
back of her shop. The
first thing a.student does
is pick out a mold she
likes, then she removes
all the seam markings
from it and sands it. Then
the mold is 'fired' for the
first time. - Then it is
glazed and fired again,
and it comes out shiny
and white. It is then
stained with an acrylic
paint, and sprayed with a
gloss. The firing is done
in one of Bess' two kilns,
worth a total of $1400. A
kiln can hold about ten
molds at a time. In her
larger kiln, it takes five
hours to fire a mold, and
another ten hours to cool
it off. The kiln heats up to
a blazing 1850 degrees
farenheit.
Bess sells several
different ceramics in her '
shop. Planters sell well,
especially African violet
pots, according to Bess.
She also has children's
ceramics, lLke clocks and
characters from Star
Wars.
Along with the
ceramics, Bess stocks
gifts, afghans, stuffed
toys, and wall plaques, as
well as displaying quilts
made by ladies' groups.
W. T. Riddell's wagon around 1900
•
This photograph of Jim and Tom Johnston in front of their hardware store
was taken some time during the '30's.
Johnstons own store for years
from page 16
on a flourishing business
with the hardware, coal
business, service station
and garage. In 1927,
Hydro became available
in Auburn and Jim
Johnston did a great deal
of electric wiring,
plumbing, and furnace
installation.
After his father's death
in 1950, Tom Johnston
continued the business. In
1969, after 51 year , of
business, he sold to Mr.
and Mrs. Elmer Trom-
mer, of Hespeler. In
1971, Trommer's son
William took over the
garage work.
Jim and Dorothy
Schneider bought the
business January 1, 1978.
Ross and Marg Robinson, owners and proprietors of Auburn's General
Store.
Bess Slater displays a colorfully painted ceramic rooster from her large
stock.
Spot some familiar faces
on pages 25 and 26
523-4246
FRIDAY NIGHTS
TILL 9 p.m.
Best
Wishes
to
Auburn
on your
1 25th Anniversary
H. Arthur Fuels Ltd.
AUBURN 526-7727
Serving Auburn for over
29 years in the Heating
Industry
CONGRATULATIONS
TO
AUBURN
ON YOUR
125th
ANN IVERSARY
We wish all friends. customers -
and visitors the very best during the
centennial celebrations.
L.H. Jenkins Ltd.
Auto wreckers
R.R. no. 4 Goderich 524-7111