HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-04-27, Page 28You
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TIC ORIA and
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TRUST COMPANY SINCE 1899
Manager A.A. Weatherby
524-7301 Gederich
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•
PAGE 10A--GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY„ APRIL 27, 1978
Neighborhood convenience store can't compete
BY SHARON DIETZ
The country stores which sold
everything from long johns to fresh
apple cider to nuts and bolts and shovels
are few and far between. The urban
areas have seen their local general store
replaced by Beckers and Mac's Milk and
it only in the rural areas, miles from a
city, that the country store can still be
found in a tiny corner village.
But, an inability to compete with the
prices of the grocery and hardware
chains in the nearby large town and the
refusal by the distributors and
wholesalers to make delivery, is causing
the country store to .close for the final
time.
The St. Augustine store is holding a
"Going out, of business sale" and its
owners, Glenn and Margaret McConnell,
have mixed feelings about closing the
business they have operated for the past
five years.
They enjoy owning and operating a
small business they moved. from
Shelburne to buy. They like the friendly
people they have come to know since
moving here, and their children like it so
well, they will 'likely remain in the
community after they close the store.
They would like to sell the store and if,
they do they will buy a house and
perhaps, some property in the area but,
if they cannot sell the store, they plan to
live in the house and convert the
storefront to living quarters.
The McConnells have found that their
business is too small to encourage
delivery from wholesalers and
distributors. When they first took over
the store,• milk was delivered twice a
week and then it was changed to delivery
once a, week and now the dairy wants
them to drive into Goderich and pick up
the milk.
TOO MANY BISCUITS
The straw that broke the camel's back
was McCormack's decision not to make•
delivery unless there was an order of
$150.
"An order of biscuits, that large,
would last for almost a year," says
Margaret.
If all the people in the store's area
would shop there for their groceries, the
business would do well, says Margaret,
but people would rather drive to
Goderich where the prices are cheaper
and the selection larger.
There are no regular shoppers at the
store. People use it as a convenience
store for things they forgot to buy in
town or when they want to charge
something. Some still use the store as a
bank to cash a cheque.
The St. Augustine store has been
closed Saturday and open Sunday
because thepeople in the area ap-
preciated the service on Sunday when
other places are closed.
It will be a change for Margaret, who
has operated the store whileher husband
works out. She has been tied to the house
by the store but plans to fined a job after
the store closes.
They had hoped when they moved to
St. Augustine that the store would
provide their livelihood, but Glenn has
worked out since the fourth month after
they took over the business.
There is the possibility that the future
will re-create a dependence on the local
general store as gasoline and oil prices
make it too expensive to drive into town
to shop for groceries.
If this should happen, people will want
a store in their area but the country
stores will all be gone by then, because
they cannot compete now. •
TRADITION ENDED
There has been a store in St. Augustine
since before the turn of the century.
Brennans owned it in 1900 and there are
three known previous owners, although
the McConnells have been unable to
learn when they each had the business.
Gus McGuire, Jim Brophy and Charlie
Moss owned the store prior to the
Brennans.
Mike Beuniger ran a creamery in
Dungannon and his wife ran the store
after •Brennans had it. The Post Office
was in a house on the corner beside the
store and later in the store. McConnell's
tore down the house beside them last
year after buying it from, ..carolyn
O'Niel, Goderich.
After the B.eunigers sold the store it
remained in the Boyle family until
McConnells bought it. John Boyle bought
it from Beunigers, and then William
Boyle owned it. Gus Devereaux bought
the store from William Boyle. Gus and
his wife, Mary Boyle Devereaux, owned
the store for 24, years and they sold it to
the McConnells.
Like the death of the family farm,
storekeepers are no longer a family
profession. Several stores in the area,
including the ones in St. Helens,
Holyrood, Benmiller and St. Augustine, -
are owned by people whoJlived in the city
and moved to the village to own and
operate a small business.
But the inability to compete with the
buying power of the large food:. chains
and the automobile society in which
people drive to shop, may wipe away the
country store, despite the enthusiasm of
the small businessman.
0 60
Christian Reformed choir entertains
Members of the
congregation of the Clinton
Christian Reform Church
formed a choir for the Sunday
evening song service at
Huronview led by Dick
Roorda.
Molly Cox, Norman Speir
and Cecil Skinner provided
the Old-Tyme music for
•Monday's program • of
Huronview. The Goderich
Township Women's Institute
volunteers assisted with the
activities.
Doug McNall and Dave
Sherman from the Kirkton
area entertained with a
musical program on Family
Night at Huronview. The
entertainers provided their
own guitar accompaniment
•and sang" several familiar
songs and requests, including
the Blyth Centennial song.
Miss Pearl Gidley expressed
the appreciation of the
Huronview residents,
The Belgrave Women's
Institute were hosts for the
April Birthday Party of
Huronview last Wednesday
1
afternoon. Mrs. Mary
Wightman was emcee for the
party and introduced the
following program. There
were musical numbers by
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence
Edgar, step -dancing •by
Colleen Edgar, vocal solos by
Clarke Johnston, piano solos
by Steve Coultes and Donna
Higgins, reading by Mrs.
Scott, Mrs. Nicholson and
Paul and Mark Coultes. Mrs.
Glenn Coultes led a sing -a-
long accompanied at the
piano by Mrs. Norman
Coultes.
The' birthday celebrants
were presented with a lovely
carnation by the Institute and
lunch was served by the
ladies. Mrs. Cornish, who
celebrated .her 88th .birthday
on April 18, thanked all those
who had helped with the
party.
SOUTH HURON RECREATION CENTRE
EXETER
Chris tiahschool
PTA hears
from consultant
The semi-annual meeting of
the Parent and Teachers
Association of the Clinton and
District Christian School was
held on April 10th in the
Christian Reformed church
hall. The meeting was
chaired by Mrs. Grace
Hamming of Blyth and it
featured as guest speaker Mr.
John Struik, Community
Consultant for Salem.
Salem is a mental health
out-patient clinic in Rexdale,
Ontario. Supported by in-
terested Christian groups, as
well as by the Christian
Reformed Church through an
interdenominational board,
Salem attempts in its area to
nurture mental health and
mental stability.
As a Community Con-
sultant for Salem, Mr. Struik
travels throughout Ontario
and Eastern Canada
speaking to interested
groups. He provides family
and individual therapy at the
clinic.
Mr. Struik • spoke to an
enthusiastic assembly of,
parents and teachers on the
appropriate topic "Under-
standing our • Children and
Young People."
When interviewed as to the
purpose of the meeting, one of
the teachers explained that,
"It has always been one of the
goals of our Christian homes
and therefore our Christian
schools to teach a Christian
life style, Christian virtues,
and in general •to encourage
in our children, hearts
directed to Christ.
The teacher went on to
explain, "The problems begin
when we as parents and our
children try to implement
that life style. Our peers and
Turn to page 1 1 A •
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