Village Squire, 1980-03, Page 13John Fisher and Tom Papple pose in front of the old
bake oven, uncovered during renovations at the store.
Crich Bros. operated a bakery and restaurant for 50
years in the building where The Tree Trunk is now
located. (Photo by Townshend)
university and set up apartments. Dawn
adds that some couples starting out with
young families prefer to buy good used
furniture now and invest in more expensive
furniture after their children are older.
Tom explains, "The Tree Trunk might
not have something to suit everyone's
taste, but we've got something of every-
thing you'd need for a house."
Near the back of the showroom is a
beautiful antique organ that still plays. On
the rear wall of the showroom, adding to
the atmosphere, is a brick oven front that
the Papple s uncovered during renov-
ations.
Originally the store was the location of
Crich Brothers' Bakery, one of the earliest
and largest bakeries in the area. The
bakery operated in the days when goods
were sent as far north as Port Elgin by rail
and delivered in the immediate Seaforth
area by wagon. The oven was coke -fired,
and the front was covered more than SO
years ago when an office was built at the
back.
A Crich Bros. sign, found upstairs, now
hangs above the oven. Other original
utensils have turned up - pans, dough
boards, display cases and a bread box. Mr.
John Crich, of Seaforth, the last Crich to
work in the bakery, often comes into the
store to reminisce.
"Mr. Crich always has some interesting
stories to tell us about the things we've
found and what they were used for," says
Dawn.
Another room at the back is almost as
large as the showroom. One auction was
held in it, but for the winter, it serves as a
storage area for furniture and appliances
that need repair. Tom explains they don't
have time or space to make the repairs.
Most of the articles in the back room will be
sold at reduced prices to handymen who
are able to fix them.
When the better weather comes, the
storage area will be cleared to make the
auction room for which it was originally
intended.
THE TREASURE ROOM
Upstairs in The Tree Trunk is the
"treasure room," which has proved to be
one of the most enticing spots in the store.
Small miscellaneous items are taken up,
everything from boxing gloves to old
records to an ice box to office chairs. The
most popular items are small things
displayed on tables with price ranges from
$2.00 to 10 cents.
"People love to just look around,"
laughs Dawn, "and it's surprising what
they pick up." Before Christmas, the
'treasure room' was a favourite shopping
spot for children.
Tom, Dawn and John travel to auction
sales from Hanover to London to Stratford
and Goderich. They avoid local sales,
because they feel it would be unfair to.
1.141 K
THE GIFT THAT...
KEEPS ON GIVING
JEWELLERY
KI f FORM - MAKE 11
YOURSELF
CUSTOM MADE - AT LOW
COST
STONES ARE NATURAL
MINERALS IMPORTED
FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD. NO GLASS OR
PLASTIC.
Tiger Eye, Carnelian,
Amethyst Quartz,
Garnet, Moonstone,
Jade, Opal, and Tots
more.
Rings, Pendants, Beads,
Necklaces, Belt Buckles,
Bola Ties, Bracelets,
etc.
VISIT...MINI MINERAL
MUSEUM - NO CHARGE..
oL iGrca ems
51 ST. DAVID ST., GODERICN, ONT. N1A 114
524-9972
VILLAGE SQUIRE/ MARCH 1980 PG. 11