Village Squire, 1980-11, Page 19Hildburg Scheu and partner Maurice Poujade examine one of
this year's coffee table hooks in front of Fanfare Book's logo.
Bodks beautify brains. [Photo by Gibb]
MENNONITE
COUNTRY
,A,,R,4,„ ,AAa5N UA.1H tti6% D5
PETER ETRtL SNyDER
ft 1 11 1 K. tiERRPOR
Mennonite Country. featuring the Waterloo County sketches of
artist Peter Etril Snyder, is one of the Canadians collection at
Fan/are Books of particular interest to area readers.
[Photo by Gibb]
Antique furnishings, and this distinctive fireplace make
"excellent props "in Maurice. Pouiade's words. for the plays and
theatrical literature at Fanfare Books.
(Photo by Gibb]
Stewart, as well as a freelance writer in Europe and New York,
moved to Stratford to open her shop in 1967. Fanfare Books has
always reflected her personal interests in Canadians, the
theatre, women's issues, food and children's literature. The
motto Mrs. Stafford chose for her store's logo was "Books
Beautify Brains".
After moving the store four times, Mrs. Stafford finally settled
in an old Victorian house on Waterloo Street, a block from The
Third Stage. There were rumours the house was haunted,if not
by and ghosts. by memories of the theatre people who had lived
in the red brick home - actresses Frances Hyland and Michael
Learned and actors Peter Donat and John Colicos . Although
there aren't any actors living in the house now, many of them
still come to Fanfare Books regularly to browse.
Mrs. Stafford often described her store as "not one of the
world's great bookshops, just one of the most interesting."
Hildburg Scheu would certainly agree. She said the only
bookshops she thinks have an atmosphere comparable to Fanfare
are Britnell's in Toronto and The Different Drummer in
Burlington.
UNIQUE FEATURE
A unique feature of the shop, created by Ellen Stafford, is the
tearoom, situated in a back verandah overlooking the swan -filled
Avon River. A popular drawing card for festivalgoers, it features
homebaking, a variety of teas and coffee and light lunches,
which encourage visitors to linger even longer in the shop. Ms.
VILLAGE SQUIRE/NOVEMBER 1980 PG. 17