Village Squire, 1977-12, Page 6old-fashioned, mile -high type. But the Dinneys saw the potential
in the unique molding pattern and by painting the ceiling a lime
colour and the molding white, they created one of the highlights
of the store.
John built the fixtures for the store while Jo -Anne painted and
cleaned. It was an interesting, if tiring job. The drug store was
100 years old and out back was a waiting room, examining room
and small laboratory. How many people, they wondered, had
been treated in that room by the local doctor in times past?
The store opened on March 1, 1974 and Jo -Anne recalls it was
a lot emptier than it is today. That wouldn't be hard, of course.
Today the store is a mass of plants and knick-knacks from front to
back, bottom to top. Hanging plants, potted plants, plants in
terraniums, plants of every size and description give one the
feeling of being as much in a garden as in a shop. It makes a nice
environment to work in, Jo -Anne admits, especially on cold
winter days when it's a little like spring coming inside.
Like the name Country Flowers. she tried to keep the contents
of the store countryish. Her original idea was that everything in
the store had to be involved with flowers, like jars to hold flowers
and such, but now she has a wider selection of old-fashioned
bottles and jars and things like hair combs and barrettes and
things in pewter and brass. Still, she says, the emphasis of the
store is on flowers, plants and arrangements.
The store has been a success. Jo -Anne started out by herself
(John helped set up but he works for the family furniture
business) and one other employee. Today it takes three other
employees to keep the shop going. The busiest period of the year
has started. Christmas in the shop is a hectic time. Most of the
work goes on behind the scenes in the back room where the girls
are kept busy making up flower arrangements and special
arrangements of silk flowers and dried flowers. Preparations like
having containers ready and boxes made up must also be made
Terraniums also decorate the floors of the shop.
4. VILLAGE SQUIRE/DECEMBER 1977.
.r�
CHMSTM
GliFS
FHilM000
OS
s
et your man apart
this Christmas with
great gift ideas from
Earl Rawson's Men's Shop
in Goderich.
Earl and his staff will be happy
to show you The Latest in Styles,
Colours and Fabrics.
HE HAS A .GIFT TO PLEASE EVERY MAN
ON YOUR LIST.
Open Wednesday afternoons and Thursday and
Friday nights till 9:00 p.m.
EAR
SHOP FOR MEN
Corner Montreal Street
and The Square,
Goderich