Village Squire, 1978-08, Page 13Heather Bull after a lot of traselling has settled in Kincardine to
manage Craft Ante.
The BNPD is both a blessing and a hardship for crafts
businesses. For Valerie who is well established now. the Targe
and generally young shopping public brought by the project
means a healthy stream of people coming in looking for
something unusual for their own homes or to give for gifts. That
same booming population, however. can mean higher rents
than in other small towns in Western Ontario making it hard to
get a shop started.
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While many people dream of building a bigger and bigger
business Valerie is quite happy with things just the way they are
she says. She has her hands full with her own shop, plus looking
after the books for her husband's record and stereo shop and
another similar shop in Port Elgin in which he is in partnership.
In addition there's a new son to take up both the Youngs' time.
Much of the work of running Crafty Ante is looked after by
Heather Bull who manages the store. Heather, says Valerie, has
a real background for such a job. She studied at university in
textiles and was a school teacher. She's lived in Switzerland and
the Carribean and she studied Glass Blowing in Europe. In
addition she speaks several languages, a fact that delights
non-English speaking people who come into the shop.
One of the differences for the Youngs from many people
starting out in small shops was the shop itsetf. Instead of having
to work for long periods to get the shop ready, they were the first
tenants of a new building with nothing to do but make the
shelving. a task which Jim undertook.
Valerie says she would love to get back to doing more craft
work herself. She really misses the days when she had the time
for such things but there are so many other people who are
working away in their own homes, who have the time. and for
whom Crafty Ante is an outlet to the public.
Still. she says, the three businesses may keep the couple busy
but they're happy that way. They both like to be kept busy. It
keeps them on their toes. Valerie says. They want to develop
their businesses to their peaks, to do a good job with what
they've got. As long as they've still got time for their family and
to play some tennis. Valerie seems to be quite happy. O
GIFTS FOR
ALL OCCASIONS
• Blue Mountain
•Jewellery
•Stationery
• Discount Health
•Corn Flower
Crystal
Pottery
& Beauty Aids
WILSON'S
Health & Gift Centre
Blyth, Ont. Phone 523-4440
VILLAGE SQUIRE/AUGUST 1978. PG. 11.