Times-Advocate, 1988-11-02, Page 11tores with a past
By Yvonne Reynolds Twice a wreck• \Vaghorn drives to
Nostalgia isn't k hat it used to be, diflcrent v,holesalers to pick up sup -
and neither are general stores. plies for the store and special items
• At one time every crossroads -.customers have ordered. It could be
boasted its own emporium; usually. _ a piece .of plate glass, or a .brass
. accompanied by a hotel, a black- coupling:
smith shop and a church. Many of "It's part of the job.. If you want
• these establishinents exist now, only to make a business go, you work at
in the gages of locul history' books, it",.Waghorn renr,arkcd. •
but other are still thriy ing. • (inc. change over the- years he
•
* ' * * mites is • "Customers want more
,Boh Sadler is the fourth genera- specials now:" The week's hest
tion• of his tastily to run the Statfa• buys are listed on• a prominently
General- Store; and he \vitt he the' displayed hlackhoard near the front.
last.o_ f tate store.
Sailer recalls the glory days, Unlit ` moving into their new
when .his family operated two house, the Waghorris occupied the
stores, one at Stan and one at ('ro- living quarters that are part of. the
marry, and a tru.k �+hich delivered
groceries and picked up eggs. •
hours wanting to huy something.
"We would open up. We try not
to discourage anyone", Waghorn
said.
Waghorn has_ just sold his bus-
. tling bugincss to Ray and Wendy
Verfturin, who took over :November
1.. tic will continue as postmaster,.
dispensing mail and stamps from
the antique postal outlet with its
old-fashioned wicket' and unique
combination -lock boxes at the hack
of the store.
The Venturins obviously belie%e
in the future of the country general
store. Originally. from London,
theyoperated a general store at
Sparta near St. Thomas before pur-
tore. For the first (i w year;, cis + . chasing the Kirkton store.
tomer; would often come after "We like a small community.
. We looked around and decided to lo-
cate here", Venturin said.
Customers were invited to drop
in, have a cup of coffee and rnect
the new owner, on October 29..
* • * • * * -.
Young and Bo Park are:another
young couple who artist .general
stores have a future. They moved
from Toronto to buy the Edgewoo d
Groceteria at' the intersection of
Highway 7 and Highbury Avenue
in March '86..
The Parks' customers can huy
groceries, health care products,
cards, magazines, work clothes, and
nails, bolts and other smaller hard-
ware items. Business really Mems
in the summer; many travellers
stop in for ice cream 'and soft
drinks' The demand for take-out
coffee keeps the coffeema ker going
year-round.
The Parks ran a similar store in
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GENERAL STORE
J A. SADLER 3 SON
■ •
Toronto before
pres'ent It cation
happier here. •
"In Toronto
INI
Times -Advocate; November 2; 1988
Page 9
and a future
. moving to their
. • They are much
people don't trust
and rubberboots", the Boyes sell
videos and supplies for making
wine and beer.
The Varna post office is also lo -
Shirley Boyes (right) serves cus-
tomer Marjorie Hayter- at Varne's
general store.
except for a three and one-half year
interval in the Canadian army dur-
ing World War 1.1.
Durin!• that time, I had one
aBob Sadler (left) is the fourth gener-
ation to operate the Staffa general
store.
.
Everything - flour, sugar, spices,
cheese, dried fruits, cookies, coal•oil
and molasses - name in bulk and had
to he packaged:
The country store even made the
big city newspapers once, when two
4youths armed with a sawed -oft shot-
gun robbed Sadler about 10 .years
ago. The thieves were never
caught.
Now the shelves are slowly emp-
tying. The main draw these days is
the post office which has been part
of the store' for •manv years, and
continues to serve 26 general deliv-
ery customers.
Sadler is still postmaster. He
doesn't -know what will happen to
the postal service when he retires
completely; he only knows he can't
sell the post office as part of the
business. •
* * * +.
Bill N+aghornhas leen proprietor.
of the general store at Kirkton for
18 ycars: The store had been closed
for a year and a _half, then reopened
for a year Iv fore Vi aghom purchased
it in 1970..
"I had always wanted 'to he in
business for myself, and I liked
working for the public". Waghorn
explained.
Over the years, he gradually huiit'
ftp tlic stock to of ler a wide choice
of groceries, hardware, . work
clothes, greeting cards and. other
supplies.
Personal service has been a bonus
for • those who shop at the store.
After 18 years at Kirkton, Bill Wag -
horn (left) has sold his store to Ray.
Venturin (right) and wife Wendy.
1.11
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Anne
each other. Country people- are
warmer, more friendly, and there's
much less theft". Bo said.
"The country is better -for kids",
his wife added.
The Parks agree running a coun-
try store is hart! work. They stay
open seven daysla week, with assis-
tance from part-time help.
"It's hard work, but someone has
to do it". Bo said.
* * * *
Ed and Shirley Boyes took their
leap of faith three ycars ago when
they became owners of the general
store in Varna. Fd was working at
the Blue Water ('entre near Gtxde-
rich, hurdle Boyes had dreamt of
having their own business.
Besides the groceries, "trails and
pails, shovel; and rakes, work boxes
cated in the store.
• The Boyes have no doubt ,their
store has a future, and so do they.
"We love it. We've never regret-
ted it",.Shirley enthused.
* * * -*
- No story about gene ral stores
would be complete without inched
The day of
the
old-time
general
store is
not yet
-past
ing Fraync's General Store owned
and operated. by Stan and Marion
Frayne. Son David is now in
charge of the Hay post office, the
oldest in Huron County, -hut Stan
still runs the store.
Frayne had been working on Exet-
er's main street for the Southcott
Brothers and their successors Gould
and Jory, first on Saturday nights
and then full time after leatving high
school. He was approached by the
owner of the north end store with an
offer to'scll. and took over 34 ycars
ago.
Fravnc has been there ever since,
Stan Frayne is still serving.custom-
ers with a smile from behind' the(
counter of Exeter's last general
✓
store.
serving customers fin hour a week,
birthday in Canada, the next in Eng-
land, and the following ones in Italy
and Holland". I=ruvnc recalled.
• Frayne has 'noticed an almost
complete change of customers.
Hank Green is the last of his gener-
ation to still coma in for his nail,
as he. has for the last 50 years.
Tastes change.. Younger people
cat out more. and wane more cnn-
vcnicncc .foods, Frayne rcpxtrtel.
This year for_ the first time ho is
filling his Jamaican custi+niers' or-
ders by stocking chicken feet,
cleaned anti packaged and ready for
the soup kettle.
• The complementary_ blend of Old
and, new is hest exemplified by a
marvelous old patterned fin ceiling
overhead and a digital scale on the
counter. The old-fashioned shelving
displays goods designed for tlie mi-
crowave overt..
"This job has high overhead and
long hours. It takes a couple, a
man. and wife. and a lot of .work",
Frayne said. 'Then he .smiled and
gave' the other side. "You meet so
many fine people. Life has been
good."
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Young and Bo Park are very glad they moved from Toronto and bought a general store at the corner of Highbury
and Highway 7.
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