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aw, or ee Dr xe A LR PN Te Bert and Gertrude Wanamaker retire . y Me TAF ATE Te Ay LTRS BF PUES TBF 1 [REA Pg oF RS) 1) y . LAN (he HE i AF - a as BS SRR ly LE BI > PA d RLY res --~ PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, July 30, 1975 24 - Seagrave store claims tradition in a a growing community 14 years a store owner, is not considered too long a period in business, but when a person prior to this has been operating a milk business in Toronto for 10 years and anpther 16 years toiled the soil and milked cows on a farm, retirement does seem like a just reward. Bert Wanamaker and his good wife, Gertrude, popular owners of the Seagrave store have made this decision, despite the fact they have really enjoyed the life of storekeepers, They handed over the keys to the new owners last week. The new owners, Dorothy Massel 'and her nephew, George Giles, although relative newcomers to the Seagrave area, canrightfully The unique gadget Bert Wanamaker is using to lift a box of cereal from a high shelf has been in use since about the time the store was built and is still in use. It's of a clamp devise controlled from the handle and makes it a lot faster and easier than climbing a ladder. lS Bert and Gertrude Wanamaker on top of the steps in front of the store they have operated for 14 years at claim to be local residents. Mrs. Massel has lived above the store for better than a year, and Mr. Giles pur- chased a house in the Mari- posa Estates a couple of years ago. Here he resides with his charming wife, Nancy, and twolovely daugh- ters, Rhonda, 7, and Natasha, 2. Originally, they all hail from Scarborough. The present store was built around the turn of the cen- tury, but prior to this time, a store had been operated for many years. The old building was used as a storage shed after Robert Thompson built the new building in 1902, and was still in use when the Wanamakers purchased the store in 1961. At that stage, it was in a very dilapidated condition and Mr. Wana- maker had it replaced with a cement block structure. Prior to the Wanamakers purchasing the store, it had changed hands several times. Mrs. Milt Stone, well over: 80 years of age and a long time resident of Seagrave, can vividly remember the opening of the new store. When her mother returned from the store that parti- cular day, along with her groceries, she also brought home a shaving mug, a gift to her husband from the store owner for being the first customer. As far as can be deter- mined, the second owner of the store, was a person named Fred Hawkins, fol- lowed by another with the namé Thompson. = Wes Crozier, well. known former councillor and reeve of Brock Township was proprietor of the store on two occasions. One Mr. Wooldridge also operated the store for a short period. Some time during this early period, Mr. Wana- maker said, "I can remem- ber my father buying gas for a 1917 Chev at the store. The storekeeper had a little build- ing next to the store with gas in 45 gallon drums. He pumped the gas into a one gallon measure and strained ' Seagrave. The new owners Mrs. Dorothy Massel and | TL it youl Bert Wanamaker is handing over the keys to George Giles to 'make the transfer of the Seagrave store official. Mr. Giles is in partnership with his aunt, Mrs. Dorothy Massel who is taking'in the ceremony with Mrs. Gertrude Wanamaker. it through a chamois, before emptying it into the tank of the car. When Orville Bowe pur- chased the business in 1944, he served the public of the Seagrave area for 14 years before he sold it to a Toronto man, Jerry Barnes, who only spent three yearsin the store. It was from him, Bert and Gertrude Wanamaker took over in 1961, and through diligent work and the best possible service have created quality and a good reputation among their many customers and friends. Progress has been considerable during those 14 years. Seagrave has grown and prospered, so has Wanamaker's General Store, and if we, in all modesty, may add, we at the Port Perry Star have also shared in this growth. Last week 107 copies of the STAR were sold in the store, compared to ten, 12 years ago. Seagrave Post Office is also part of the store, and almost 150 families receive their mail here, including Mariposa Estate and Robin _ Mr. George Giles took over possession of the store last w eek. Glade residents. Mail to about 100 families living in the rural routes area is despatched from the Seagrave store. » Thesuccessful operation of the store is not all theirs, the Wanamakers claim. A great deal of credit must go to their three sons, Ronald, Neil and Bill. "We never had to ask for assistance. The boys would be offering help whether we needed it or not," they both exclaimed. And equally proud are the Wanamakers of Leona, Donna and Sharon wives of their three sons. '"Those girls have been just like daughters tous," Mr. Wanamaker says, enthusiastically supported by his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Wanamaker agree they will be missing the hustle and bustle of life in the store and they won't be able to meet friends and custom- ers as frequently as before, but they are unanimous in their praise of Seagrave people. They also agree, that the 14 years they spent-as storekeepers were the best years of their lives. MAR-LAINE HAND CRAFT BOUTIQUE 160 Queen Street - Port Perry, Ont. 985-8011" Doodle Art and Sheepskin Rugs MACRAME SUPPLIES and BEADS Jiffy Stitchery - Needle Pointers - Tapestry and Hand Crafts. Yarns, Needlecraft & Kits UXBRIDGE DENTURE CLINIC 66 Brock Street West - 852-5291 | APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE NOW. For Complete Denture Service. D. Thapar Member ot the Denturist Society of Ontario Uxbridge, Ont TF Ji area. successers, Mrs. Seagrave. Thank You We want to take this opportunity of thanking our many faithful friends and customers for their patronage during the 14 years we had the pleasure of serving the people of Seagrave and At the same time, we like tq ask 3 you to. extend the same patronage and courtesy to opr Dorothy Massel -and Mr. George Giles. Thank you again. Sincerely yours, Bert and Gertrude Wanamaker B. L. Wanamaker's General Store, n . i Br