GENERAL
STORES OF CANADA: MERCHANTS AND MEMORIES
(Toronto: Lynx
Images), 2002, ISBN 1-894073-29-0, $24.95
“The general store is just the place,” sings
Anne Shirley in the musical Anne of Green Gables, “for all the
needs of the human race.” General Stores of
Canada: Merchants and Memories shows that for much of Canadian history,
general stores, and their antecedents, trading posts, have indeed supplied most
if not all the needs of Canadians. In these stores, we shopped, we told our
stories and we even borrowed money. As well as being purveyors of goods,
storekeepers played the role of justices of the peace, fire chiefs, and even
psychologists. Often a settlement began with the founding of the store.
Québec was so founded, as was Vancouver. Kindersley, Saskatchewan, was
one of scores of Prairie towns that began with a store in a tent. The book
deals with store architecture, store interiors and storekeepers. It is richly
illustrated with photographs collected across the country.
You will not want to miss this
panoramic and personal history of general stores in Canada.
This book is guaranteed to make you
laugh, and once in a while it may even bring a tear to the eye.
See the
bibliography.
COMMENTS RE GENERAL STORES OF
CANADA: MERCHANTS AND MEMORIES:
“Rae Fleming explores the
origins of Canada’s love affair with shopping through the history of its
general stores.” (Will Ferguson).
HOW TO OBTAIN
THIS BOOK: Chapters/Indigo stores across Canada, McNally-Robinson
stores in Western Canada, and participating independent book and gift stores
across the country.
For further
information contact
Rae B. Fleming
Author
rbfleming@lindsay.igs.net
705-439-2337
