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•ûAx,, Orono Town Hall ***BOWMANVILLE LIBRARY 163 Church Street 1-1-04 Bowmanville, Ont. L1C 1T7 GST Included Wednesday January 14, 2004 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone sinceJ937_ End of the line for Tyrone Store ,t"-- Of all the changes to hit Byam's General Store in Tyrone over it's 114 year history, history, the biggest change came, on December 31st. That's when the door closed to customers customers for ■ : ; . hî:k!! lymfsT ii^ n m tfi lit ttiijliiiijU: good. "People aren't coming coming in anymore"1 anymore" 1 current current owner Clifford Byam, the third genera genera t i o n Byam to ip» i"jf■ i " ' .■ » ■. y' i --i--u--j own the Tyrone General Store located at the corner could store, told of Cone. 7 and Liberty Street North.' have Orono his grave if he knew we were selling water," he said. While the Byam* 1 General Store has served as a convenience convenience store for the past number number of years, there are items on the shelves that have been there for at least 40 years. Up until -t h. e December December 31st y ou m 11 i:jn! I? ft li ! n t ] !!li| • 1 1 i ÏI J| ill i ||| pi jjpj j Hi I iiljil |||| j Ijlj 1 Ipllll liiiji i II ^ lit ■ rr^ an Times reporter on Saturday afternoon. "One day I brought in $17, the next $18, that's when I thought to myself, I guess I'll just retire. While Tyrone is growing, no one from the new homes come to the store," says Byam. Clifford Byam, who took over the family business from his father in 1965 remembers a time when everyone came to the store because it was the only one for miles around. Byam's niece, Cecile Bowers who lives just a few doors down and across the road from the store in Tyrone says, "it's weird looking over there and not see the lights on " bought The Bowmanville Library trial basis, coffee Kiosk got a six month That six month report was extension on operation following following a motion by Mayor John Mutton to study the operation a little longer. The feasibility of operating a coffee kiosk at the new Bowmanville Library (which is attached to the Town Hall), before councillors at Monday's General Purpose and Administration (GP&A) Committee meeting. The report states that during the seven months of operation to date, the cost of supplies and labour were approximately is auacneu iu me iuwu n«n;, --. r , r . , was explored at the request of $11,600, with sales estimated the Mayor's office last Spring, at $5,000. Because the trial It was anticipated prior to council's approval for the operation of the kiosk, which began on May 26,2003, that it would operate at a deficit. Council approved the installation of the kiosk along with an operating budget at their June 2nd meeting. The approval was given for the kiosk to operate with staff from the Community Services Department, on a six month period was conducted during the summer months when library visits are generally slower, the report slates that it is realistic to project an annualized annualized deficit of $10,000 for this operation. The report recommended recommended closing the kiosk. "The size of the kiosk area, the lack of multiple sinks and the restricted menu drastically affect the ability of our department department to operate a financially viable coffee kiosk," states the report. Mayor John Mutton proposed proposed at Monday's meeting that the trial period for the kiosk be extended for another six months. As the new branch of the Bowmanville Library was not into full operation till July, which was followed by some extremely hot temperatures, and Sunday closing through the summer, the Mayor said "1 would like to see a full year rather than a six month snap shot. I think these numbers are going to change." Councillor Jim Schell rose on the matter asking to see some month by month data from the Community Services Department. "That will give us some statistics of heavier COFFEE continued page 4 Bowers also remembers a time when the store was a happening place. "Saturday night was a big night at the Tyrone store," she said in an interview last Saturday. "We would have our bath and go to the store, eat ice cream and watch the people." Bowers remembers at the age of eight working for grandma and grandpa Byam at the store. She would take phone orders on Fridays and on Saturdays go with Grandpa on deliveries. deliveries. "Grandpa had a roaring business," she said. Not only did the store sell groceries, they had everything you needed, needed, including hardware, dry goods, farm supplies, fencing, it was the post office, the bus stop and the general meeting place. Everything changed when people got their own cars, said Bowers, "then they went to other stores," Byam says now he mostly sells chips, chocolate bars and pop. "Dad would turn over in pajamas, hair nets, jeans, L.P.'s, stockings, wrenches, shirts, shoes, nails, baby oil, canned peas and corn, bread, milk and much, much more at Byam's Général Store. ' In fact, Cliff who has only ever worked at the store, and lives in the house adjacent to it, will now have to start grocery grocery shopping. He says he's never bought milk before. "The wholesale guy says I'll end up at Tim Horton's," said Byam. However, he doesn't doesn't see that happening. An avid reader, with interests in hot rods, soccer, westerns and Rumpole, Byam says he is quite content to stay put. Byam's General Store has been a part of Tyrone since Cliff's grandfather opened up across the road in 1889 and subsequently moved to it's present location five years later. It will be missed by its diminishing band of faithful patrons. "A few little girls were cry- STORE continued page 4 What's Inside. Clarke students give to food bank and... Jim Savage survives ATV accident see page 3 Tr IT V