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22 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, October 27, 1987 Lorna will write village news for Columbus by Lorna Miller Hi, fellow Columbites. Welcome to a column about this friendly, active little place and its inhabitants. Since we're the 'new kids" on the block, you will have to supply us with the information about what's happening with you, your organiza- tion, group or club so we can put it in this column for you. You can drop in to the Columbus Variety Store, or phone us at 655-3892 and have a chat. Large or small, we want to hear about them all... births, deaths and marriages. So give us a call. Also, all you talented people who are looking for a showcase for your work, we are hoping to put on shows, say once a month, featuring your work. There are already some talented ladies who have entrusted us with their handicrafts and the response has been good. So, let's get together and carry on some high- level negotiations and get this show on the road. Like to read? Got a lot of paper- backs tucked into boxes? We've started a book exchange and welcome your contributions to this endeavor. While browsing through EVERY VEHICLE PROTECTED Have Your Car sll chiome -- *50. - *60. WITH OIL UNDERCOATING ... some 1913 Farmer's Advocates, a pasttime we enjoy, we ran across adverts for Columbus Clysdales and realized that this area has a rich and varied history. Anyone who would like to pass along information in this vein to those of us who are recent ar- rivals please get in touch with us. And we'll put-it in the paper through this column. Let's keep the Com- munity Spirit, past and present, alive and growing. A year ago, the reality of living in Columbus, Ontario was as great a fantasy as living in Columbus, Ohio. But...here we are! And our cats and dogs love it as much as we do. One of our cats loved it so much she took one look around and promptly mov- ed out, and hasn't been seen much since. Just the occasional visit to let us know she is doing fine, then she wanders off to wherever she goes and stays there. Fall in the country is beautiful, especially this Fall. It has drawn us irresistably back into the time of childhood memories, when the world was a place of wonder and fun. The spicey incense of burning leaves carried on languid smoke "Oiled! Also behind mouldings ER LET ELS TE YEN SCUGOG 'OIL UNDERCOATING SERVICE R.R.2 OSHAWA - RAGLAN Owned & Operated by: Jim Gibson Also Available: CAR CLEAN-UP SERVICE (Wash, Wax, Interior Shampooing) Phone 655-4462 Svatem f= curved wood solarium EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF WOOD & ALUMINUM PRODUCTS COMPLETE INSTALLATION BY FACTORY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS OR KIT FORM WITH VIDEO 3 5 p+! d He hj CALL FOR FREE COLOR CATALOGUE AND ESTIMATE FOUR SEASONS | GREENHOUSES Design & Remodeling Centers 655-4714 o- 1-800-263-3754 swirling slowly upwards to the now sombre - now sun-startled sky heavy with ponderous, blue-grey clouds pulls me back to my early years on the farm. There, one could watch Nature as she redecorated her world in brilliant crimsons, oranges, yellow and golds. Then, tiring of so much beauty, she casually tosses the colourful leaves onto the emerald-green grass, adds a touch New Raglan store say they are here If you can find the four corners in downtown Raglan, you've found the Raglan Variety Store. It's right there at the corner of the 9th Concession and old Simcoe Street in the small hamlet of Raglan of chestnut brown and departs on a nippy wind to prepare for winter. Now it's your turn to get into the Fall act and clean up your leaf- littered lawns and fields. Being lawn-sale junkies, we were happy as kids in a candy store when we realized that we were next to the Grandaddy of them all - the annual Yard and Bake Sale at the Colum- bus United Church. Tomorrow we about five miles south of Port Perry. There has been a variety store there on and off for the past several years, but new owner and proprietor Lorraine Bray says it's no longer an "on and off" business. Lorraine Bray and Les Brown are the new owners-proprietors _ of the Raglan Variety Store. They are committed to keeping the store open without interruptions. (See article). are going to stuff ourselves at this Church's Beef Supper - to heck with the waistline and hips - this is going to be food too good to miss. Also there is a playgroup starting at the church starting Monday, at nine o'clock. All of us with little ones will be more than happy to hear this. Well, that's all for now. Keep in touch - and - we'll see you in the paper. owners fo stay "I feel it's very important to keep the store open continuously, so that people in the area know it's going to be open," Lorraine said last week. She and Les Brown bought the store and garage last January as an investment, and while their long range plans had been to operate it as a variety business, they really did not think it would happen so soon. They leased it for a time this year, then on September 1, they took over running the store and gas pumps. It's been quite a change for Lor- 'raine and Les. For the past several years she has managed a family portrait studio in the Scarborough Town Centre,-while Les operates his own excavating business. But they are very pleased with the decision to start running the store last September. Sales have been en- couraging and people in the com- munity and surrounding areas are coming back as customers. "I've tried to listen to the customers, to find out what they want," said Lorraine with a cheery smile. She also greets all customers who walk through-the door with that same cheery smile and a friendly hello. The store is a typical variety store in any small hamlet, stocked with pop and chips, someigroceries, fresh eggs, butter and milk, snack foods of all kinds. Lorraine and Les have added "video rentals (about 100 movies in stock) and this has prov- ed very popular with regular customers. And they've added lottery tickets for sale and some automotive sup- plies like anti-freeze, windshield washer, oil and transmission fluid. Les opens the store each morning at 6:30 AM and works to eight when Lorraine takes over and Les tends to his excavating business. They have hired students to work even- ings and weekends, and it all seems to be working out pretty well. Lorraine said she would like to put in a coffee bar and serve mugs of hot coffee, donuts and muffins. But that's in the future. She's originally from the Whitby area and Les was raised in Raglan where at one time his folks operated Brown's General Store, right across the street from the Variety Store. Although the Oshawa Road now by-passes the hamlet, Lorraine says they are starting to get a fair amount of 'highway business," especially as people come to know that the store and gas pumps are open. With a background in sales, Lor- raine knows the importance of public relations. So, they've decid- ed to run a weekly draw for a turkey. Starting mid-November and continuing until Christmas, anyone who buys 30 litres of gas will be eligi- ble to win the weekly turkey. "The people in the area have responded well. They've been very friendly and they are glad to see the store open," said Lorraine. And she wants them to know that she plans to keep the place open for a long time to come.