WHTYFREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7. 1988. PAGE 25 Greenwoocl General Store: a*community center By Debbie Luchuk General stores have served not only as providers of food and bousehold nécessities in small communities for the last 200 years, they have also been vital social centres wbere residents could enjoy êach otber's company. The Greenwood General Store is one of the last remaining of the original general stores in Ontario, offering basically the same mix of community fellowship and basic provisions to the village. New owner Donna IlulowsI is continuing the tradition in the store whicb has been open since 1868 wben it served the community as store, telegrapb and post offlice. (Prior te this time, the building had served solely as a post office.) The first proprietor of the store was F'rederick Neen. Hulowskidand ber busband, Glen, along witb her mother Joy and sister Noell, run the store as a farnily venture, probably much as past proprietors have done. The store selîs "basic groceries, country gifts, handcrafted goods, video rentaIs, magazines - it is a modemn country store," Hulowski said. Greenwood General Store, is also the agent for Pickering Gable. STea and muffins on the "serve yourself ' basis are also available, she added,'along with conver- sation at a table in the store. sI'ait atmosphere we 're trying to create " Hulowski would like to provide in the future a tea room of sorts in the store. Apparently there had been a tea room in the basement of the store in years past. "It's an atmosphere we're trying to create," she said. Hulowski and bier husband byve in Pickering, but their house is currently up for sale. They are considering moving to the area. to DONNA HULOWSKI, new owner General Store, in front of shelves and antique gifts and crafts. of the Greenwood f111 of both modern Free Press photo make operation of the store easier. "We came from Toronto (to Pickering). I always found it (Greenwood) fascinating. I was driving tbrough one day when I saw a «<For Sale' sign, and we used creative financing to get it," Hulowski said. "Greenwood will be developed sooner or later, but the people of Greenwood don't really want things to change much," she said, referring to the influx of city dwellers looking for "home" in the country. Local craitapersons can seli their work on consignment in the store, and Hulowski welcomes contact with such people. The store's 'winter hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thurs- day from 8:30 a.m. te 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; F'riday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. te 6:30 p.m.; and Sunday, il a.m. to 6 p.m.. Greenwood General Store is located on Greenwood Rd., in the centre of the hamlet. Pets We Love depot offers quality pet produets By Debbie Luchuk Featuring pet products, Pets We Love pet depot opened last weekend at 108 Brock St. N. The store features imports and domestic clothing, toys, gift ideas, foods, treats and novelties for pets, and pet pbotograpby, owner Jeannie McNabb says. McNabb herself bas two dogs and two cats, and opened ber store as an extension of a successful mail order pet product business. I like the independence (Of owning my own business). I love my pets, and I opened because it costs so much to own pets. "If a household bas two pets, tbey will spend $10,000 over two years on pet products, food, vet's bills... "The store is geared to help people to deal with the expense. We have the same quality as other stor es. I was fed up with putting al the mnoney out for pet products, and I buy it wholesale so I can provide it cheaper," McNabb says. Delivery is available for a nominal fee, and free to seniors. She will order any product that the customer requests. Pets are welcomed as visitors to the store, and owners can chat witb other pet loyers while there. McNabb will be opening another sbop in Ajax in Marcb of 1989, and hopes te have six stores witbin the next 18 montbs. She is biring "seniors, students and bousewives," and will be able to accommodate special needs in scheduling of hours. The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Pre-Çhistmas hours are Mon- day and Tuesday, 9 a.m. te 7 p.m.; Wedriesday, from 10 a.m. te 6 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m..-