Paisley Merchants host a “Shop & Social” in December

October 28, 2009

The merchants, service providers and business people of Paisley are hardworking visionaries willing to take an entrepreneurial risk to fulfill their dreams. Individually they have opened up gift and clothing stores, restaurants, bakeries, outfitters, galleries, cafes and a myriad of services in our small village so that together we can all lead good lives right here. Believing that; “If we build it they will come……” these business people hope that their life’s work will provide useful goods and services to the residents of Paisley. Many of us have come but many still believe that our shopping needs can only be met in a larger city……

In keeping with their original, idealistic belief, the merchants of Paisley have rallied together to offer friends and neighbours a unique Christmas shopping opportunity, the first annual: Paisley Late Night Shop & Social. On Friday, Dec 4th the Paisley stores will stay open to 10 pm providing an opportunity to get a jump on our Christmas shopping. Offering complimentary beverages, cookies and treats to all and sundry, the merchants desire to thank their Paisley patrons for their year-round support and to welcome those who, for whatever reason, have yet to visit. Gather a companion or two, bundle up, bring a take-along glass and walk the softly lit streets of Paisley on a snowy, pre-Christmas eve. Hop onboard a hay wagon for a short trip up the road in our historic village. Take the time to meet the wonderful people who have chosen Paisley in which to follow their dreams and run their businesses. Take advantage of the gift wrapping service raising funds for charity. Pop into Sticks and Stones Gallery for their weekly Friday night jam and partake of something truly unique offered only in Paisley! Shopping until 10 pm will give one and all the time to really peruse the local offerings and to happily discover that we don’t need to shop anywhere else!

• To many, The Elora Soap Company is a fixture of this town, one perhaps we locals take for granted. The upcoming Late Night Shop & Social event is the time to reacquaint ourselves with one of Paisley’s treasures. We often do not have a choice about the chemicals into which we willingly put our hands (detergents, bleach, paint thinners, the list is endless) but thanks to Karen Kimpel and family we can choose handmade, natural soaps to gently cleanse and sooth our hands, face and body. If we had the foggiest notion about the ingredients of the typical store-bought soap, we’d race to The Elora Soap Company immediately. Christmas is a time for pampering your loved ones; buy them the best homemade skin products money can find on December 4th.

• In my opinion, one of the most fortunate things about Paisley is that we have a hardware store and pharmacy that both look like they were ripped from the pages of an Anne of Green Gables book yet inside they offer all of life’s necessities. Thank goodness Paisley has been able to avoid the glaring neon of the box store equivalents! Why not use the night of December 4th to pop by and say hello to Craig and Ellen Budreau at the Paisley Pharmacy and Rodney and Kerri Robinson at the Home Hardware. Check out the endless array of useful items the pharmacy stocks for stocking stuffers; chapstick, toothbrushes, magazines, magnifiers, grooming and pampering items aplenty and tools, housewares, garden, home and pet supplies at Home Hardware. Purchase a gift certificate to assist friends and family with their toiletry and prescription budgets or to aid with keeping walkways clear of ice, water softeners filled with salt crystals, or the home renovator in a ready supply of useful items.

• It might not be a reach to say that there are some Paisley residents that have no idea that some of the best bread in the world (and I am not over stating this…….) can be bought in our town! Sharon and Glenn Charban rise early daily and make mouth-watering baked treats of all kinds but the most remarkable is their breads and these items are here, in our town. On the night of the 4th take a look at the quaint decor of the Charban’s store front, find out what they are all about, learn about their online bakery sales, taste something delicious and buy a loved one some exquisite chocolate or a gift certificate so they can delight themselves with a trip to Paisley’s own Big Dipper Bakery and Chocolaterie. You’ll wonder why you haven’t visited sooner.

• I do not even have to write the praises of Joannie’s Fashions as anyone who has lived in Paisley for any amount of time knows what an elegant store this is and what fine, and more importantly, unique fashions, can be found right here on our own main street. If the gentlemen of Paisley have not figured it out yet, your gals would love a gift from Joannie’s.

• But Paisley doesn’t just have one clothing store, we are fortunate enough to have a second store equally important but happily servicing a different demographic. Lox, Sox and Burrow offers good quality secondhand clothing, a plethora of children’s clothing items, sporting equipment, household goods, ladies’ clothing……far too much to write about here so I encourage one and all to pop into Sandra Blodgett’s one-of-a-kind, truly unique business and see for yourself what this creative and energetic young woman has built to service the town she loves.

• Is anyone on your list redecorating or setting up a new home? Thompson Brothers Fine Furniture has been furnishing local homes beautifully for decades and they can help you fill out your Christmas list with accent pieces, accessories and gift certificates. On Friday night drop into the shop that is Paisley’s foundation and allow the Thompson family to thank you for your years of patronage!

• I don’t know about you but I break into hives if forced to sit at a sewing machine. Luckily Paisley has the cheery and highly skilled Joanne Buhr to manage our sewing needs for us. Visit Joanne’s Window Fashions on this special evening and buy someone – maybe even yourself – a gift certificate for her talents.

• How many of us could live without the close proximity of a building supply store? Certainly not I. With cheerful deliveries at the dial of the phone, Lee, Quinn, Sue, and Reid keep Paisley structurally sound. Surely someone on your list would revel in something useful from Allen’s TimBr Mart.

• Barb Abel is enthusiastic about your health and well-being and as such Barbell’s Fitness & Spa offers workout classes accessible to everyone from the novice to the fitness nut. Sweating not your style? Barb offers massage, manicure/pedicure services and tanning sessions as well. Everyone knows someone who would enjoy a gift certificate to these decedent services. If you haven’t had time to check out Barb and her entrepreneurial services, take the time on the evening of the 4th to see what she is all about, find out how to support her endeavours so Barbell’s can grow and support all of Paisley’s fitness requirements.

• Unfortunately, I have but a single paragraph to do justice to the business enterprises of Jim and Erica McNamara. Thanks to them, Paisley has its own brand of fresh, fair trade, roasted coffee beans at Back Eddie’s (do I have to tell you what a fine gift coffee makes?) and two art and crafts galleries from which to choose unique gift items for everyone on our lists. Local photography, pottery, glass, prints, paintings, iron-work, jewelry and more are all available in Sticks and Stones and McNamara Galleries. How about a gift certificate to one of the many concerts this industrious couple brings to town? And now I see from their wonderful web site that they are planning on screening movies in the future. Together, Jim and Erica are providing Paisley with a reason to get out in the evenings and I for one am grateful. Say hi to them for me when you drop in on the 4th.

• Thanks to a dedicated bunch of volunteers, Paisley’s own Treasure Chest Museum will also keep its doors open for our Christmas shoppers rounding out the evening’s magical atmosphere by offering Christmas-themed demonstrations and gifts for the historically inclined on your list.

• If you haven’t had the time to pop into Nature’s Millworks, now is the time to do it. This is a one-of-a-kind place sensitively conserved and converted into a shop, gallery and home by Paul and Helen Chrysler. Besides boasting a warm and historic environment full of atmosphere, NM has some very unique gift items including a wonderful selection of children’s creative and educational games, books, puzzles and activities. Looking for something that no one else has? Come to Nature’s Millworks anytime but especially on the evening of December 4th.

• Finally, besides having a street presence many of Paisley’s business people have a web presence as well and thanks to the hardworking and creative talents of Key Lime Creative’s Jennifer Harris, we have some of the most attractive, easy-to-navigate web sites created. Jenn can help with your business cards, printing and advertising needs; drop in and ask her what she can do for you and the people on your Christmas list.

The remarkable thing is that the more we support these businesses that support us and our lives, the more other businesses will see that starting a business in Paisley isn’t a risk – its just good business. And everyone knows that a strong and vibrant downtown economy means strong and vibrant real estate values for us all. Let’s face it, we are all in this together so help me support the businesses that support us and come out on the night of the December 4th – it is sure to be a very special evening. An annual event that is uniquely Paisley!

Happy Holidays, Paisley!

Written by Micheline Mann (Mann Made Studios)

UPDATE: 17 Paisley Merchants have committed to participating on Dec. 4th

Written by Jen · Filed Under Community News, Paisley Village News, Uncategorized | 2 Comments