We recently visited the tourist village of St. Jacobs, which is not very far from where we live. It is a little place in Mennonite Country (the Mennonites are like the Amish), known for its large Farmer's Market, as well as its Outlet Mall and quaint main street full of shops that sell handicrafts and more.
The St. Jacobs I Know and Love
Close Up of the Old Mill Store Windows
Lately the handicraft shops are being replaced more and more by expensive shops that sell upscale clothing and other items. I imagine they are attracted by all the tourist dollars. I mean, why should rich people come to St. Jacobs and have to spend money on handmade Mennonite quilts when they could be buying Dansk kitchenware instead? (Oh dear, do I sound bitter? I have been coming to St. Jacobs for about 15 years and although I know that change is inevitable, I don't agree that all change is better.)
Now We Have A Lot of Upscale Clothing Stores
But the very best stores of course (ask any child) are the toy store and the candy store. I think these types of store will survive no matter what else moves in.
Cream of Lego, Anyone?
(You Know, Because It's Called "Toy Soup")
The Candy Store Window (Too Much Advertising)
Inside They Make Chocolate
And Have Lots of Other Candy, Too
One very good reason to go to St. Jacobs is to have lunch. We ate at this restaurant.
Where We Had Lunch
In behind the restaurant there is an interesting wall. When I used to come here over ten years ago (I ate here a lot when I was pregnant, since my job was only a short drive away), there were no "real" vines on the wall, and all you could see was a painted design. Now the real vines obscure the painted ones except at the far left.
Real Vines and Painted Vines
All photos belong to kbgardenblog.blogspot.com and may not be used without attribution.
So that is my tour of the shopping in St. Jacobs. Next I will tell you something about the flowers.
6 comments:
I noticed the Toy Soup Store logo and their flowers are perfectly matched. Nice!
Enjoyed the tour. Thank you for sharing with us.
Hi Karen,
that was very interesting, thanks for showing this to us! I totally agree with you, if I would visit Jakobs village I would want to find thing that the Mennonite people have made themselves!(as much as I like the Danish kitchen stuff ;-))
Its so sad that we have to buy foreign products in St.Jacobs. Its worldwide believe me...soon all we sell is something from China. All our factories will finish and the production goes to China or India....doesnt sound good at all.
Youre pics are beautiful as always, thanks for a nice tour Karen! I should show you something like this too.
We don`t live very far from St Jacobs either and went there on our little mini honeymoon weekend this past June. Love all the little shops and my favorite place was the antiques warehouse just over by the market.
tea
xo
I'm so glad you showed us these photos. It looks like a lovely place to visit.
I agree with you about the expensive kitchenware, etc. The Mennonite crafts are really wonderful, and so much more interesting than the designer stuff.
I'd go there just to see the flowers! They're really beautiful.
Lovely photos as usual. You do such a good job!
What a quaint place. I'm a sucker for small candy shops like that. I could have spent hours in there! Love all the wonderful flowers lining the streets. Thanks for sharing with us.
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