Port Albert

PAGE 40. STOPS ALONG THE WAY, SUMMER 2021 Port Albert

A not-so-hidden gem

Every hamlet should be as lucky as Port Albert to have a hidden treasure like the Port Albert General Store and Pub. Well, it’s not hidden if you’re local, a fisherman, a cottager or have ever discovered the beauty that is the Port Albert beach at sunset.

This long-established gas station, general store, LCBO agency store and restaurant has a reputation for being the hub of this lakeside community, where people come together for supplies and meals, and to catch up on the latest news.

New owners Steve Pletsch and Jim Dart are the first to admit that there isn’t much to improve upon, but they are going to try to put their own spin on the place, while keeping all that the locals love. They’ve started with a fresh paint job this spring to spruce up the exterior and show off the classic look of the building. They hope to broaden the inventory in the general store and have brought in a great new chef for the restaurant.

The patio is a popular spot in the summer and is filled to the brim on weekends with locals, fishermen and cottagers enjoying pizza and a beer. “We have the best pizza in the area”, says Pletsch.

They are excited for the lockdowns to end and to bring some of their ideas to fruition. Pletsch says they are planning some interesting events once everyone can safely return to the pub. He’s hoping to create some excitement with fresh marketing and you’ll be able to follow their progress on Facebook and Instagram. Come for the pizza, stay for the sunset! 4 Central Wellington St, Port Albert. More available online at portalbertgeneralstoreandpub.com

Have an event that should be in Stops Along The Way? Let us know... Call 519-523-4792 or email deb@northhuron.on.ca I Want That Bag

Consignment Boutique

Clothing, furniture & home décor 625 Campbell St., Lucknow 519-812-4982 (IWTB)

Open Thursday, Friday and Saturdays Check our Facebook page or website for our hours www.iwantthatbagconsignment.com

The art of creation

Continued from page 39

Cindy teaches over 30 art classes. “I’m a stained glass artist so that’s a big part of what I do. But I dabble in a bit of everything – macramé, acrylic pour-painting with other art in it.”

In light of the pandemic, she’s switched her teaching from in-studio to online via Facebook Live, which has resulted in a reduction of class offerings, but the demand for those classes she offers – the macramé plant hanger workshop and burlap flower classes – is high.

She will return with her stained glass workshop, a class that must be done in a studio, and her mosaic window class, in which creative students use an old barn window as the starting point, when restrictions are lifted.

From the shop, she also sells art and craft supplies geared toward kids, including wooden cut-outs, canvases, acrylic paints and she also teaches kids’ classes on Thursday mornings when local health regulations allow.

But it’s not all arts and crafts. Within the Conscious Creations Art, Cindy operates Crystal Rainbows, which she says “is the spiritual side” of her. It’s a space where she sells crystals, oils and self-healing books, and even meets clients for life coaching, reiki and readings, and organizes popular spiritual groups.

Around the back of the building, you’ll find Colt’s Chainsaw Art, where Colt is at work creating sculptures using one tool: his chainsaw. Cindy says he sources his wood either while out walking locally or from the nearby Mennonite community. His benches are popular items as are carvings featuring dragonflies. If he’s not in his studio, he may be out on location, as Colt is often called to carve a tree on a local homestead. 579 Campbell St, Lucknow. More information is available online at www.consciouscreationsart.ca

Lucknow Artisans

of Huron

A collaborative marketplace showcasing

Huron County’s creative artisans.

Offering: Blyth Farm Cheese, Meats, Baking, Preserves, Etc.

Open Mon.-Sat.

Gourmet Edibles & One-of-a-Kind Items!

26 Isaac St., Clinton 519-482-1445

www.madeinhuron.ca

Antiques & Home Decor Shop

Clinton , ON www.antiquesrad.com antiques.rad@gmail.com

Country Quilting

Piece a quilt you love, we can quilt it! ** Custom Machine Quilting ** For the quilting enthusiasts, we have everything you need. Cottons, flannels, fleece, wools, books, patterns 84849 Ethel Line, Brussels, ON 519-887-9456

www.countryquilting.ca

Unique Ironwork

Benches, railings, gates, furniture and more One-of-a-kind functional art Visit our website at www.workingiron.ca

allan@workingiron.ca 36854 Dungannon Road, Dungannon 519-529-3434

www.BeanstalkGallery.ca

Robert Johnson

offers weekly paint nights and lessons in his airy historic building. Original paintings and prints on display.

111 King Street, Hensall 289‐946‐1430