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| Wentzell's Store |
What is now known as the Milton Corner Store was called Wentzell's Store when I was young. Chester and Rosie Wentzell owned and operated the business. As I recall, Chester was a quiet man and Rosie was a sweet person with a lot of patience for us kids. They always kept the cost of their popsicles cheap so the kids could afford to buy them. There was a lady who worked there named Sue Whynot (wife of Sherman) and she was the sweetest person who always had a big smile on her face. I had curly hair back then and lots of it and she always called me Curly and would comment that she had to pay to get her
haired curled. Sue died fairly young and I don't think that I ever go in that store that I don't think of her. The Wentzell's had a gas pump outside that even when I was young it looked like an antique. The Wentzell's lived almost next door to the store, so if someone was in desperate need of gas in the wee hours of the night, Chester would crawl out of bed to get his customers the gas they needed. Owners of this business included Bernard and Samantha Freeman, then Robert Ellis, Chester and Rosie Wentzell who had it for 15 years. They sold it to Charles and Greta Connolly who, in 1986, sold it to Kim Risser. I believe he still presently owns it.
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| Chester & Rosie Wentzell |
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Inside Wentzell's Store - Rosie with an employee
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We always used to stop in when we were going home from Liverpool to Greenfield. We always used to buy the little tubs of ice cream that had the little wooden spoons.. Seems just like yesterday!
ReplyDeleteKim Risser is a neighbour of mine in Bridgewater and you are correct that he still owns the store.
ReplyDeleteI grew up knowing Chester and Rosie - they were special to my Mom (Fran). Chester worked for Polar Ice in Halifax (an ice cream company), and boarded with my Kempton grandparents on Brunswick Street in the city. Their boarding house usually had at least one Miltonian, since Grandad was originally from here. (That's how my Dad met my Mom.) Chester and Rosie were wonderful people, and very active in the community.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents were Samantha and Bernard Freeman. I went to the store only one time when I was about four years old. They and all their 9 children have now passed away. I remember the store well.
ReplyDeleteJane Kenny Young
Richardson, Texas
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The employee in the last picture is Dean ( Wentzell - first husband) Fancy.
ReplyDeleteMy father worked in the store as clerk for his Uncle Rob (Ellis). His diary entry for 11 January 1936 says "Stopped work at store to-day to make an opening for Mr. Freeman." As Dad told it to me, there was an election, the government changed hands, and many patronage appointments were lost. As a result, the property owner came to his uncle and said "Rob, I need a job. You'll have to let Fred go and take me on instead." As Rob was only renting the premises, he had no choice but to agree.
ReplyDeleteIt turned out all right, because Dad found work in the woodworking factory in South Brookfield where he met and married my mother. Thank you, Mr Mackenzie King, for beating Mr Bennett!