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HomeMy WebLinkAbout299"Article copied from the News Advertiser, c. 1980. " "TITLE: CENTURY-OLD HOME BECOMES THE VILLAGE TEA HOUSE AUTHOR: BY JOAN RANSBERRY SOURCE: NEWS ADVERTISER C. 1979-1980 PHOTOGRAPH: Not Available CENTURY-OLD HOME BECOMES THE VILLAGE TEA HOUSE AJAX - The House Next Door, a century home in Pickering Village, is offering the region its first tea house. Located on Kingston Road beside the Village Store, the tea house is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday except Mondays. Margaret Watson, who owns the tea house and the adjacent gift and craft store, opened The House Next Door three weeks ago. The house includes a reception room and two tea rooms to accommodate approximately 40 patrons. Watson spent months restoring the old home to secure its century-style appearance. She explains that the renovations involved the support of family and friends and neighbours in the village. ""My customers helped with the decorating and did everything from sanding the fir and cedar floors to papering the 10 feet walls,"" says Watson. The house, built in 1885, was the location of a carriage business. Watson says the century-old home is also rumoured to have been accommodated by rum runners. However, for many years the two-storey structure was Pickering Village's maternity home operated by mid-wife Rachell Irish, who died recently at the age of 93. ""This house is the birth place of a number of local residents,"" explains Watson. " "Page 2 The home's original design, coupled with the attractive decor, offers patrons a relaxing atmosphere in which to either enjoy lunch or tea and scones. The ice cream style tables are covered with burgundy cloths. Watson chose Johnson's Ironstone from England for the tea house China. The owner says reception of the tea house has been excellent. She says the overall attitude of the village residents is both caring and friendly. ""Pickering Village is turning back into a village,"" she says. In addition to people visiting the tea house on weekdays, Watson says the house is especially popular on Sundays. ""Many people, including couples, drop in after church or in the afternoon, ""she says. Watson offers a flexible menu. Lunch includes such items as a beef pie, West Indian pattie with salad and hot croissant. For those with a lighter appetite, scones with home-made jam, tea bread, including pumpkin bread and banana bread are a few of the items. ""Everything is home-made. At this time, the menu is flexible and depends on the desires of my customers,"" says Watson. Watson, a former resident of Toronto and London, Ontario, relocated to the village two years ago. Prior to opening her business, she taught school in the city. " "Page 3 In addition to selling gifts and crafts in the store and managing the tea house, Watson taps her own talents to create beautiful dolls and mice which are sold in the store. In order to operate both establishments, Watson must organize her time. However, she points out that because it is personally rewarding, it's possible. ""Sometimes I'm making jam in the late hours of the night and other times I'm sewing, "" she explains. Watson says that regardless of how busy she is, she enjoys it all. ""I'm especially pleased that our customers enjoy the tea house. Business is increasing daily."" "