It’s visual tour time.

For the uninitiated, over the next little while I will do a montage of the commercial and service buildings in the community. Boring for some maybe, but I look at it as a community service.
This will be interspersed with whatever comes up on the day.

Most of the buildings exteriors are on the aging side, this comes with the topography and the high cost of replacement and maintenance.

First off we have what we refer to as ‘down town’. It is near the dock, church and part of the ‘original’ area of Nain.

Northern Stores was originally locally owned, it was purchased by Northern and expanded, and it is way too small both for adequate customer service and warehouse wise. There are rumblings of a new store being built, but no definitive word to date. Northern sells dry goods, some hardware, food and fresh food all the way to furniture and Bombardier ski doos by catalogue.

Then we have Haynes Store. Originally started by Mr. Haynes in one room of his house the whole building is now a store and office. It is now owned and operated locally. Very old style of store with a long counter behind which are shelves of food and other items along with the store clerks. In front of the counter there is a myriad of dry goods items, hardware; walls are blocked with all sorts of handy dandy stuff. It’s said if you can’t find what you are looking for lift a box or an item, it maybe underneath, or ask the clerks, it maybe in storage. There is a list of furniture items posted on the inside of the entrance door that is located on far end of building.

Across from Haynes is the post office and a bank agency. This is a very busy place some days. The bank operates in afternoons only and is staffed by post office personal. Post office boxes are inside the building separated from the main area.

Two lots up on same side is the Puff-n-snacks. Owned locally this store sells mainly snack type foods, ice cream, many little nick knacks for gift giving, and when stocks are in beer. It’s the only beer outlet in the community bringing in stock summer months only, usually runs out around March then the long wait until first boats.

About a kilometer up the road is the Food Land store. Operated by an outside entity it is the largest in structure and retail space. Sells everything from fresh food to hardware and furniture. Originally constructed from Federal Native Funding and operated by the Provincial Government it was sold to a private company some years back.

A little ways up the road and on the other side is Jacquie’s Convenience. Family owned it sells food the usual food items, snacks and fresh food. It opens most days except Christmas day. There is a large warehouse several hundred meters up the road for storage.

To be continued.