Starting off from where I left off on the last post ~ after enjoying our time at the Qualicum Beach Farmers Market so much and with the sun really starting to warm up the air we continued on our walk around town. We love doing this with no specific purpose planned, somehow it opens up our mind, allowing us to see our little town with fresh eyes. It amazes me, that by carrying the camera, how I truly feel like a tourist and actually get that happy, wondrous feeling when you are seeing places that you really love for the first time. Qualicum Beach does that to you! We know of people and have heard stories about others that came for a holiday or even just a day and never went home ~ although most went home to pack up and sell their homes of course!

Lets begin our walk!

In Qualicum Beach we have the best grocery store that any community could ever hope to have in their midst ~ it doesn’t even take the numerous awards that Qualicum Foods wins for all those who live here to know that… but, they do confirm and acknowledge our appreciation for QF’s exceptional customer service, vast selection of products and strong community minded spirit. QF is one of our gathering spots, not only in the aisles but at one of the two restaurant’s ~ there is even a knitting group that meets in the upstairs one Wednesday night, sharing their company and craft.

On the ground floor of QF, the walk out basement in a sense, the Qualicum Beach Senior’s Activity Centre is another meeting spot ~ where members gather to participate in recreational, cultural and social activities. It has become an important part of many seniors lives, keeping them connected with their varied common interests.

Around the corner, a couple of places past Rawthentic Eatery, is a purely delightful little shop ~ Vintage Candy. One extreme to the other but both well patronized! Going into this candy shop is like going back to when we boomers were children, a shop that has all generations excitedly choosing their treats!

This building’s design dates it back to that era don’t you think?!

Across the road is our sweet looking little Chamber of Commerce office ~ this home was lived in forever by the same family until recent years. It was renovated and updated while retaining the integrity of the original home and it’s gardens. The path that you can see on the left hand side was part of this homes garden and now connects walkers from 2nd Ave. over to QF and Fern Ave.

The other central hub and meeting place is the area around  2nd Ave. and Primrose Street ~ where the post office, library, town hall, liquor store, hardware store, a health food store, wellness professionals, several restaurants and many boutique style stores are located. A four way stop makes crossing in this busy intersection very civilized ~ we only have one stop light in town and all seem to prefer it that way. Part of our charm!

 Baileys coffee shop on Glassford Square is full to the brim on any given day at any given hour, overflowing onto the outdoor patio in the summer. Many of the community’s smaller organized events take place at the square ~ it is intimate enough to be heard and large enough for a good crowd.

The hardware store in Qualicum Beach has a long history and has continually grown, adjusting its stock and more than once, it’s buildings, to reflect the changing needs of its volumes of patrons. It, like the drugstore, Pharmasave, are the closest we come to having  department stores in town. The new building has been aesthetically designed to blend in beautifully with the towns overall vernacular. It appears to be 3 or 4 separate stores but is actually all Dolly’s Home Hardware.

As we headed back towards to the car, was one last building that I would like to show you in this post is on another busy corner, especially when school goes in and gets out, as it sits kiddy corner to the elementary school. Many of the buildings in town have stores at street level with living quarters above, an important way to densify the downtown core, and this is a good example of this concept. The main floor houses a florist, a veterinarian clinic and a naturopathic clinic….

I hope you have enjoyed the walking tour around one block of our town with us! I have thoroughly enjoyed the walk and the writing of this post!

I should just add that there is one more “larger than life” building that I took many shots of on our way back to the car but it deserves more time in both the writing and viewing. I will leave you with one glimpse and write about it soon!

This is  gorgeously restored building is The Old School House Arts Centre ~ looking forward to sharing it with you!