I was observing the play of light and shadows on Water Street when I came across two businesses joined at the hip that I consider to be prime examples of the independent spirit you’ll often find in smaller communities. A winding indoor passageway with nostalgic lifestyle scenes (see the Christmas room below) connects Warehouse 87 Antique Emporium and Sea Hags & Scallywags, an artists' co-op of sorts. Places like these aren’t your regular Walmart.
Taking a Yarmouth Walking Tour put together by Candice Phibbs and Rick Allwright will give you a complete intro to the town, from history to present, downtown to waterfront and heritage districts. Their detailed research pries open the stories that built this community. You'll be surprised to learn about some of the prominent people who came from here, like Alfred Fuller, founder of the Fuller Brush Company, for instance.
Walking takes energy; energy requires food. So one day we lunched on lobster rolls ‘al breezy fresco’ at Keeper’s Kitchen by Cape Forchu lighthouse. Next day we popped into The Shanty Café where the servings are large and the prices small.
Dawn Nickerson of Wine and Beer Tours of Nova Scotia was our chauffeur for a responsible tasting of local suds, first to Heritage Brewing on Main, followed by Rudders Seafood Restaurant & Brewpub on the water. Dine indoors or out while watching the evening sun sizzle into the sea. At Heritage a couple of other patrons joined us at our table ‘cuz folks are friendly down here.
Local historian David Sollows was our affable, knowledgeable guide around town and man with the keys to everywhere. He conducts group tours and can be reached by email at sollowsjd@eastlink.ca or through Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism, the Yarmouth County Museum or the UNESCO Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve Association.
Photos and text © Gary Crallé 2022 All rights reserved
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