BERRY STORE | the-last-whistle

BERRY'S STORE AT MESACHIE LAKE:

Berry's store at Mesachie Lake actually started out life as a school house at the old Sahtlam mill site. in 1943 the school was moved to Mesachie Lake and became Berry's Store.

This building in the background was the original school at Sahtlam. It was later moved to Mesachie Lake and became Berry's Store.

JACK MILLAR REMEMBERS :

My first job at the mill was in High School, Saturdays on cleanup, sweeping sawdust and blowing dust off the rafters in preparation for the Monday shift. I already had a job as part-time clerk for Don Berry at 50 cents per hour (about $4.00 per hour today), as did many other kids in the community. When Don found out I had a job at the mill he fired me on the spot, on the grounds that another kid needed my job in his store more than I did. True. My job at the mill paid better than $2.00 per hour (more than $16.00 per hourtoday, well above minimum wage now) so I wasn’t upset about being fired. My work-mate was Jaginder Singh and we spent our Saturdays together in clouds of dust. My summer jobs 1963-1965 involved yard work, stacking lumber, slinging crane cables on the timber deck, strapping loads for the dip-tank, and spark-chasing behind the locomotive during dry weather.

MARILYN MILLAR (HUDSON :

Marilyn worked in the local store when Mr Berry Sr. ran the store, starting out at 35 cents/hour and ended up working under his son, Don, and eventually moving up to 50 cents/hour.

I do remember saving up enough money to spend $25 on a sweater, and relating it to today’s money, that was way beyond my means, but being young that didn’t matter.

During the summer of 1957, when I finished high school, I worked in the Hillcrest office, earning money to go on to Business School in the fall of that year. We were very fortunate to gain valuable experience before moving on, as most of us did.

BARB HARSENT:

I remember the community hall being built and St. Christophers Church. I played the Organ and taught Sunday School in St. Christophers. All of us kids would go to Pop Monti”s to play Monopoly with Henry, Jackie, Jo Monti, Lemmy Traer, Yvone Grant, Donnie Grant and others. A very large table of us. Pete Watson was a first member and Sec.Treas of the Mesachie Volunteer Fire Department. While going to school, I worked in Berry’s store. I started when Pop Berry ran the post office. Barry and my first daughter Kelly was the first Christening in the Church in 1959.

A great photo from Jack Millar, showing Berry's Store in it's hay day, the way most of us want to remember it. Note the 1954 Chevy in the background

Here's a picture of Don Berry's store, from his scouting picture album. His Scout Troop was going to Duncan to watch the Queen drive past, 1959.