About

 

The Store

The Lakefield Pantry was born on November 1, 1980, at 108 Queen Street in Lakefield. Within the first year, it moved to its current location at 44 Queen Street and has been a main street presence ever since. It was started by Cam Fraser and his wife, June as a way to give people a choice about the quantities, quality and packaging associated with their food. Cam and June quickly found a loyal following in Lakefield.

After nine years, Jennie and John MacKenzie bought the Lakefield Pantry and operated the shop for nearly 36 years, before passing the keys to Lindsey and Andrew Irwin, in May, 2025.

The store has seen many changes over the years, and one of the most welcome was the addition of Happenstance Books and Yarns – the lovely bookshop who shares our shop and is located to the right of the entrance. Today, Lindsey and Andrew are passionate about honouring the past of this beautiful shop, with a mission to keep the ‘vintage vibe’ alive in the store, while adding some modern touches with their frozen yogurt bar and all-natural home and wellness products and gift baskets.

The Lakefield Pantry is identified as much by the people who have worked and continue to work there as it is by the quality of the products it sells. People who are passionate about our beautiful area and who care about the people in our Community.

The Owners, Lindsey & Andrew Irwin

It’s a pleasure to tell people that we are a local family, with roots in Buckhorn and Stoney Lake! We were once the kids running through the shop and trying to steal candies from the bins at one time – and now our children (Piper and Remy) can be found enjoying the store – maybe colouring in the lovely light of the window seat, or sucking on lollipops and chatting with customers. Lindsey is also a marketing professor, and the owner of Old Jar Candle Co – an eco-friendly soy candle and home decor brand you can find in the shop! Andrew owns his own construction business – Irwin Construction Services.

The Building, 44 Queen Street

THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING AT 44 Queen Street – The storefront of this building certainly has not changed much from its early beginnings over 150 years ago. This building is the north half of a much larger building that was built in 1860 by Percival Hunter. It was originally a private residence. In 1864, it became a hotel, known as the American Hotel and later known as the Globe Hotel, which for some years served liquor and other years, was a temperance house. Then in the early morning of December 3, 1890, a major fire broke out destroying much of the west side of Queen Street – everything between the Globe Hotel and Robert Graham & Son’s Store was lost. 

Thomas Zachariah Webster purchased this property on September 27, 1898 from the Hunter family.  After taking possession, he opened a General Store and Bake Shop and remained in business until about 1910.  On March 4, 1911 he sold the property to Samuel J. Charlton and William Charlton.  The Charlton Brothers took over the operation of the General Store and  were in business until the early 1930s. By the early 1930s, Joe Porter, Alan Clark and Judson Hull owned and operated The Porter Bread & Grocery Store. It had a large bakeshop run by Charlie Lake and assisted by Archie Ward, which did a big business. Many loaves of bread, buns & pastries were transported by horse and wagon to the boat docks for summer trade on the lakes. It was during this time that the Clementi Masonic Lodge 313AFAM moved from the Sterling Bank quarters to two rooms over the Porter Company’s Store. The annual rent at this location was originally $120 including a cord of firewood. They continued to meet here until the 1970’s when due to dwindling membership, they joined the Peterborough branch. 

Next came Judson “Mucker” Hull as proprietor of the store for the next couple of decades. The most popular shopping time was ‘Saturday Night’ – everyone came to town to shop and get caught up on the latest news. The store had a long counter with the brown wrapping paper pulled out before your purchases were made and the large ball of twine/string hung from the ceiling to tie your parcels. Judson had a room fixed like the “Hot Stove League” where he and the men folk would sit around the woodstove, smoke cigars and tell stories while the women did their shopping. The wooden floors were always well oiled and the ceiling was a beautiful tin pattern. 

After about 70 years as a general store, a variety of businesses operated out of this fine old building – an Automotive Store, Jalaine’s Crafts & Gift Shoppe during the 1970’s, Dependable Cleaners operated their business from this location, the Lakefield Gallery – Arts & Antiques from 1978- 1980. 

In 1981 the Lakefield Pantry moved into the main floor space at 44 Queen Street.  Within a year, the store floor space was divided down the centre and the Lakefield Pantry was established in the south half of the building. Cam Fraser and June McCartney created an old-fashioned general store while supplying a modern selection of products in bulk, organic and fair trade products. Eleanor’s Yarns & Books was established by Eleanor and Richard Heyden and operated out of the north half of the building starting in 1982. During 1985, The Chronicle newspaper rented the upper floor for printing their weekly newspaper. 

Eleanor’s Yarns & Books was purchased by Edna Whitehouse in late 1989 and she continued to operate the store until 2003 when Martha Whatley and Julie Dillon took over the operation and re-named it Happenstance Books & Yarns. After Martha & Julie’s retirement in 2011, Susan Twist took over the book and yarn shop in January 2012 offering a variety of books, yarns, patterns and supplies.

Jennie & John MacKenzie purchased the  Lakefield Pantry business on July 1, 1989 and Jennie has acted as proprietor since then. She continues to offer the choices of a bulk food like store combined with the selection of a specialty food boutique. The little store boasts 100+ different kinds of herbs and spices, Jen’s Bakeshop, local products from over 20 local producers, a huge selection of cooking and baking needs and a surprising selection of unique items. (Courtesy of the Lakefield Historical Society – August 2020) (Updated and supplemented by Jennie MacKenzie)

On April 28th, 2025, Jennie & John passed the reins of the Lakefield Pantry over to Lindsey and Andrew Irwin. The legacy continues under their care.

A glimpse of the past of 44 Queen Street…

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