Acton resident Ed Footitt can remember Acton’s downtown core as far back as the 1920s. In 1929, in the same year as the great stock market crash, Footitt’s father Walter bought a 1929 Plymouth at a garage owned by local vet, Dr. Harry Coxe.
He can remember many businesses (all of them gone now) that were situated in the heart of Acton, and recall the business owners and other personalities that were an integral part of the community. Pa Jones, as he was known, could be found at the Red & White grocery store. A.T. Brown ran a local drugstore. There was John Hill, at one time the owner of Hill’s Store, who was popular with youngsters. Hill, whose business was located on Mill Street, sold candies to the local kids. Footitt was one of them. "You could get a grab bag for one cent." Local butchers and grocers all made deliveries in those days. Usually it was the traditional horse and buggy, although there was one memorable conveyance that was different than the others. The two-wheeled chariot steered by George Gervais made a lasting impression on the young Ed as it came up the drive. George worked as a delivery boy for Benton’s Butcher Shop, on Mill Street. Acton was a place where you could purchase just about anything you needed at local businesses. Even gas was something you could buy downtown at one time, although the price was considerably lower than it is today. "Twenty-five cents a gallon was the first gas price I remember," notes Footitt. Today Acton’s dirt roads are paved and many of the old names and businesses he remembers are gone. But Footitt says that you’ll still find a lot of activity downtown as he did when he was growing up.
In the first week of June, the Acton BIA and the Acton Horticultural Society work together to place plants at various locations downtown. Often during the warmer months you’ll see Josey Bonnette, co-ordinator of the Acton BIA, as she makes her rounds tending to the plants (all of which are provided by DG Digirolamo’s Greenhouses of Georgetown). Josey has worked for the BIA since October of 2000 and says the recent addition of benches, garbage bins, and the building and paving of a parking lot on Willow Street near Mill Street have made a "big difference" in the downtown core. Last year Mill Street also underwent an extensive reconstruction that she says has enhanced the appearance of the area.
Many businesses in the downtown core offer competitive pricing, including Dollar Stretcher Daze located at the Mill-Main Plaza on Main Street. Business owners Linda Ann Hush and Heather Wedlake sell merchandise at reasonable prices. Customers can purchase beauty supplies, craft supplies, toys, kitchenware, and artificial flowers, but one thing they’re known for is their affordable party supplies. They describe their store as a "one stop shop for party supplies". They sell streamers, balloons and other party items as well as the popular Gifts To Go, which are custom made gift bags. They also make Gifts To Go for pets. "Part of the appeal is the convenience, but part of it is the cost as well" says Linda Ann. Gifts To Go retail for only five dollars each. Stephen Attwell of Vintner’s Cellar Acton, says businesses in Acton are able to offer competitive pricing because of lower overheads. He owns the business with Susan Seads and they found Acton attractive because of its affordability for small businesses. The two purchased the building where they operate their business at 41 Mill Street East. "Quite often businesses (within the BIA) will match a lot of the prices that are in the big box stores and you don’t have to travel all the way out of town to get those lower prices," notes Stephen, who along with Susan operates a brew-on-premise wine store. They sell grape juice to customers as well as turn the grape juice into wine. In the final stage of the process customers can bottle their own wine right on the premises.
The Acton BIA is located at 16 Mill Street East and provides information on local businesses and services in the downtown core. At the BIA’s website www.downtown.ca you’ll find a list of events held in the downtown core throughout the year including the popular Leathertown Festival in August. This season the site includes information about the Santa Claus Parade set for November 19th. The parade starts at 1 p.m. at MacKenzie-Smith Bennett School on Acton Boulevard and it travels along Queen Street, west along Mill Street, then all the way to Prospect Park. The BIA will be serving hot apple cider along the parade route. Following the parade there will be a visit with Santa at Acton Jiu-Jitsu from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. November 19th is also the kickoff for the BIA’s Sharing Tree, a special campaign to provide Christmas gifts to the Salvation Army in time for Christmas. Gifts can be dropped off at local businesses. On December 10th, the BIA and local businesses will host the Downtown Extravaganza from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Stores will feature specials and there will be a carol singing at the parkette located at the corner of Mill and Main Streets beginning at 2 p.m. There will also be another visit with Santa on that date. For details on the location for Santa’s second visit contact the BIA at 519-853-9555 or send a message to actonbia@aztec-net.com |
In
those early days Mill Street and Main Street were dirt roads and it was
difficult to go anywhere outside of town. Ed, who turns ninety this
January, says it was "terrible" just trying to get to Milton, for example.
Nowadays
people in the town and surrounding communities visit Acton’s local
businesses. The Doll Emporium, owned by Elly and Carla Snells, is well
known among doll aficionados for its doll making supplies and classes on
porcelain doll making. People that want to sample Dutch treats or buy
merchandise imported from Holland frequent The Holland Shop. You can find
interesting gifts for all occasions as well as custom designed gift
baskets and Tilley hats at Country Reflections owned by Judy McDonald.
There are also plenty of gifts to choose from at Blooms Away Flowers and
Gifts, a family-run business situated across from the Acton Baptist Church
on Mill Street. The business is operated by Kelly Wilson and her parents
Sandy and Mike MacDonald and offers customers more than just giftware.
They also provide event designing and planning, specialty baskets, floral
arrangements, sympathy tributes, custom silk and dried arrangements, and
plants for the home and office. They take pride in offering personalized
service to their customers, and occasionally they have fulfilled some
rather unusual requests. "There was a guy who ordered ten dozen red roses
for his wife to mark their tenth anniversary," says Wilson. "We delivered
them to his house." 
For many people a trip to Acton also means a trip to The
Olde Hide House, made famous as Canada’s largest leather outlet. The
business is housed in an old warehouse that was once owned by Beardmore &
Co. – a firm that was the largest tannery in the British Empire by the
turn of the century. Beardmore & Co. no longer exists and much of Acton’s
leather industry has died with it, but Acton (known as Canada’s
Leathertown) has been home to The Olde Hide House since 1980. The
old-warehouse boasts the largest collection of quality leather garments in
one building. The store stocks between 8,000 and 12,000 leather, suede and
shearling garments. They also sell leather furniture and accessories
including briefcases, luggage, belts, wallets, handbags and gloves. Cathy
Coles, vice-president of operations for The Olde Hide House, says the
store’s Acton location attracts many people to the area who live outside
Halton Hills. "We get people from Europe, the States, Australia – from all
over the world." 
The Olde Hide House as well as other businesses in the
downtown core are members of the Acton Business Improvement Area (BIA), a
local organization that actively promotes the downtown area. The BIA works
closely with local businesses and community organizations to ensure that
Acton is an attractive location for visitors as well as residents and
local business owners.
The BIA covers a geographic area including ninety shops
and services. Aside from medical, legal and real estate offices, banks,
and barbershops, the downtown core is home to two spas: Blue Springs Spa
and SilverCreek Spa. But this doesn’t even begin to cover the many other
businesses and services that fall within the BIA. Restaurants include A
Taste of Italy, Tanner’s Restaurant, and Andy’s Family Dining. There are
places where you can learn jiu-jitsu (Acton Jiu-Jitsu) or karate (Classic
Karate) and discount stores such as Giant Tiger; as well as many
businesses that offer specialized products.
For consumers Acton’s downtown is worth visiting for
more than just the competitive pricing and personalized service. There’s a
wealth of history in the downtown area where you’ll find many buildings
that played a part in Acton’s early days. At 55 Mill Street East, you’ll
see the MacKinnon Family Funeral Home. This towering building dates back
to 1879 and was once the residence of William H. Storey, owner of a
now-defunct glove factory. You may also meet people in Acton that are
willing to share their memories of what the downtown was like many years
ago. People like Ed Footitt can recall farmers spending part of a Saturday
just socializing in the old part of town.