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Elora Mews Shops -
“News from the Mews” -
First Issue! September 2001

All about the new website (August 2001)

The Summer of 2001 was a very good time to develop a website for the ELORA MEWS SHOPS!

There are always new and exciting things happening in the Village of Elora and in the Elora Mews, but this was a year of another major store expansion in the Mews, a brand new boutique, beautiful weather, and wonderful Elora Festival Days, with many perfect photo opportunities, for one of the main features of our website!!

Renee Makino, owner and manager of ELORA MEWS since 1982, had wanted to create a website featuring the Elora Mews Shops for some years.

In June 2001, she met with Catharina Hogarth, Elora resident and website designer, who was excited to take on the challenge of designing and developing the www.eloramews.com website, and to be the webmaster for the site.

The site features photographs, MANY PHOTOGRAPHS, to communicate the  “Elora experience”.  

The interactive website that was launched in August 2001 features dozens of photographs, some of which can be sent from the site as VIRTUAL POSTCARDS. Almost all of the photographs on the site today were taken either by Catharina, who now takes her digital camera with her whenever she walks around her home village, or by Renee on her visits to Elora and the Elora Mews Shops.

Our attempt to communicate the special character and atmosphere of Elora -- laid-back but charming, historical but ever-changing, spectacular but relaxing, a village with European-style café’s, stone walls and lantern-light -- seems to be working, according to the response from visitors to the website.

VISITORS LIKE THE SITE!

"Congratulations. It's really nice. It makes me want to go and visit the Elora Mews."

"What a great site congratulations for such a neat idea, I sent a postcard!"

"The website is very well done. it's tasteful, low key and informative. The layout is pleasant, and it doesn't take long to download, so there's no impatient waiting."

"A really cool site!  So interactive with postcards, photos and mailing list...this is a neat web site!"

MANY VISITORS WITH VERY LITTLE PUBLICITY!

The ELORA MEWS WEBSITE, www.eloramews.com, was listed with major Internet search engines on August 11, 2001.

—In the first month we had 500 Visitors to the website!

—Most of these Visitors found our site because they were looking for information about Elora, or about specific products sold in our shops.  In response to the search engine query, they found a listing and description of the Elora Mews site, or a specific web page. They were using Internet search services like MSN, AOL, Google, Yahoo and others.

—Some Visitors found us through other websites.  So far, the sites that mention our website and link to us are:

• The Village of Elora site
  http://www/elora.info/

• The Fergus/Elora Chamber of Commerce site 

SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT OUR SITE!

Please, explore our website and tell your friends!

—SEND A VIRTUAL POSTCARD! 
This is a special feature of our site, so you will "Fall in Love with Elora", the first time or all over again.

—VISIT OUR SHOPS! 
Check out our unique shops on the Elora Mews website. But all our shopkeepers will welcome your phone call, and will give you very personal service.

—CONTACT US! 
Let us know what you think of our website, and what we could do to improve it.

<—back to the top 

Pictures of Festival Days (July 2001)—>>

What's new in the Elora Mews Shops
(Spring & Summer 2001)

A Store Expansion, A New Boutique, and a New Look!

TINDER TREE	GINKGO GIFTS	KARGER GALLERY
2001 Expansion!	2001 First Season!	2001 New Look!

The following article was featured in the Fall 2001 Newsletter of the Elora Business Improvement Area, an association of downtown Elora businesses which keeps Elora beautiful, preserves its special character, organizes special events, helps its businesses to work together, and promotes the Village to attract visitors.

The MILL STREET MEWS has been a real hub of activity in recent months. TINDER TREE expanded in April, taking over the space formerly occupied by Fashions 'N More. Tinder Tree now occupies almost 2000 square feet and specializes in a wide range of whimsical creations.  Owner Alisa Frost says she is delighted with the revovation because it has enabled her to greatly expand her product line. 
[click here for MORE about TINDER TREE]

Kudos also to GINGKO, a specialty shop offering hand crafted gifts from Japan and Korea. Gingko opened in November 2000 and has had a successful first season. Owners Joycelyn and I.P. Lee offer a unique array of pottery, lamps, jewellery, chests, cushions and tableware from the Orient. 

Yet another change in the Mews has been the colourful enhancements to the KARGER GALLERY storefront. The exterior of the shop features a new sign and the whimsical designs of local artist Marilyn Koop and blacksmith David McCord. The bright flowers with metal stems and the bold art against the backdrop of old limestone make a definite statement. 
[click here for MORE about KARGER GALLERY]

<<<—back to the top

<<—All about the new website (August 2001)

<—What's new in the Elora Mews Shops (Spring & Summer 2001)

We've selected some of our favourite photographs of the July 2001 ELORA FESTIVAL DAYS events, for you to enjoy on the www.eloramews.com website. Some of the pictures can be sent from here as VIRTUAL POSTCARDS !

Share these special scenes with your friends!

Elora's Mill Street West, always a captivating destination on a beautiful summer weekend, attracted huge crowds of visitors, area residents, and shoppers on the ELORA FESTIVAL DAYS weekend of July 21 and 22, 2001!

The SPECIAL ATTRACTION, from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday July 21 and Sunday July 22, 2001, right in the heart of the Elora Mill Street West shopping district, was BRASS ON THE RIVER , a delightful musical performance by a brass band playing on a floating stage on the Grand River, right in the heart of Elora Mill Street West shopping district!

Record audiences gathered each day on both sides of the Grand River, along the Victoria Foot Bridge, and down on the Boardwalk, for a front row seat. Some canoers on the river had a perfect vantage point!

Send a postcard of this picture!

Brass on the River During the Elora Festival the brass band plays to the visitors of Elora from a barge in the middle of the Grand River. A front-row seat could be had on the Boardwalk. Photo by: Renee Makino

The ELORA MEWS courtyard was a very popular spot on FESTIVAL DAYS!

They were great days for ice cream and donairs from JENNY S PLACE, dining alfresco at the ELORA MEWS outdoor café, and for exploring the ELORA MEWS SHOPS!

Send a postcard of this picture!

Dining Alfresco  Dining alfresco within the historic limestone walls of the enchanting Elora Mews. Photo by: Renee Makino

The ELORA FESTIVAL DAYS also featured other free musical performances on the streets of Elora.

Visitors and shoppers were entertained by a singing group by the Victoria Footbridge and the steps down to the Boardwalk.

Visitors to all the Elora Mill Street West boutiques were entertained by the musical performances while they shopped.

Send a postcard of this picture!

Festive Mews During the Elora Festival the village and the Elora Mews come alive with music and song. Many stop for an ice cream and take advantage of the many specials on offer! Photo by: Renee Makino

<<<<—back to the top

<<<—All about the new website (August 2001)

<<—What's new in the Elora Mews Shops (Spring & Summer 2001)

<—Elora Festival Days in Pictures (July 2001)