The shop begins to take shape...

The front counter of the shop is covered in "brushed stainless steel" (actually, a think sheet of aluminum which I then brushed with a wire brush to get the look of stainless), with shelving underneath for backstock and a bump-out on one end for the cashwrap.

The stainless is practical as well as visually interesting—it's where warm fudge can be cut and other goodies can be wrapped up for sale.

At the far left in this picture you see a large electric-powered cauldron, something like a big crock pot, for heating maple syrup to the "soft ball" candy stage. This hot syrup is used in maple taffy pulling, which takes place outdoors in the snow. Those of you who read the Little House series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder may actually remember a scene early on in her life where the family does this. It's hugely popular in Québec to this day, and the Aucoins have brought the tradition to their tiny maple sugaring operation in Thorny Rock.

(The saws don't belong on the floor... or in the shop! They must have taken a break there without my knowledge on the day I snapped this photo. )