Former longtime Holyoke resident comes to visit

Many have at one point gone through an old building and thought, “Oh, if these walls could talk …” Well on Friday, Nov. 11, a spokesperson for the walls came to talk. 

Lorraine Rouse, current resident of California who confesses her heart remains in Holyoke, came to visit. Rouse, who is considered “Grandma” to Holyoke resident Anna Wirges, was elated that Wirges’ wish for her birthday was to have her come and stay with her for a whole week. Wirges says she made sure to fly her out here during the fall season, as she loves this time of year in Holyoke. The two made their rounds throughout the town to catch up with lifelong friends. 

Rouse was a Holyoke small business owner of a new and used furniture store that used to be located in the Olde Holyoke Square. The space that used to house the furniture is the home of Inklings Academy as well as the SY7 Messianic Assembly. 

Rouse was enchanted strolling through the building to observe the changes it had gone through, stopping here and there to motion and explain where she had placed items in her store. “Oh, that door wasn’t there when we were in here,” she explained. “I would get five or six dining room sets and everything I could find to set the tables and make them fancy. That was my thing. I really enjoyed it.” 

She went on to explain that the wall that currently divides the bookstore from the back wasn’t there either and the furniture flowed up to the front and into where Nelda’s Antiques was located. “Oh, she had the nicest things, so we of course wanted to make sure her items were up by the windows to draw people in. Dale would go to Denver and pick up sofas and living room sets, and those would be placed here,” said Rouse as she spread her arms to show they would take up the space in the back of the bookstore. 

Rouse continued her stroll through the old building into the back, and Anna observed, “The building just keeps going and going!” Once they reached the back room that today is used for the Inklings Academy art classes taught by Brianna Brauer, Rouse explained the lighting in the room. Brauer has the lights that flank the walls framed up, which works great to provide extra light for art projects, but Rouse describes that a former businessman used the lights to cast through glass items he sold in his nook of the store. 

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