Lunenburg is losing an icon. Double Whale Handwoven Designs – which has graced Duke and Lincoln for four decades, closes shop for the last time on Dec 21. It is a happy ending and a new beginning for Lunenburg’s prolific weaver, Marrie Berkelaar, whose retirement plan is to “sail into the sunset.” This hole-in-the-wall, 200-square-foot working studio has been a staple for timeless, handwoven wares and blankets and candid conversations about the comings and goings of life.
(Credit: Christian Webber)
Despite the cool draft on a winter’s day, the sunflower yellow walls, sun-bleached postcards, colourful textures, and well-worn chairs invite you to stay a while, and if you are lucky, you can witness Marrie transform skeins of Briggs & Little or MacAusland wool into a blanket, a pillow sham, a shawl, a coat, or a hat. At the odd time, you may have stumbled confusedly into an unattended shop while Marrie stepped out for an afternoon treat. She never worried about theft. Quite the opposite, she remarked, “I talk too much, I might sell better when I am not here.”
Her handcrafts are made with love, intended to be loved, repaired some decades later, and loved some more. They are built for use, built to last, and fashioned with an impeccable sense of style that ages better than wine. She is always humoured when patrons visit her shop wearing garments she sold to them 30 or 40 years ago.
(Credit: Christian Webber)
She prefers cash over card, but has been known to strike up clever barters with locals for beer, scallops, coffee beans, and the like. She has no patience for marketing and no desire for online sales, and yet her goods can be found as far as Japan and Australia by virtue of being a top-shelf craftsperson in a UNESCO World Heritage town.
It’s an honest, humble livelihood. She first was motivated to open this one-person shop because she “didn’t want to be exploited and didn’t want to exploit anybody.” Double Whale is a lighthouse in a world too often clouded by make-to-break production, insatiable consumption, and relationships too many degrees removed.
It is the end of an era for Double Whale Handwoven Designs, and it will be marked with celebration. Marrie invites you to join her at 19 Duke St, Dec 21, 5-8 PM, for a proper send-off and holiday cheer.
