Schofield Place

By Kellie Underhill

People ask Dan Richard where his business is located and he tells them across from the post office in Renous. Locals understand right away — “Ahh, Schofield House,” they nod.

“Schofield House was owned by the Schofield family for 150 years,” Dan says. “They owned it up until about 20 years ago. But it was always known as the Schofield House.”

Dan and his family live in part of the renovated home and in the other half they operate a Bed & Breakfast.

“In opening the Bed & Breakfast we wanted to maintain the history of the place,” Dan says. “We renovated the house back to the way it was as much as we could.”

“There’s one room with a queen-sized bed; one with double; and the other with two single beds,” Dan says. “Whichever room you get it’s the same price. Based on two people for the night and breakfast, it’s $55.”

Dan, a master woodworker and carpenter, renovated the house himself taking special care to keep the Bed & Breakfast separate from his family’s living quarters. It has a separate front entrance from the veranda, private bathroom, sitting room with television and quaint little dining area where continental breakfast is served.  

The bedrooms are each decorated in a different historical theme of the Miramichi.

“We have one room, the Victorian Room, which has some fancy mahogany and oak woodworking in it. The Maritime Room is more of a Maritime theme with barn wood beams for the ceiling,” Dan says. “And the third room, the Settlers Room, is more of a simpler room with folk art and simple antiques, hooked rug, simple pictures and so on.”

“The beds are all brand new, very comfortable. And the bathroom is totally brand new,” he adds.

A new addition this year to the Schofield Place business family is the Gifts & Antiques Shop that opened this spring.

“Actually I’m not running it. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are running it. That’s Bernard and Jo Ann Colepaugh,” Dan adds. “Guests coming to the Bed & Breakfast can also browse the Gift Shop. People coming to the Gift Shop get to learn that we have a Bed & Breakfast and maybe stay here. We figure if we can have more of these things, then we’ll make our place more of a destination spot.”

One thing is for certain; shoppers are in for a special treat as the store prides itself on carrying unique items you won’t find anywhere else.

“We have all kinds of really, really, one of a kind unusual stuff,” Jo Ann Colepaugh smiles. “It’s hard to even describe.”

Some things they have are rustic furniture, primitive crafts, oil paintings, sketches, home knitting, quilts, stained glass, crocheted doilies and angels, pottery, collectible books, old movie posters, bird houses, crystal, a Christmas corner, —

“And then we have antiques like you wouldn’t believe,” Jo Ann laughs. “There’s so much stuff here. Something for every price range. Most of our stuff you probably wouldn’t find anywhere else. That’s what we try to do, have something that would really capture the interest of a passer-by that you couldn’t really get in another store.”

One unusual thing you won’t find anywhere else are Dungarvon Demon Creatures.

“These are a whole range of very unusual creatures made out of wood and wild mushrooms. Some of them have additions like antlers and skulls,” Jo Ann says. “Some are small and cute and some are big and really creepy.”

All of the items in the shop are consignment based so if anyone has unusual or unique artwork, crafts, antiques and so on, they should contact the store to see about selling their things. Currently there are close to 30 consignees.

“We have people who contribute from the Miramichi area and we have a few as far a field as Moncton,” Jo Ann says. “But basically it’s local people promoting local artists. We know that the majority of our client base is tourists and we want to promote local artisans as much as possible.”

Throughout the summer Schofield’s Gifts & Antiques is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.

“It’s quite a diverse store,” Jo Ann says. “And of course we get new things every week, because someone will come in and go ‘Oh, I have this school desk in my basement, do you think you could sell it?’ And the next thing you know it’s in the store. So, it’s constantly changing.”

If you’d like to visit the store but can’t make it during regular business hours you can call 622-0398 after-hours to arrange a private opening.

“Hopefully with time my stained glass pieces will be on display in there,” Dan says. “I have a few large items on display for sale but no sun catchers yet. There will be some later on in the summer. I don’t have time to do too much in terms of sun catchers right now, I’ve been busy with church windows and whatever else.”

Sun catchers cost between $10 and $20.

“And then it goes up from there,” Dan says. “I did a Nascar panel, a Dale Earnhardt memorial. It’s in a nice oak box with a backlight. That one is $390.”

Dan also has some stained glass work for sale at Edgewater, a gift shop in Chatham.

Dan started Schofield’s Stained Glass and Woodworks three years ago but he’s been working in stained glass for 14 years.

“I learned in Montreal, took lessons in Montreal. In recent years I’ve been to Ontario to take speciality courses and every so often I go here and there to take workshops on different aspects of stained glass to upgrade myself,” he says. “But my learning was in Montreal. Some of the most famous stained glass artisans are from Montreal. And we have some examples of that on the Miramichi. St. Mary’s has some of the stained glass from one of the most famous stained glass artisans around. Several windows inside St. Mary’s are from Montreal.”

 This year, the stained glass business has really taken off.

“This year it’s going well. I have all the windows to do for Eel Ground for their church there. There’s one window in, and there’s another 9 to do and put in,” Dan says. “And I have also to renovate all the windows for a chapel in Fredericton Junction, eight windows there.”

“And there’s a couple of other churches who are waiting their turn for windows as well,” he adds. “So, I’m a little backed up for now.”

Not all of Dan’s stained glass work is big projects for churches and other organisations, he also does a lot of custom work for individuals.

“For instance, a crab fisherman in Neguac is getting a panel done for his house, Tiffany lamps to repair and odds and ends like that,” he adds. “Little jobs to do for people here and there. It’s busy, quite busy in fact.”

Every year Dan offers classes in the fall and in the winter, for beginners and intermediate level apprentices of the craft.

“They go for six weeks. I usually have two full classes for the beginners and another couple of classes for intermediate, one night a week,” he says. “It’s about $130 and they come out of it with a sun catcher and a small panel. They don’t have to bring anything into the course and they leave with two projects. They don’t have to buy any supplies, $130 covers everything.”

Plus Dan has been going away to work in Ottawa for three weeks in the spring and again in the fall.

“A friend of mine does top-class environmental landscape design and installations there,” Dan says. “And so he hired me to do some of the carpentry work when he has some fancy work to do. That’s been kind of neat. It gives me the work holiday and the escape I sometimes need.”

“Being a one-man show you know, you need to get out sometimes,” he smiles. “So, it’s been quite good.”

When talking about Dan’s woodworking and stained glass, Jo Ann says he is a man with an uncanny ability to see great things where there is nothing and a keen sense of direction on how to get there. But that could just as easily apply to his entire outlook for Schofield Place. 

“Basically, the long-term plan is to have everything work well together. We’re not giving up on tourism. Down the road we’re hoping to even offer day adventure tours in stained glass,” Dan says. “People might like to take a workshop in stained glass and come out at the end of the day with a little sun catcher and that would combine the stained glass with a stay at the Bed & Breakfast.”

“Those things will come,” he adds. “We’ve got 130 kilometres of wilderness highway with the Plaster Rock Highway. At some point eco-tourism has to take off here. And we’re at the end of the road for that. At some point that might tie-in with our Bed & Breakfast too, bringing more tourists for the gift shop.”

Dan and his wife started bought Schofield Place 11 years ago and have been involved in the Miramichi tourism industry for many years. He says the biggest change he’s noticed in the industry is the Miramichi River Valley Tourism Association (MRVT).

To book a stay at Schofield Place Bed & Breakfast or if you’re interested in taking a course in stained glass this fall give Dan a call at 627-0807. He is currently taking names and forming a list for fall classes. Also give him a call for pricing quotes on any custom stained glass items you would like to commission Dan to make for your home.

“I’m starting to get requests now for coats of arms, for family coats of arms,” Dan says. “Families are looking to have that in stained glass. I’ve gotten quite a few requests about that.”

For more information about Schofield Place visit their website at

http://www.mightymiramichi.com/stay/schofieldplace.html or telephone 627-0807.

Kellie Underhill is the editor of Bread 'n Molasses. Her writing credits include The Moncton Times-Transcript, The Brunswick Business Journal, The Atlantic Chamber Journal and The Reader magazine. Send comments about this article to editor@breadnmolasses.com.