Painted tales at Canterbury
Mural brings whimsy to local bookstore
Canterbury Book Store co-owner Jesse Traub points towards two elements -- a bear and a dragon -- in a new mural by Lauren Hovland that hearken to the shop's herald logo. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Though not in the original sketch, this "bookworm" became one of the favorite elements of the mural in Escanaba's independent bookstore. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Lauren Hovland's work is seen in-progress at Canterbury Book Store earlier this summer. (Photo courtesy of Lauren Hovland)
A new mural at Canterbury Book Store by Lauren Hovland is shown. Seen also are Jesse Traub standing and Gregg Bruff sitting behind the desk. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
This was a draft sketch Hovland created on her iPad to lay out the design for a local mural. (Courtesy of Lauren Hovland)
Canterbury Book Store co-owner Jesse Traub points towards two elements -- a bear and a dragon -- in a new mural by Lauren Hovland that hearken to the shop's herald logo. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Though not in the original sketch, this "bookworm" became one of the favorite elements of the mural in Escanaba's independent bookstore. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Lauren Hovland's work is seen in-progress at Canterbury Book Store earlier this summer. (Photo courtesy of Lauren Hovland)
A new mural at Canterbury Book Store by Lauren Hovland is shown. Seen also are Jesse Traub standing and Gregg Bruff sitting behind the desk. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
This was a draft sketch Hovland created on her iPad to lay out the design for a local mural. (Courtesy of Lauren Hovland)
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ESCANABA -- One business in downtown Escanaba has gotten a decorative addition recently, loosely in honor of its 60th birthday.
At Canterbury Book Store, Jesse Traub and Rebecca Bender -- who have owned the place since 2018 -- hired local artist Lauren Hovland to paint a mural on the upper portion of an interior wall.
The project was completed earlier this summer, in June and July, but the idea was formulated a little while earlier.
Hovland said she knew the owners through Players de Noc and the bookstore.
"I’ve always loved going into Canterbury Book Store because I’m a very avid reader myself," Hovland said. “So I love seeing what unique things they have in there and getting to talk to them."
The artist works as a floral designer at Wickert Floral, on whose building she painted a large flower mural two years ago. It was reportedly that mural, on the external north wall, that led Bender and Traub to seek out a commission from Hovland.
The building in which Canterbury Book Store is located -- a two-story commercial block at 908 Ludington Street -- is within the Escanaba Central Historic District and appears to have been erected between 1888 and 1893, according to the National Register of Historic Places based on Sanborn maps. It was a saloon operated by people with the surname Nelson in the 1890s, and then between at least 1929 and 1959 it sold clothing under the name Young. In 1963, the building was recorded as vacant, and Canterbury Book Store opened shop at the premises in 1966.
The progression of owners over the last 60 years entered the present era when Shirley Hivala, who had run the shop for decades, sold the place to Bender and Traub.
The then-new owners purchased shelves that had been at Book World, which had recently closed.
Remodeling over the last eight years has been comprised of gradual projects. Fairly recently, the couple had the easternmost wall insulated and put up wood; previously, it had been covered in pegboard.
Above the wood paneling — which ends a little above average adult head level — is a space about four feet high that runs the length of the shop. This was the space destined for a mural.
Both parties — bookstore owners and artist — mutually agreed on a general look. Whimsical, bold colors, in Hovland’s style with a sort of fairytale theme.
Hovland sketched out a few possible designs, and then ultimately Canterbury selected one with elements of others. The drawing developed along the way, too.
After mapping out the design on an iPad, Hovland laid out the illustration on the wall using white paint marker before completing the artwork with acrylic paint.
“Definitely she was just kind of freestyling,” said Bender. After the sketch to get some of the scale down, “this she was just making up as she went along.”
The finished design features vines climbing out of a book, woodland critters, a dragon, fairies, cats, butterflies and a bookworm. Hovland tweaked based on feedback — including a note left by Traub and Bender’s four-year-old daughter requesting that the princess be dressed in pink.
Since the logo for Canterbury Book Store features a bear and a dragon on either side of a shield featuring a tree, music note, fish and another symbol, “we asked her to include the two heraldic animals, the bear and dragon, and she was happy to oblige,” said Traub.
“We really love it and think she did just a bang-up job.”
All parties involved are pleased with the outcome and think it suits the space. Hovland said she hopes more people visit Canterbury, meet the delightful people who work there, and learn that the shop makes orders for specific books upon request.
“I think it makes a town unique when they have murals and beautiful pieces outside. It just makes more people want to be around and explore the spaces. So I hope that Escanaba can find more artists to do murals in the future and keep working that direction,” Hovland said.