Tea, Twigs and More

Aug. 31, 2005

She’s been making birch bark furniture for the past 25 -- yes, you read that right -- 25 years. But, except for the quality of the furnishings, you’d never know it to talk to creative, enthusiastic Ceci Bauer, proprietor of Primitive Images and The Good Hart And Soul Tearoom in -- where else? Good Hart.
A Detroit native (Royal Oak, to be exact), Bauer went to college at Central Michigan University, where she acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree in special education and art. From college, she came up to Northern Michigan one winter to teach skiing at Boyne Mountain. Soon offered a full-time teaching position as a result of her new Northern Michigan connections, she got a job teaching in Harbor Springs, dabbled between teaching, traveling, and other pursuits for several years, and then, 10 years ago, started her birch bark furniture-making business, which she also based in
Harbor Springs.

QUEBEC CABIN
“After I made furniture for a while, I decided that I wanted to open a rustic furniture store,” Bauer explains. And that she did. Opened in 1997, Bauer didn’t want just any old building for her newest venture -- instead, she chose a 1,200-square-foot old log cabin. The catch? The cabin was located up in Quebec, Canada.
But that wasn’t enough of a deterrent for Bauer -- she knew what she wanted, and she got it -- the cabin was dismantled and moved all the way from Quebec to its current location in Good Hart, 12 miles north of Harbor Springs. And Bauer has spent plenty of time carefully filling it up over the years with birch bark furnishings, birch bark baskets, picture frames and artwork, reproduction furnishings made from parts of old houses, twig and log furnishings and accessories, and reproduction antiques, plus candles, soaps, other home accent items, and even a line of jewelry. It’s quite an eclectic mix.
“If people haven’t been here, they’ll definitely be surprised by our building, as well as what we have to offer,” she enthuses. “It’s primitive, rustic - it’s really a log lodge. It’s so unique. We’ve got that whole lodge feeling in the store - and then we decided to do something completely different for the tearoom.”

NEW TEAROOM
Opened on July 1, the tearoom -- decked out in upbeat shades of yellow -- was officially dubbed The Good Hart And Soul Tearoom, and is Bauer’s newest addition to Primitive Images.
For those willing to make the drive, they’ll be rewarded with a unique little dining experience.
“We offer over 25 different teas -- all high-end teas -- served hot, iced, or by bulk,” Bauer explains. “We also sell frozen tea lattes -- perfect for all the hot weather we’ve been having -- plus fruit smoothies, scones, tarts, coffee cake, and homemade chocolates.”
The menu alone would be enough to make the afternoon tea aficionado drive up to Good Hart right away. In addition, The Good Hart And Soul Tearoom also carries a line of tea accessories including teapots and infusers, and tea fans can browse through brands of tea ranging from Vail Mountain Tea Company and Special Teas to Tea Forte and Rishi Teas. And the atmosphere is very “Up North,” as well.
“We’ve got a pretty little garden and deck area at the back as part of the tearoom,” Bauer says with a smile. “It’s very relaxing and quiet. It’s a nice experience to have tea there.”
And of course, shopping at Primitive Images is the perfect Northern Michigan after-tea activity.

The Good Hart And Soul Tearoom and Primitive Images are in the same
easy-to-find building, 12 miles north of Harbor Springs in Good Hart, right next to the Good Hart General Store, telephone 231-526-0276.