Bentley’s Department Store
A Main Street landmark where generations of Ashby Lake residents have found what they need—and usually someone they know.
Welcome to Bentley’s Department Store
Bentley’s Department Store is a family-owned shop on Main Street in Ashby Lake, Ontario. An old-fashioned local landmark, it has served generations of residents and remains woven into the everyday life of the town.
Now owned by Graham Bentley, the store carries his family name and the steady, practical spirit he brings to everything he does. Bentley’s is the kind of place where customers come in looking for something useful, stop to exchange news, and leave feeling a little more connected to the town around them.
At a Glance
Type: Family-owned department store
Location: Main Street, Ashby Lake, Ontario
Owner: Graham Bentley
Featured In: Frogs, Fireworks and Forever
Also Connected To: The Brave One
Known For: Local history, familiar faces, and generations of community ties
In Ashby Lake, a trip to Bentley’s is rarely just an errand.
A Store with History
Bentley’s has been part of Ashby Lake long enough to hold memories for more than one generation. Joan Bentley is closely tied to the store’s family history, while Maggie Thatcher spent years working there before retiring. Those connections make Bentley’s more than a backdrop: it is part of the town’s shared history.
Under Graham’s ownership, the store remains dependable and unshowy—much like Graham himself. It is a familiar anchor on Main Street and a natural meeting point in stories built around family, friendship, second chances, and the small acts that make a community feel like home.
Meet the People of Bentley’s
Graham Bentley
Owner
Grounded, dependable, and deeply loyal. Graham shows love through action and keeps both the store and the people around him steady.
Joan Bentley
Bentley Family Matriarch
Graham’s mother, Maggie’s friend, and part of the family history behind one of Main Street’s most familiar names.
Maggie Thatcher
Retired Sales Clerk
Warm, observant, and community-minded. Maggie worked at Bentley’s for years and still seems to know nearly everyone in town.
Listen to Bentley’s Department Store
Press play and take a musical stroll down Main Street.
Featured In
Frogs, Fireworks and Forever
Bentley’s Department Store is part of Graham Bentley’s everyday life in Ashby Lake. As Graham and Elena Hartley-Winslow are drawn together through their daughters, the store helps ground his story in family history, responsibility, and the community he has never stopped showing up for.
A tender small-town romance about second chances, found family, and the kind of love that arrives quietly—and stays.