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Sunday 14 May 2017

Ghost sign: 70 Lansdowne Avenue


https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.9260371,-97.116681,3a,75y,227.43h,89.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqaIuWJ4WQSgG4IHCdNY_9g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1
Top: May 14, 2017
Bottom: Ca. 2015, Google Street View

While undergoing exterior renovations, the corner store at Lansdowne and St. Cross has offered a glimpse into the history of the St. John's neighbourhood. The photos of the old sign above were taken May 14, 2017.

The five digit number indicates that they could have been painted any time between the late 1920s to late 1940s.


Two Irish immigrants, Joseph Reid of 77 McAdam Avenue and Charles Reed of 155 Inkster Boulevard, took over this store in 1927. John A. Stalker of 143 Luxton Avenue was their long-time meat clerk.

Joseph Reid died in 1950 and Charles Reed carried on until his retirement in 1961.

October 18, 1941

According to the clerk at the store, the plan is to proceed with the renovations and cover up the signs. If you want pictures of your own, you better hurry down !

For a full history of the building and some of its owners, check out my Winnipeg Downtown Places post for 70 Lansdowne Avenue !

3 comments:

Sublime One said...

Any idea exactly how long it will be before this sign comes down? Or who the owner is so I can ask him?

My father had his very first job working there and when he saw the piece on the news it brought back great memories for him.

The news piece isn't clear how long they are leaving the sign up. I'd like to get a photo with my father in front of the place but probably can't get him there until at least the weekend.

Any info you could offer would be great. Thanks!

Christian Cassidy said...

Hi. That's interesting to hear. Was he a clerk or a delivery boy? I'd love to know !

I was part of a CTV News story about it today. You can see the owner in this story, He's the guy that works there most of the time: http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/old-sign-found-during-construction-on-convenience-store-1.3415086#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=Facebook&_gsc=wiHxPZ

I found out while I was there that he is going to have the sign cut out from the front and moved to the side of the building. It sounded like fairly soon. The guys are in the final stages of external renovations to the house part, then all will be covered back up again.

The store is now called Jumbo Foods, 204-589-3355.

I am not sure if you are in Winnipeg or not. If not. I can send you some high definition photos of the building>

My email is cassidy mts.net

Sublime One said...

I think he was both. He was definitely a delivery boy on his bicycle.

I saw the news story but must have missed the owner. I'll try the Jumbo Foods number tomorrow and see if I can get a date for when the sign comes down. I'd like to get a shot of my father with the sign out front. He says it's exactly as he remembered it.

He knew the names of a bunch of people who had worked there. He even thought Burton Cummings might have worked there a little bit when he was a kid but he wasn't certain. I'm sure he knows lots of history about it. He knew about the owners Reid and Reed and everything.

If I can't get a shot of him with it, I'd love the ones you've got. I took a look at the ones on your blog and they're great.

I'll e-mail you if I need your photos. My father isn't online at all but if you had questions, I could ask if he would talk to you on the phone. I'm sure he would.

Thanks so much for your help!