Percy Haynes had a remarkable life and added much to the fabric of Winnipeg's history. He was a championship athlete, noted local musician and fought to be the first Black to serve in the Royal Canadian Navy.
After the war, he and wife Zena opened Haynes Chicken Shack at 257 Lulu Street which became a popular musical hot spot. The likes of Billy Daniels, Oscar Peterson and Harry Belafonte visited, some multiple times, for late night jam sessions.
The Haynes' were cornerstones in the local Black community and this building was a focus for many of their activities. (You can read more about them in the links below.)
257 Lulu was home to the Haynes family, which came to Winnipeg from British Guyana around 1912 when Percy was an infant, since 1920. William Haynes, a carpenter, added a workshop to the house that eventually became the restaurant.
Zena died in 1990 and Percy in 1992. The business was sold to long-time employees and lasted until 1998.
Since that time, the building has been empty or used for storage. This month, the land was advertised for sale noting that the "building on site needs to be torn down". That is exactly what will happen and it will disappear with no notice.
I
have always been critical of some heritage advocates / groups / city
officials for putting an inordinate amount of time, energy and money
into telling the history of a small number of buildings in a small
number of neighbourhoods over and over and over again whilst ignoring
people, places and events in the rest of the city. This building is a
perfect example.
Over the past decade I have written a number of
columns and blog posts about the city's Black community and I think I am
within reason by saying this was one of the city's more important Black
community hubs. Sadly, it is outside the zone of interest and its
history was never documented - something that if done decades ago may
have prevented it from getting to the situation it is in today.
Why
have we done a shitty job telling the stories of everyday places and
people, particularly those of colour, in this city? It is because the
Len Fairchuks and Percy Haynes’ did not run a company from the penthouse
of a five-storey office building in the Exchange District or live in a
2,500 square foot pile in Fort Rouge.
It is too late to save 257 Lulu Street, but there are many buildings out there with rich tales to tell, including the Craig Block, another Black community hub which sits unrecognized on Main Street.
They deserve better recognition and a better fate.
My writings about Haynes and 257 Lulu Street:
Percy Haynes West End Dumplings
257 Lulu Street Winnipeg Downtown Places
Recipe for Success Winnipeg Free Press
Farewell to 257 Lulu Street West End Dumplings
More of my stories celebrating Manitoba's Black history
© 2020, Christian Cassidy
6 comments:
Growing up in Wpg in the 60's & 70's, jazz and supper at Hayne's Chicken Shack was a weekly event for our family. Percy & Zena were incredibly generous and wonderful to be around. Thank you for your blog post. It brings back so many fond memories of Wpg and especially good times spent at Hayne's Chicken Shack.
I agree that it is a sad commentary that a nondescript - but historically priceless - residence on Lulu Street should be overlooked by heritage advocates, groups and city officials. The history contained within those walls is unique and invaluable.
Kerr Kyle ~ Vancouver
Thanks for your comment, kerr !
Thaanks for a great read
Thank-you for sharing this history.
Stan Johnston.
This is so cool. Beautiful history. Great story. Thank you. :)
Thank you for this article. We wonder what is going to happen to it next. There is a For Sale sign currently.
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