Anyone recognize the stores?

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#2
I'm just cleaning up some old pictures and found this one. Three stores side by side. Any names?
To the right was Pemertons (sp?), the middle one was the Beach drycleaners in my younger days and was demolished when the City was planning for a park. To the right could be the ice cream store, but before my time, who is the little girl?
 

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
402
2
18
#3
That one is me. We lived cross from Knowles but I don't remember other stores there. Pemberton's was south I believe. My grandfather was building houses in the area that was the old Corey property. He built the two right south of 814 and two on the south corner of South Park. We were probably over at one of the properties.
 

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#4
That one is me. We lived cross from Knowles but I don't remember other stores there. Pemberton's was south I believe. My grandfather was building houses in the area that was the old Corey property. He built the two right south of 814 and two on the south corner of South Park. We were probably over at one of the properties.
That would be the house your family had at the of what is now Rembe, so yes the south corner of South Park, you have donated a few pictures from that house showing almost the same angle.
 

Crawfish

Moderator
Dec 1, 2004
153
1
18
86
Longueuil, Quebec
#5
The store on the left was Pembertons who lived next door to it to the north (which is not in the picture). The building in the middle was a pharmacy owned by Bill Ryan (although it might not have been a pharmacy at the time of the photo). This building also contained an ice cream parlor and eventually a haberdasher named Evans. The building on the right was not a store as I recall but the house of the Hann/Chrisitan family who owned the ice and coal concession on the Beach. Further to the right, but not in the picture, was the butcher shop eventually owned by the Kotlarz family. I can't remember the name of the previous butcher right now but it will come to me eventually.
 
Likes: kathy

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
402
2
18
#6
Thanks Crawfish

I think I also have a picture of my Dad and Grandmother standing out front of Knowles (I think).
 

Attachments

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#7
The store on the left was Pembertons who lived next door to it to the north (which is not in the picture). The building in the middle was a pharmacy owned by Bill Ryan (although it might not have been a pharmacy at the time of the photo). This building also contained an ice cream parlor and eventually a haberdasher named Evans. The building on the right was not a store as I recall but the house of the Hann/Chrisitan family who owned the ice and coal concession on the Beach. Further to the right, but not in the picture, was the butcher shop eventually owned by the Kotlarz family. I can't remember the name of the previous butcher right now but it will come to me eventually.
Moving up to the early 70's and on, the store was called Ernie's Lunch, Ryan's Drug Store had moved to across from the school (more north) and the there was a dry-cleaning service in the middle building. The building to the right was a house then sub shop, the post that held the sign is still there but has "castle" sign now. Kotlarz was still there, then closed and had a couple fires until it leveled and there is a large house there now.
 

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#8
Thanks Crawfish

I think I also have a picture of my Dad and Grandmother standing out front of Knowles (I think).
You can see the post in the foreground which was part of the front porch, the house use to be called Angleview, then Knowles open the store and the Jones family took it over in the 60's. I don't know if there was a store before the Knowles.
 

Crawfish

Moderator
Dec 1, 2004
153
1
18
86
Longueuil, Quebec
#9
In my recollection, the Knowles store used to be where the sewage pumping station is now (beside the Kemp residence). I would occasionally find work there cleaning up the basement of old musty, mouldy cardboard boxes. Also, I now remember the name of the butcher who occupied the place before the Kotlarz. His name was Wigget and of course everybody knew him as Wiggy.
 

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
402
2
18
#10
In my recollection, the Knowles store used to be where the sewage pumping station is now (beside the Kemp residence). I would occasionally find work there cleaning up the basement of old musty, mouldy cardboard boxes. Also, I now remember the name of the butcher who occupied the place before the Kotlarz. His name was Wigget and of course everybody knew him as Wiggy.
The only sewage facilities I can think of are over by Brant's Pond area. South of the canal I don't know of any. Just saw where you are from. Spend half my time researching the beach because of my Dad and the other researching Quebec because of my Mom.
 

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#11
View attachment 2438
In my recollection, the Knowles store used to be where the sewage pumping station is now (beside the Kemp residence). I would occasionally find work there cleaning up the basement of old musty, mouldy cardboard boxes. Also, I now remember the name of the butcher who occupied the place before the Kotlarz. His name was Wigget and of course everybody knew him as Wiggy.
Mr. Kemp gave me a picture of the building before it was a store(attached), but I don't remember it having a second floor. He told me when the old lady from the store died, the police had to lift the body over to his property to get it out.
Thanks for the Wigget info, well before my time.

 

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#13
The only sewage facilities I can think of are over by Brant's Pond area.
Keith is referring to the sewage pumping stations that are located along the Beach, there are a few of them and one is on the Knowles old property next to the Kemps.

I remember my grandparents saying "Wigget's" so I do know there was a store referred to as that.
That store was almost across from South Park, it would of been just to the right of the three buildings in the first picture you posted.
 

jaclac

Registered User
Mar 25, 2016
8
0
0
71
Burlington
#14
DROGO, when I saw these pictures, Ryan's Drug Store in the middle popped into my head. Does anybody agree? Maybe though it is the wrong side because the one on the left looks like Ernie's Variety, or am I way off?
 
Last edited:

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#15
DROGO, when I saw these pictures, Ryan's Drug Store in the middle popped into my head. Does anybody agree? Maybe though it is the wrong side because the one on the left looks like Ernie's Variety, or am I way off?
Sorry I missed this one, yes that was the Ryan's building before moving across the street near the school and not off at all.
 

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#16
This was sent by ex-resident Len Wheeler

The stores in question are on the Lake side. Far left is the one that used to be Pett's then became Diana's Lunch Bar, then Ernies' Lunch & Variety. Next door was formerly Ryan's Drugs and became DeLuxe Cleaners run by former Wrestler John Evans: Aka Rotten Reggie Love. He later sold it.
Beside that was George "Curly" Hobson's home. He used to run Hobb's Hop for the teens. Beside his home towards the school was Kotlarz grocery store.

Old Man Kotlarz took exception to the kids throwing snowballs at his new steel sign and was often seen at Bell Cairn School hoping to have the Principal deal out some corporal punishment to the kids.
 

jaclac

Registered User
Mar 25, 2016
8
0
0
71
Burlington
#17
That's funny, but he really was a grump wasn't he? I remember getting a free slice of bologna, sliced thick of course, but it wasn't from him. I was pretty young back then, but I guess it was from his wife. She was really nice to us kids.
 

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#18
That's funny, but he really was a grump wasn't he? I remember getting a free slice of bologna, sliced thick of course, but it wasn't from him. I was pretty young back then, but I guess it was from his wife. She was really nice to us kids.
I guess you didn't throw snowballs at his sign?
 
Top Bottom