With regards to Milano’s, there was a music store selling new CD’s when I opened the restaurant. It was owned by a guy named Bruce who used to come in for lunch. Great store and he employed several high school students. As a teenager, I spent all of my allowance on music from Sam the Record Man and others, so I thought Bruce’s store was great. He was in business for 5 years, but he told me he wasn’t making enough profit to stay open – that was his time limit to become viable.
After that, it was a sheet music store. It was also a coffee shop called ‘Sounds Like Coffee’ which was run by Roger Weldon and his girlfriend. They marketed to high school students and allowed smoking in their establishment to attract that segment. Then it was Simon Gold.
Ms. Dalgattie operated a store at 26 Bridge Street from about 1882 until the 1910s. During Ms. Dalgattie’s ownership of this building, the CP Telegraph was also housed in this building. Some of the people who rented half of the building from Ms. Dalgattie included Dummert’s Bakery, Stevens Grocery, Mrs. Broom rented an apartment, Hastie, and Shepherd. In the 1930s, Sam Wilson operated a second hand store and Mr. White operated a tinsmith shop.
Some of the business owners that worked out of 26 Bridge Street included Fevaeroux’s Bakery in the 1960s, Judy McGlade Financial, Tom’s Bike Repair, and Dan Cameron/ Danny’s Meat Market until he moved to Bell Street.Ted Hurdis said that his great Aunt Marge Fevaeroux ran a bakery here. They sold mostly Richmond Bakery goods in the store. The last name of Fevaeroux seems to be debated between this and Fevereau.
Also mentioned for this locale was Wilmer Hecks, real estate office of J.M. Quinn and Adeline Valiquette a hairdresser.
Sue Mcconnell– Simon Gold added that the the sign on the building to the left in the second picture is Simon Gold’s. This was his first location in Carleton Place and opened there sometime in 2002 and moved the salon when Milano’s purchased the building 2006-07.
Ray Paquette —Where Milano’s Pizza is was the grocery store of Wilmer Hicks who my family patronized when I was a boy. Charlie Jay operated his shoe repair to the left in the space showing the rental notice. He later moved his operation across the street to the current location of “Good As New”. In 1980, when I returned to Carleton Place, Don Smith ran a barber shop out of the former Jay space. The main commercial space has served many functions: a record shop, a seasonal toy store prior to Christmas and many other commercial endeavors that I have forgotten!
Debbie Roy— In the early 1970’s, the building on the left, used to be Albert Gale Real Estate and Rupert St. Jean was one of their agents.
I also seem to remember a sheet music store there too and hope someone can help me out. Jayne Graham– I think this was a music store that used to be owned by Bill Kerr. I took guitar lessons there.
Petra Graber from the Good Food Co.
With regards to Milano’s, there was a music store selling new CD’s when I opened the restaurant. It was owned by a guy named Bruce who used to come in for lunch. Great store and he employed several high school students. As a teenager, I spent all of my allowance on music from Sam the Record Man and others, so I thought Bruce’s store was great. He was in business for 5 years, but he told me he wasn’t making enough profit to stay open – that was his time limit to become viable.
After that, it was a sheet music store. It was also a coffee shop called ‘Sounds Like Coffee’ which was run by Roger Weldon and his girlfriend. They marketed to high school students and allowed smoking in their establishment to attract that segment. Then it was Simon Gold.
Thanks everyone!! Of course now this building is home to Milano Pizza.
From the Trotman Family Carleton Place Gazette 1946
66 BRIDGE STREET CIRCA 1860
The building has one off centred entrance but at one time there may have been two entrances to this building as the brick where the second possible entrance was is a different colour compared to the rest of the brick on the façade.
Mr. Steen (from the Winchester area) owned this brick building and Mr. P.G.N Frizell who lived on Lake Ave. East operated a small grocery store. Later Percy Hardy operated his photography studio and in the 1930s Fred and Lib Stanzel occupied it as a lunchroom and had living quarters upstairs. It also use to house a clothing store that I can’t seem to find a mention of.
Clifford Peden bought the building and made it into upstairs and downstairs apartments where he and his wife Donalda and son James lived in the upstairs apartment. Mrs. Rena Paul and then Mrs. Gladys Lashley lived downstairs. Keith Giffin said: “My uncle Clicker Peden lived there after he retired and converted the lower part to apartment. My cousin Jim Peden lived there for awhile and the Giffins ran the lunch bar for number of years called The Carleton Lunch Bar”.
Norma Jackson-– One memory I have is going to the restaurant with my Mom and having pigs in a blanket
Donna Mcfarlane-– Howard and Allie Neil ran the restaurant there for awhile when I was in high school then Mrs Mcgregor had it.
Valerie Edwards– I will always remember my Dad taking me there, I think we sat at the counter, for a hot chocolate after the Remembrance Day ceremonies, each November 11. So much so, that each Nov. 11 I take a thermos of hot chocolate with me & find some place to sit after the crowd has gone.
This building is now a residence and for many years the citizens will remember it as the Colonial Bus Stop and restaurant.
As Keith may remember, it was also the terminal for the Colonial Coach Line and it was from the lunch bar, where we bought our tickets, we would wait for the bus which would come from Ottawa, turning off Moore Street at Lake, coming up Beckwith to Albert where it would wait at the corner of Bridge for the passengers. I remember Doug Labron went to the Ottawa Technical High School and commuted to Ottawa by the bus which left early in the morning.
Ed Giffin 2019 Photo Dale Costello—Peter Bradley said: I remember Ed Giffin used to write on the top of the blackboard in Latin so Scuddy Sinclair could not reach to rub it out, great days!
Photo- December 1954- Carleton Place Lawn Bowling Club–*Cast of Characters involved in the “espionage” of this photo–Ken Godfrey; Blaine Cornell (Ringleader I presume) ; Tim Findlay–and Ed Giffin was the silent partner
One of the first times I was parallel parking after getting my licence… I was across from Olympia restaurant and somehow got the large mirror on the half ton between the double headed parking meters.. Thank goodness Jim Lowry and bert Acheson were in the Olympia and they got truck mobile for me again.
Bill BruntonI liked the Main Street when we moved here in 1972, now that I think of it. Parking on both sides was tricky for sure but it was a busy place.
They always bring back such cherished memories of my childhood years heading to the cottage on the weekends with my Father and Mother both deceased now. I find myself always enlarging the pics to see if I can find our families car. Fond memories
As part of my driving lessons, my Dad would have me drive him to the Post Office after the quitting time whistle/siren had gone off at Findlay’s foundry and have me parallel park outside! Talk about pressure….with everybody trying to get home!
My driving instructor had me parallel park on Lake Avenue by the high school just as everyone was getting out of school. All my friends were waving as they passed saying hi. That was pressure!
One of the first times I was parallel parking after getting my licence… I was across from Olympia restaurant and somehow got the large mirror on the half ton between the double headed parking meters.. Thank goodness Jim Lowry and bert Acheson were in the Olympia and they got truck mobile for me again.
James Moreau, Store Owner in Almonte, from the Moreau family page
1960- Almonte Gazette
The following tribute to the late Jimmy Moreau has been sent to the Gazette by Mr. Dugald Campbell of Vancouver: Vancouver, B. C. October 6, 1960.
Editor Gazette: I just wish to extend my sympathy to the relatives of my old friend, Jimmy Moreau, who has just recently passed on. Jimmy was the oldest business man in Almonte, the paper says, and I can well believe that. On my last trip home a few years ago he was the first-of my old friends to greet me at his little shop.
It was about morning train time from Ottawa, Jimmy asked me to hold on a bit till he picked up the Ottawa papers. Sure enough the folks who wanted papers trooped in, one by one, and Jimmy knew that, and he wanted me to meet them all as they came in and I had a fine welcome with a lot of the older fellows.
In came the fellows. In came the late A. C. Wylie, then Bill Jamieson, then Raymond Jamieson, Austin Darling, Max Young and Don Campbell. For me at any rate it was a very happy gathering. Now a few of the above fellows have passed on.
Jimmy Moreau was always quiet, kind and courteous. In his younger days, when he was with, the late P. C. Dowdall in the drugstore, he was an enthusiastic sports follower, and I think he remembered everything about the great days of the lacrosse era in Almonte.
The days of Pat Slattery, Jack Forgie, Billy John Hogan, Frank and Crumpy Moran, T u ffy McGregor, Jack Buntin and Billy Torrance, they were the speedsters of the years 1895 to 1900 about. And after that when chaps of my day went, there was another boon for several years when the New England sharp shooters—- the Houston boys, the Lodge boys and Teddy Armstrong.
Jimmy’s father, the late Elmer Moreau, was quite a character as well. There was a big family of Moreaus and very likely they are spread far and wide over eastern Canada, but the old town will be the poorer for the passing of this gallant little friend and sportsman. God rest his soul. Dugald Campbell.
An announcement was made last week in the Carleton Place Canadian of the sale of the Comba Block on Bridge Street. Mr. Gemmill Comba is retiring from the home furnishing business that he and his son Stewart have carried on for many years. The change-over takes place November 1st. Mr. Gemmill Comba served as mayor of Carleton Place for three years and is now reeve of the town.
During the years he established pleasant relations with a large part of the community and his friends will wish him happy years after his retirement. The following is from The Canadian. “Another major business change took place in Carleton Place last week with the sale of the Comba Block to an Ottawa firm. Gemmill Comba told The Canadian it was a real estate deal and he did not know what the future of the large furniture business on the ground floor of the three-storey block would be. Mr. Comba and his son, Stewart, have had business since about 1936 when the former purchased the Taylor Block as the property was once known. It is probably the largest block of property in the Carleton Place business section They will continue operati
The name of the purchaser was not divulged. The block presently consists of a furniture business, ladies’ ready to-wear and a hardware store on the ground floor and apartments on the second and third floors. A large area of the upper floors are unoccupied and this evidently ties in with the real estate sale.
During his years of business, Mr. Comba has had varied interests, serving as a past president of the Retail Merchants Association, the 100 Club, Legion branch and he is a past zone commander. He belongs to the golf club, curling club and is a life- member of the Lanark & Renfrew Scottish, formerly the 176th Battery, 59th LAA. About 1936, he made his first business venture, starting a second-hand shop in the former Legion Building, or McRostie Block. He later had the opportunity of purchasing the rambling Taylor Block, -which once stretched through toBeckwith Street. Once in possession, he made full use of the large floor area afforded and proceeded to build up a successful furniture business. After the last war, he was joined by his son who returned from overseas.
Eva Smith
Thank you, Linda, for posting the history of this building, especially the part about it being used by funeral directors in the past. My husband and I were in Carleton Place recently doing photographs and were both fascinated by this beautiful historical building. While we stood there admiring it, we got into a conversation with a tenant of the building who saw us taking the pictures. After describing the high ceilings and pleasing living space of his apartment, he also happened to mention that going into the basement of the building was a bit unnerving as he sensed that “something” — a presence is what came to my mind — was down there. I guess he’s not imagining things! Again, thanks for your terrific history! I have posted the picture I took on my flickr account and included a link to your blog.
Old Dominion store..Cecil McCann/s billiard hall and the list goes on– found in the files of the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage files toda (Carleton Place Canadian) Memories and Thoughts of the Grocery Store–
May 27 1951
Burglars made off with more than $3,000 in cheques in a daring break-in at the Carleton Place branch of Dominion stores early Monday morning. The thieves did their work from the front of the store at one of the town’s main intersections, Bridge and Franklin Streets, subject to discovery by any passer-by or beat policeman. Police believe the job was done by experts who planned it carefully. The beat patrolman tried the door at midnight. Sometime between then and eight a.m., when manager Jack Campbell arrived to open the store, the burglars did a fast, neat job of breaking in and rifling the safe. The front door had been pried open with a crowbar, and the door of the small wall safe under the front counter had been cleanly removed from its hinges. The entire operation would have to be conducted in full view of the main street. Mr. Campbell said that all of the more than $3,000 missing was in cheques save for a few dollars in coin. , Police Chief p . E. Cornell, who is conducting the investigation, said he had no leads whatsoever as yet. The only other recent break-in here also was in a store, but that case had been solved and could not be connected with this one.
Photo= Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
Dominion store heist click to read Clipped from The Ottawa Citizen, 06 Aug 1960, Sat, Page 34
Shopped at both the Dominion and Argue’s grocery store. Vividly remember the produce in Argue’s, probably local in the summertime. Shot many a game of pool at Uncle Cecils pool room. My pool idol was Bill Poulin. Remember Asseltines, Allan shoes, May Mulvey, the shoe repair shop, Jock Mailey, Bellamys for sodas and chips,the tiny bicycle repair shop, only 10 feet wide, watching TV from outside on a Saturday night at Bob Flints, Canadian Tire next to the old post office. On and on, but still vividly remembered.
My mother worked for the head office of Dominion stores in Sudbury. I remember being on holidays when she got the call from her boss telling her to enjoy her time off as there was no need to rush back as they were closing the office. I’m almost 50 and still remember the look on her face getting that call. Heartbreaking.
That picture taken before the post office went up across the street. I recall being with my mom when she shopped there.
Marlene Springer Former Dominion store –This Dominion store had two sides divided and in 1976 they opened Universal Travel where i worked for a few months before I went to government.
Marching Saints Carleton Place–courtesy of Bev Hurdis- Dominion Store on the right–Marlene Springer— I remember going there with mom for groceries every Thursday, pay day and dad would pick them up on his way home from work.
Mike Kean
Mike was actually head hunted and moved down Bridge Street to the Dominion Store at the corner of Bridge and Franklin because of his experience. I asked him who the head hunter was and he said, *“Terry Vincent was the man!” *A lot of people in Carleton Place know him well as he was a real genuine person.
The manager of the store was from Smiths Falls and his name was Mickey Pickup (no joke). One of Mike’s fellow employees was Noreen O’ Brien from Appleton. Mike stayed with Dominion Stores and ended up working in every Dominion store in Eastern Ontario through the growing years. He became the youngest manager in Canada when he took over the store in Perth at 25.
In the 1970s, inflation and discounting wars with rivals ravaged Dominion’s bottom line. Dominion stores was Canada’s No. 1 grocery chain from the 1950s through the early ’80s. Then, in 1985, it came to a quiet, wrenching, end. But, thankfully thanks to the internet Mike Kean’s memories don’t- and I for one am grateful for his memories for this series.
In the early years of the Taylor Block ( Blossom Shop etc) some of the businesses included The Crown Grocery operated by Lowe and Richardson,Ferguson and Smythe’s harness shop, Andy Neilson Jeweller, I.O.O.F. had a hall upstairs, H. Abdallah’s, and Bennett and Code Grocery. Marj Whyte recalled that the Dominion Store was first located in the Taylor Block and that the first Bell Telephone Exchange office was on the second floor. The manager was Walter Termarch and his clerk was Mary Scott. When Marvin was transferred to Renfrew, Mary left with him and became Mrs. Termarch. Badminton was also played on the second floor.
Taber & McCrea The People’s Store Adin Daigle Collection
127-131 Bridge Street Carleton Place Circa 1870
The first storey storefronts of this building have been modified from the original glass windows for easier viewing of merchandise–hence the different colours of brick. 127-131 Bridge Street has housed a number of different businesses including pharmacies, clothing stores, grocery stores, and poolrooms.
The Hughes family bought the pharmacy from Dr. Preston in 1905.
W. J. Hughes Rexall Drug store was located on the corner and Thomas Lloyd Hughes born in 1897 along with his brother Harold until they each decided to run a smaller store at the opposite ends of town. Lloy’s store was on Moffatt Street and Harold on Lake Ave West. For 50 years they were in groceries together and then the store was sold to Thomas’s nephew and for 12 years Thomas drove a butcher wagon. There was a dark room at the rear of the store where Mr. Hughes tested your eyes for glasses. You could buy a roll of film #116 for a Brownie Box camera for 25 cents and for $1.25 he would send it away to be developed.
The folks in Carleton Place will always remember the Rexall Drug annual 1 cent sale and every local household stocked up on cough medicine, cough drops, peroxide and all sorts of liniment. Some of the clerks that worked there were: Olive Dick, Ruby Voyce, and John Briscoe and Wilbert Robertson.
Harvey Asselstine attended the Ontario College of Pharmacy in 1929. In 1944, he returned to Carleton Place and bought the drugstore at the corner of Bridge and Franklin, from W.J. Hughes who operated it for 38 years. Betty Findlay and Mary Cook both worked at Assestine’s Pharmacy. In the rear of Asselstine’s drug store the CPR Telegraph operated during the 1950s. Asselstine expanded his drug store and bought out Hughes Grocery. In 2006 the Athen’s Corners Restaurant was located there.
Taber and McCrae operated a Men’s and Boy’s clothing store within Struther’s Block, which later became a pool hall (next door) operated by Mel Barclay. Charlie Giroux, who only had one arm took over the pool hall then Ab Dowseth from Smiths Falls operated it for a short time but when McCann and Porter gained ownership they moved the pool hall to the old Bank of Commerce.
Jeremy Stinson— That corner was, for much of my childhood, the home of the Blossom Shop. Back before the one way street.
Mr. Maguire’s new store is going to be a very fine one. The show windows are large and deep, the upper lights being of prism glass. The wood work is to be marbled gree. Messrs. Taber & Co will have a handsome premises
Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum November 1, 2021 · Welcome to November! In 1910, Taber’s Dry Goods produced this somewhat odd postcard promoting their “Dressed Dolls Exhibit”. W.W. Taber Clothing was located on the east side of Bridge Street between Mill and Franklin.
For years local history documenter Marg Whyte said the following:
Mr. Dowdall purchased the brick building at Bridge and Emily and moved his business. Walter Stanzel later lived here and operated his taxi business. It was well known all around town that Mr. Stanzel had a pet skunk and and a pet raccoon as well. No word if they came for rides in his taxi!
True or False?
Allan StanzelI—— I know for a FACT he never had a pet skunk they did however have two pet raccoons one was very tame and the other not so.
1957 – The Raccoon of Bridge Street- Photo- Allan Stanzel
Here’s a picture of my great grandfather Stephen from 1907. They had won the riflemans cup.
Among these defenders were more than fifty men of the Carleton Place Rifle Company. The Carleton Place Rifle Company was formed at the start of the first expansion of a trained and permanent volunteer militia of the old Province of Canada, made to meet the risk of possible war between the United States and Great Britain at the outset of the American Civil War. Like those of neighbouring localities and others throughout the province, it replaced a venerable succession of local but normally untrained and unarmed companies of the original sedentary militia. A view of the participation of this community, then an unincorporated village, in Canada’s first major development of its own military forces is given in the pages of the locally published weekly newspapers of that day.
When war threats and consequent militia expansion came in 1862, local demand led to the formation of the first trained and equipped militia company to be based at Carleton Place. In January of that year, in the words of the local Herald editor:
“At a meeting of some of the inhabitants of Carleton Place and vicinity, held at Lavallee’s Hotel on Saturday evening last, it was unanimously resolved that: – ‘In view of the unsettled state of affairs between the British and American governments and the possibility of war, it is expedient that a rifle company should be formed in this village and neighbourhood, to aid in the defence of their country.’
A muster roll was then opened and signed by those present at the meeting. Several others have since added their names, making in all upwards of sixty.”
This number, including some young men of nearby farms, appears to equal nearly half of the total number of men of ages 18 to 40 living then in Carleton Place.
The gazetting of the Carleton Place Volunteer Militia Rifle Company came in December, 1862, with James Poole as captain and John Brown as lieutenant. Within a month it was equipped and undertaking military training. The Perth Courier in December stated:
“Volunteer Rifle Companies are organizing in all parts of the country. In Carleton Place a Company has been Gazetted under Capt. Poole. The volunteer movement if properly encouraged will soon result in twenty or thirty thousand well disciplined men. Let it be made imperative on every Militia officer to be well drilled, and Canada would soon have her militia on a footing that would be ready for all emergencies. At present the supply of Drill Instructors is sadly inadequate.”
The newly authorized company was first paraded in greatcoat uniforms on New Year’s Day, when its captain, news editor James Poole, wrote:
“According to notice given, the members of this company assembled in front of the ‘Herald’ office on the morning of New Year’s Day. After being dressed in the coats and accoutrements forwarded by the Government from Quebec, they were drilled by Robert Bell, Jr., nephew of Robert Bell, Esq., M.P.P. for the North Riding. They paraded the streets several times, and from the manner of performing the drill, dictated by their youthful teacher for the time, have given great promise of future utility, should any unfortunate occasion arise.”
By mid-July it was announced:
“In a few days the new clothing will be ready for distribution, and Carleton Place will be able to turn out one of the best looking Rifle Companies in Canada. The Company will continue to drill as usual every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening.”
Another summer notice stressed the need for target practice, as judged by the captain of the Carleton Place Company, who published the names and scores of marksmanship of each of some sixty militiamen:
“A rifle shooting match was held near this village on Saturday last, the 15th instant, between the Carleton Place Rifle Company and the Infantry Company from Almonte. The Riflemen were requested to be in uniform at the armoury at six o’clock in readiness to march to the station to meet the Almonters.
The Riflemen were uniformed in the regular Rifle dress – dark green tunics and grey pants, with red facings, dark belts and shakos to match. The Infantry wore the scarlet tunics, gray pants, white belts and shakos trimmed to suit. The shooting was conducted under the able management of Sergt. Cantlin. The shooting on both sides was bad, and much below the average, there being but a few men in either company sufficiently practiced with the rifle. The following is the score of points…”
(Totalling Almonte 107, Carleton Place 106).
A mid-winter inspection of these two companies in February, 1864, as reported by Captain Poole, showed the required drilling which lay ahead:
“The Almonte Infantry and Carleton Place Rifle Companies were inspected on Saturday last by Lt. Col. Earle of the Grenadier Guards, accompanied by Brigade Major Montgomery. The attendance of both companies was much below what it should have been – The Almonte Company mustering only 27 including officers, and the Carleton Place Company 43. The Colonel was well pleased with the condition of the arms and accoutrements of the men; but did not compliment them very highly on their proficiency in drill, which was owing to their very irregular attendance during the fall and winter.”
The American Civil War ended in the spring of the following year. Within six months the Fenian Brotherhood in the United States was building its resources for its expected conquest of Canada, and in November, Canadian troops were posted for several months duty at border points from Prescott to Sarnia.
In Lanark County, contracts for erecting drill halls were let early in 1866 at Carleton Place and Almonte. Construction of the Carleton Place armoury was aided by the promise of a £50 grant by the municipality. It was built by William Pattie on the Beckwith Street site of the recently demolished skating rink bordering the park which then was the village market square. Supported by its hand hewn beams, it remained a useful memorial of the perils of the 1860’s until destroyed in the town’s great fire of 1910. Its use was granted at times for other community purposes ranging from the Beckwith Agricultural Society’s exhibitions of the 1860’s and the ambitious annual choral and musical festivals of the 1880’s to a series of Bishop R. C. Horner’s Hornerite revival meetings. Almonte’s armoury was built for the combined purposes of the militia and the exhibitions of the North Lanark Agricultural Society.
When Fenian preparations in March had indicated they then might be about to attack, and ten thousand Canadian volunteers had been called for duty, no invasion occurred, although two minor ones were attempted. Captain Poole’s Carleton Place newspaper reports of this time said:
“The rumors of a Fenian invasion have created a great stir through the country. The volunteers are called for service and have responded nobly. In our own village the company is filled up and is drilling three times a day. The men are billeted on the inhabitants and have orders to be ready at a moments notice.”
Postponement came in two weeks, when it was reported (March 28) that:
“The prospect of a Fenian invasion of Canada is so far distant that the government feels justified in disbanding a portion of the volunteer force. An order for the disbanding of the Carleton Place Rifle Company was received on Monday evening. The bugle was sounded, and in a few minutes the whole company were at their posts. They naturally thought that marching orders had been received, and were rather disappointed.
The new drill shed is to be completed by the first of September. We would again express our gratification at the manner in which the company have conducted themselves while under arms.”
Forces on each side of the international boundary continued to prepare for a coming encounter. Other views of the Canadian preparations will follow in the next section of this story of the times of Confederation. — Howard Morton Brown
Photo of Allan Stanzel with one of the largest beets in Carleton Place 1976
lindaseccaspina 