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.
Thanks to Carleton Place Collector Aidin Daigle he posted these collectables of the Summit Store that was once on Bridge and High Street. So I have posted a few notes about where they came from.
Marj Whyte wrote:
Across High Street was a brick building once known as The Sibbett’s Summit Store (Sibbet’s Grocery & Liquor Store–Lloyd Hughes). Later it was ran by Lorne J. Campbell and then D.A. Roe became the owner and it was also Baird’s Food. The back part was the first shop run by Max Moshovitz. At this time they lived on Flora Street and he went around the country with a horse and wagon selling his wares to rural people. When they moved their store to Bridge Street there was a dry cleaning store run by William McKimm. Later Gordon Langrty set up his first dairy on these premises. The whole building was then owned by Jack Howard who had moved from Forrester Falls. Most of the front building was made into apartments and Beulah Gordon had her hairdressing salon on the corner.
Food Costs– The Herald– – May 1884. The Summit Store is the Spot. Your choice for #1.00: 6 cans Salmon, 6 cans Lobster, 8 boxes Sardines, 11 lbs Prunes, 12 lbs. new Valencia Raisins, 13 lbs. Bright Sugar, 4 lbs. choice Japan Tea. Five dozen Labrador Herring for $1.00, or $3.00 per half barrel. Also Fresh Halibut, Mess Pork, Fresh Herring, Tommy-Cods, etc. Early Rose Potatoes. Green Apples – Glassware and Crockery, Boots and Shoes. –Howard Morton Brown
The license commissioners for the district of North Lanark met on April 23, 1920 with Commissioner James Murphy in the chair, and Commissioners Simpson and Forsythe and Inspector James D. Robertson present. The result of the meeting, so far as Carleton Place was concerned was that there would be no increase in the number of tavern licenses.
The application of Messrs. Carroll and Morris for a new license had been rejected, and also one for the Messrs. Sibbett and Prescott for the renewal of their store. A few retailers added quite loudly that it was wrong that if anyone wanted to buy a quart of liquor for a threshing or a barn raising and that they should be expected to go to a hotel keeper and ask him to sell a quantity he was not allowed to sell. Liquor was considered an important article for such occasions they said. Also one of the applicants for a shop license that was turned down said it should not be a necessity to go to another division of the town to set up business to get a license.
I had never heard this name before and as I checked out out Ancestry this business was in the late 1940s in the Levine/Comba Building ( across from the Post office) and was owned by Reginald Clake.
He and his wife Ada lived in Moore Street in Carleton Place.
So if you look at the photo he lived in this general area below
Ed Giffin–My brother Terry played with Bernie Costello for many years around CP whenever there was a dance particularly at the Legion. Terry played the drums. I recall that Bernie lived in an apartment above or close by where your Dad had his dry cleaning business. I remember visiting that apartment and seeing an upright piano there. I had no idea at the time that Bernie had started playing because none of us kids ever took music lessons. Bernie always played road hockey on Beckwith Street with us. He always liked to play goal.
I kind of lost track of Bernie in school, I guess because they constantly moved me back and forth across town to Victoria or Prince of Wales from Central School. I don’t recall Bernie ever being in high school. I just seemed to have lost track of him by then.
I remember Charlie, his dad, worked in Clake’s Grocery store. It was located at the corner of Bridge and Albert across the street from our lunch bar.
Large, tall stainless steel kettles gently bubble on the gas stoves at Kincades Fine Foods on Queen Street in Almonte, where the little shop is filled with wonderful aromas of jellies, preserves, salsas, vinegars and dessert sauces.
The attractive blue and white store is the perfect setting to show off the many condiments and colourful gift baskets now ready for Christmas. Inside you’ll find Peter’s ice cream parlour offering what’s billed as “the world’s finest banana split” topped with Kincades own chocolate truffle sauce, as well the butterscotch with Jamaican rum sauce.
Larry Kincade launched this operation a few years ago when customers from his previous catering business asked how they could buy his condiments to serve at home. Now, with partners Peter Fedirchuk and Nancy Wheeler, Larry’s wife, this growing enterprise produces products sold in stores as far away as Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal and 30 shops in Ottawa.
Some of the more popular items include red wine salsa (which contains up to 23 ingredients), horseradish jelly, smoked jalapeno (chipotle) jelly, cranberry pear chutney with tawny port, blueberry preserves with ice wine and, of course, the superb Dutch chocolate fudge truffle sauce. “I came from a big family and I was always cooking with my mother, so it’s natural for me to be in the kitchen creating these preserves,” Mr. Kincade says. “I make items with no preservatives or additives. I use only fresh ingredients with natural apple liquid pectin made by Bernardin.”
I remember grocery stores giving gold bond stamps for loyalty. As a kid I spent many hours filling collector books for my grandmother. I’d eagerly lick the stamps until my tongue would get dry and my mouth had an awful taste. I’d also spend hours looking at rewards catalogs to see what we could get. Just when I had it figured out, a new catalogue would arrive in the mail. I never thought that the store-bought items were probably less expensive in the long run.
A department store in Milwaukee introduced the first trading stamps back in 1891, which were exchanged for goods in the store but in 1896, the Sperry and Hutchinson Company, which began issuing S&H Green Stamps that year, was the first trading stamp company that operated as an independent business, providing stamps to different types of merchants in a community, along with booklets to paste them in, and opening their own stores where merchandise was purchased only in exchange for the company’s stamps. Cold, hard cash wasn’t accepted at the stores known as “redemption centres.”
As Peter Low said: Above is the predecessor of Air Miles, Petro Points, PC Optimum, Scene Points, etc.
There were questions as to whether stamps were an advantage to consumers or took advantage of consumers. The battles raged from the earliest days but ultimately it would not be politics or lobbying that would bring down the industry but the unforeseen turbulence of a changing economy. One thing was for sure, though, the trading stamp will always be remembered.
Are the new cards any different?:) What are your thoughts?
COMMENTS
Gail GrabeSaved them for a wooden salad bowl set, some ’60’s style wall plaques, can still taste the glue from putting them in the books!
Linda Gallipeau-JohnstonMy Mom collected them and I collected them too – high chair, bottle warmer, bottle sterilizer. They came in pretty handy!
Kevin KennedyIGA had them corner of bridge and franklin in Carleton Place
Jennifer FrancesOh my!!!! What a blast from my grammas past! She loved those books!
Peter BradleyI remember the funeral home just up from the Mississippi Hotel had a sign in the window saying “We give Gold Bond Stamps” They sold furniture as well and I wondered if you got them for coffins too?
Mary Ann GagnonAs the oldest, I was in charge of licking those stamps and putting them in the books for mum. I will never forget the taste (awful!), but the joy of being that much closer to the chosen item made it all worthwhile!
Dilys Anne HagermanMy mother got my first special breadspread through those stamps!
Lynda BurgerMy mom got a set of dishes using them.
Judy RileyI got my first good pots through Gold Bond after leaving home. Stainless steel, triple bottom
Donna TimminsI worked as a teenager in IGA, Almonte, so gave customers their gold bond stamps. Also saved & glued them into books for mom.
Judy RileyPretty sure many christmas presents were only bought compliments of gold bond stamps in our house. Not mine because I got books and clothes but my younger sibs.
Nancy MooreMy sister Kathy got her first pair of skis with these stamps! She is an excellent skier!!!
Linda Nilson-RogersMy mother used to try to get me to lick the bloody things…
Karen Wiles ClelandI still use the 20 cup coffee perc my Mom got with Gold Bond Stamps, maybe mid sixties? Definitely got our money’s worth!
Donald ScottI remember these my parents got a bedroom set from IGA WITH THESE BACK IN THE 70’S
Sandra ElwoodOh gosh, yes, I remember these and Pinky Stamps, too!!! A predecessor to the Points cards of today.
Arlene SavardMy Mom bought my 1st tennis racket with Gold Bond Stamps, loved it.
James Larry DoyleMy aunt let me get a tennis racquet with her stamps and I still have it.
Mary HurdisI saved them and got sheets and pots and pans I still have
Mary Anne HarrisonI still have and use the carving set my Granny O’Keefe bought with her gold bond stamps from the IGA.
Cathy PatersonI remember $2 for a book also saved up and got our dad an extension ladder for his birthday
Catherine CochranMy mom bought me my first set of silverware by saving her gold bond stamps
Sandra HoustonI remember the Gold Bond books used to fill them with stamps for my Nanny and take them to the IGA
Michael Sandy Herb McDonaldMy first football helmet I owned was a present from my Grandmother who saved books of these stamps.
Pat Liptonit was my job the stick them in the books!!!
Sherene Baird FlintDefinitely remember licking the stamps and then going to West Gate mall to cash them in for something in the catalog!!
Judy Reid HamreWe kids fought so much that one of the first things Dad used the stamps for was boxing gloves – true!
Remember Art’s on Townline which is NOW MacEwen’s Gas?
This was the place to go and see your neighbours, grab a cup of coffee, weekend groceries and get your lotto. Bill Brunton mentioned:”don’t forget the Beckwith Butcher that was on the right hand side!” This photo is from January 2012–the last photo of Art’s before it was gone.Photo from Amanda Armstrong-From the photo collection of Margaret Martin”
As you know I go “kookoo for coconuts” when I see photos. Photos tell us so much about history, and now that we can document them online we can see them anytime we want and hopefully forever. Thank you Amanda Armstrong for sharing these with us and a big hug to your “Gram”.
If you have photos send them to me sav_77@yahoo.com and I will share history with the world.
Lizzie Brunton just emailed–“I was thinking about old stores in CP today. My first cashier job was at Art’s Variety on Townline. I miss that place, Art was a great boss. That store had everything from fruits, vegetables, deli meat to fireworks lol.
Great view of what William Street use to look like. With a view of Wayside Inn in the back, and a very bare Townline Road. Taken late 1940’s, Della Toop standing in front of the landmark tree at our family’s house. -Photo from Amanda Armstrong-From the photo collection of Margaret Martin”
Kim Martin Elder— And a quick side note…before it became Art’s Variety, it was known as Riverview. That was the name when Livingstones owned it.
Rick Redmond– And even before that it was owned and operated by the Black family in the 1950’s.
Another great shot of Wayside Inn –1940’s —-Photo from Amanda Armstrong-From the photo collection of Margaret Martin” The little boy is William (Billy) Purdon taken in front of the store when his parents Gilbert & Mary Purdon owned it
Early 1940’s in front of Wayside Inn (Art’s Variety). Dalton Jelly with my Grandmother Margaret Martin (nee Toop)--Photo from Amanda Armstrong-From the photo collection of Margaret Martin”
My Great-Grandmother Della Toop in front of the Wayside Inn sign with my Grandmother Margaret on the left, with the view of William Street in the back. Early 1940’s–Photo from Amanda Armstrong-From the photo collection of Margaret Martin”
The original Art’s Variety, then known as Wayside Inn when owned by my Great-Grandparent’s Arthur & Della Toop (owners from 1939-1948). Photo was taken in the early-mid 1940’s. My Grandmother Margaret Martin (nee Toop) standing with friends.Standing with her are Valda (Spinks) Blackburn, Orlene (Walters) Hamilton & her brother Barry Walters. Photo from Amanda Armstrong-From the photo collection of Margaret Martin”
Again thank you Amanda and Margaret Martin for your generosity.
My grandparents Art and Della Toop owned the store between 1939 – 1945. I don’t know if Rick remembers these name tags, but I got them made up for all of us when we worked for Art Diotte. He eventually changed the name to Art’s Variety.
Dan WilliamsI remember it when it was called Black’s
Terry Latham–Think it was Ed. Moss that had it.
Wendy HealeyIt was a great store. Would stop and get gas and a treat on the way home from town. The floors were so worn with so many people going in and out. Bought our meat there.
Carole FlintAnd isn’t that where The Beckwith Butcher was before his current location-The old building was torn down
Wesley ParsonsA lot of local kids worked there as well. Art was a real character!
Jeremy StinsonThere were 2 men named Art that owned it over the years. Art Martel was the second one.
Tina LaRocqueI was one of those kids. I ended up babysitting for him instead cause I wasn’t very good at the store part
Rick SchnauferI think Livingstones owned it in the early to mid 70ks before Art Diotte bought it around 76
Sue Black-Parks ColtonMy grandparents Cliff and Muriel Black owned the store at one point, they had a fresh meat counter, a lunch counter, I think it was in the mid 60’s they had it. My Dad Morley Black would deliver groceries.
Found this old photo and article from Desmond Devoy in 2012-CARLETON PLACE – Why isn’t the gas flowing?
That was certainly on the mind of a female motorist who pulled up to MacEwen’s gas station on Town Line Road in Carleton Place recently.
She had pulled up to the pump, hopped out, opened the gas door, grabbed the nozzle, inserted the nozzle into the tank and pulled the trigger.
Remember,you trained me ‘ell.Also remember opening for Art a few times he was hung over!!He was the best boss for a teenager lol He used to front me money so I could go out and party on a Fri night.Had a lot of fun working there!!!
Very sad to see it go…it was my first job (over 30 years ago) and Art Diotte was not only a great boss but also a great guy. I worked with a lot of great people over the 5 years I was there (lots of fun memories) and Art Martell was the owner when I left. Also, the building is over 70 years old because my grandparents (Art & Della Toop) used to own it.
Well I workded for Art Diotte from 1976 I think it was when he bought the place. I think I worked 7 days a week for about 6years there. Great place- Good times. I could hit the phone booth 8 out of 10 times with rotten tomatoes!
I loved working there too!! Only job you could socialize with your besties, laugh and joke around, come in hung over, have the odd beverage, and get you cheques cashed. Art was the best boss and he seemed to have the knack for keeping all the girls working to keep the customers coming in!! Such a ladies man he was.
As Darla & my Mom Kim Martin Elder said – The store was well over 70 years old. It was bought by my Great-Grandparent’s – Arthur & Della Toop, in 1939 from Hermin Wing, it’s unknown whether he was the original owner or if there was anyone before him, nor is it known how long he owned it. At that time the store was known as Wayside Inn, gas sold for 39 cents. back then there was still a house in the back, which is were they lived. In roughly 1948 my Great-Grandfather sold the store to Abb Spinks, in exchange for the house my Grandmother – Margaret Martin, still lives in today. That put the store at 73 years old, not counting how long Hermin Wing may have owned it. If anyone wants to see an original photo of the store, I have one here
Wonderful… Thank you for the history of Art’s…I must be the old guy but My History didn’t start until March 21,!956…I was 5 years old. My Dad and Mom(Clifton and Muriel Black)Bought this store from a Man could Gilbert Purdon…and yes we lived in the back of the store that was open 7 days a week…It was great free candy all the time…..Mom and Dad sold the store To Ad And Bernie Moss in I think 1959(late)I was 8 and and a bit…In 1965 I was working for Ken Anderson at the IGA (Ken worked for Mom and Dad at this store)When Mr. Moss Declared bankruptcy,, Mom and Dad had a decision to make ,,,, to loose their lose there investment or to take the store over again….which they did from no date in 65 until 68…Riverside Groceriteria became the new owners Under the management of Mr.John Livingstone…Mr. Livingstone Sold the store to Art Diotte …Who latter sold it to My friend Mr.Art Martel…and hence..
Well Ron, I guess I’m the next old person on the block (lol) because I vaguely remember Ab Moss owning the store but I do remember when your Mom and Dad had the store and then the Livingstones. Those were the days when kids could run to the store and buy cigarettes for their parents.(lol) Imagine trying to do that nowadays. I wish I had taken some pictures of the store when Art Diotte had it because the front always looked so nice with all of the fruits and vegetables out there. Oh, the memories
I don’t know about most of William St, but I do know of three houses he owned. Yeah, he used to leave real early in the morning to take the pulp wood to the E.B. Eddy plant over in Hull and then come home to have lunch and then head back out for more wood. I can still see his truck parked out in our driveway. After working all day, he’d still have energy to go and work in the garden that he and Nanny would plant every year.
My Great-Grandfather; Art Toop’s Pulp Wood yard, also known as the backyard of our house on William Street. Included in the picture is their dog Tiny. 1940’s
Ron – Lol, I guess with owning three houses on one street, it is safe to say he owned ‘most of William’. I mean, when one entire family is living in those three houses, you know who the majority were lol. During the time my great-grandfather owned Art’s, he did indeed cut pulp wood as well – Which he stored in the back yard. He ran his own trucking company called Toop Cartage, while his wife ran the store. And at some point during that time as well, he ran a fridge company, selling & repairing fridges – Again, which he stored in the back yard. He was quite the business man Also during that time he was drafted by the Army to train for WWII. Certainly kept my great-grandmother on her toes with everything.
Once upon a time before The Granary, a health food store on Bridge Street operating since 1978 this address has been home to several grocery stores including C.W. Moore’s and Maynard Argue’s. The old photo shown with this article was taken circa 1919, shortly after Cal Moore purchased the store from Deachman and Weir.
The counter made its way back to the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum and is on display in the museum
This counter was removed in the 1980’s from the store and stored in a garage. Funds were raised to move the counter and you can see it now at the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum.
Sent from Brockville and postmarked on Aug. 10, 1916, this postcard is addressed to Mr. Calvin Moore, Carleton Place, Ontario, Box 8. The message reads:
Just a line to let you know Fred and I will go down on the afternoon train on Saturday. Will you come to the station and meet us. Hope you are well. Bye. Yours truly, Ernie. XXX.
Also during that time he was drafted by the Army to train for WWII. Certainly kept my great-grandmother on her toes with everything.
lindaseccaspina 