Main Street 3
As we move across the street we have CIBC which was once known as Imperial Bank of Commerce, and today is referred to as The Canadian Bank of Commerce. It has also expanded by purchasing what was once Preston Johnson Jewelers, which was next door.
I would estimate that this photo was taken in the 1940's showing the Royal Hotel and The Canadian Bank of Commerce, as it was in 1957 when I arrived in Flin Flon. The business next door appears to be a store selling RCA. I would assume later, is when it became Preston Jewelers and in latter years became Preston Johnson Jewelers, until sold to The Bank of Commerce which demolished the store, and used the expansion for todays CIBC.
This image is showing The Canadian Bank of Commerce in the very early stages. There is partial wood with a canvas covering for a roof. When you look at this and modern day bank structures, it is certainly not hard to see that banking institutions have flourished in our Canadian economy. They shouldn't of had any trouble with cool cash.
This is very likely the same structure, but have obviously put a roof on it, and it has a chimney which tells me that they would have heat. We don't even have hand rails on the steps as back in those times, concerns for the handicapped and disabled was probably the furthest thing from their minds. This was a mining community, and you had to be able bodied, hard working, and of stable mind to survive. We owe a lot to the individuals who went before us, in carving out an existence, and a living in a northern mining community.
In latter years, I would estimate in the 1970's, which was once The Hudson Bay Company store had become what was known as Northern Stores, still operating under the Hudson Bay Company umbrella. When Northern Stores ceased to operate in our community which was once known as The Bay, it was divided in half, and a new banking institution to Flin Flon arrived on the scene known as The Bank of Nova Scotia. Today it is known as Scotiabank. The second half of The Bay which was the newer part that was added on in the 1960's, became The Bargain Store.
This image shows a major portion of Main Street that no longer exists. The large structure in the middle was once The Bay Store. I recall a drugstore being next to The Bay in 1957, but I am not sure of the name and owner. Next door to it was once The Corona Hotel which had burnt down, then the P&G Bakery, which everyone remembers well. I can remember stopping in there and buying a loaf of bread for ten cents so you can see that it was a day or two ago. Next to the bakery was the Blue & White store which was a ladies clothing store owned by the Ostry family, and ran by Anne Lofler. Directly across the street stood the Richmond Hotel, another structure which fell victim to fire. When you look at this image, it brings back old memories and my 1952 blue gray meteor parked in the center in front of the P&G bakery.
This shows our Flin Flon Credit Union which has just completed expansion in 2015. When I first arrived in Flin Flon, I recall the Credit Union operating out of the Co-op store, then moving to it's present location, and building a structure which is still there today. The area where the expansion took place once housed a business known as Dan Dee TV, owned and operated by Robin Studer who was a long time business man on Main Street. Robin started his business in the upstairs of the Gunston Building at 74 Main Street, which he operated there for a number of years, then moving down the street, and purchasing one of the old residential houses, renovating the front and converting it into a business. Robin operated out of this location until he closed his business and retired. The space was then taken over by Sherry McConnell who operated a beauty salon by the name of NU-U Hair Care and sold it to the Credit Union and retired in 2011.
This was one of my first images that I captured in 1958 of our Main Street. On the right hand side is the Sorenson block which was owned by Ole Sorenson, one of Flin Flon's major construction companies and contractor, in the 1950's & 1960's. This block housed the W.F. Woolworth store which was very much like our Dollar Stores are today. Woolworths was always referred to as nickel and dime stores, yes have times changed. On the other half of the main level was the Eaton's store, and in the upper level of the store, Ole Sorenson had his personal residence, offices for lawyers, dentists, and numerous other small businesses. They also housed another money lending institution known as Household Finance.
When you look across the street, today we have a solid line of businesses. In 1958 there was a line of residential homes. This is hard to believe. The large structure at the end on the left hand side of the street is todays Post Office.
This shows the south end of Main Street in 2016. It is certainly different than it was in 1958. The gray building on the corner opposite the Sorenson block, once was the home of Sears. On the upstairs level was the office of Dr. Graham Craig, Optometrist, also the offices of Lunam & Ahmad, Accountants. The lower level of this structure today houses a second hand store known as Freedoms Way, operated by Dorion Kent. The lower half of the Sorenson block on the right hand side houses Pharmasave Drug Store owned and operated by Scott Davidson. The area which was once Eaton's in 2016 is presently vacant.
This image was taken in 1958 showing F.W. Woolworth Co., and Eaton's of Canada which were prominent businesses that operated out of the south end of Flin Flon's Main Street. Cedar boats were very much the in-water craft in the 1950's, manufactured in Peterborough, Ont., and were very popular all over Canada until the age of fibreglass and aluminum came.
This image shows on the left side the first Credit Union structure which was erected after the removal of a couple of homes.
