E.G. Budd and Sons

Market Place

E. G. Budd, a Stratford institution

The E. G. Budd store served Stratford from 1922 to 1988, and many are the memories of kind words, fresh produce, large bags of feed and seed, different grains for animals and birds and, various kinds of bulbs for gardens, grass seeds and clover for the field or lawn, and all the gardening needs one might ever want.

There was even home delivery for items such as carrots or tomatoes by the bushel, things too heavy to carry. There were seed drawers and and bins for flour and sugar and porridge mixtures, and wonderful aromas that reminded everyone of yesteryear. And let's not forget the aroma of Dustbane on the creaky floors.

Stratford-Perth Archives

Some youngsters will remember that at the Budd store you could buy a bag of peas that would become the ammo for the 36-inch straws (a.k.a. peashooters) available at Ted's Sporting Goods on Ontario Street, which became Ted's Hobby Shop on Wellington Street. And apples. You could buy an apple at Budd's as a treat. Or candy. And bamboo poles for fishing, or for the home-made high jump bar in the back yard.

The building at 33 -37 Market Pl., considered Victorian Gothic in style, was built in 1899 for William Robison Marshall. George Larkworthy (see Ontario Street), ran his butcher shop at 33 Market Pl. from 1903 to 1912 and later from 1919-1937.

Edward Tout, a butcher but also a grocer, who lived at 8 Ballantyne Ave., occupied the premises from 1913 to 1915, and after the Second World War. McDermid and Kyle Hardware served customers there from 1948 to 1963, at that location by the Canadian Red Cross from 1967 into the late 1980s. (see photo to the left).

In 1988,the Stratford Historical Society noted the building originally had a flat roof line. The wall dormers and cornices were added later. The building has unusual semi-elliptical windows and retains its original double doors. Budd's retained the original storefront details including the signboard and the end piers, plus the original hardwood floors. Sources: Stratford and District Historical Society; If You Grew up in Stratford . . . FB; Vernon's Stratford city directories. Compiled by Gord Conroy

Photos of E.G. Budd history by Mirjam Shut.

Hand-operated elevator, electric coil for driving the belts, hand-painted scene on the front window just before the sale of the building in 2012 to show what the back of the building was like in the early days. Source: If you grew up in Stratford . . . FB

Back of the store

Hand operated Elevator

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