William Campbell Block 2
6 & 8 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario
( Year built: 1877-78 )
John Seatter had two shops south of William Campbell’s stores in 1863. He used one as his insurance office and the other was a drug store run by J.S. Roberts. Both stores were empty when the fire of 1876 swept through this part of Main Street. William Campbell bought the lot the next year and built a store block.
The distinguishing feature of Campbell’s second store block is the central window in the upper storey. The windows are Italianate in style, the central trefoil or three-part window flanked by two smaller round-headed windows. The window labels are moulded concrete with a predominant keystone and label stops. In the photograph at left, you can see how the heavy cornice brackets fill the space above the brickwork outline, all that remains since the cornice was removed. A pilaster defines the south end of the upper façade and the window above the street-level entry to the upper apartment, in the photograph at left occupied by H. Horn, Ladies Tailor. The original storefront cornice had dentils and large brackets at each end. The storefront level has been significantly remodelled.
James Pickard opened his Bargain House in Campbell’s No. 3 store in 1884. By 1890, the Robb brothers, William and James, had their Robb’s Grocery here until 1900. W.J. Clark had a store here in 1900, but was soon replaced by I.N. Colbert’s bakery which was here into 1902.
Richard Crone, Merchant, and J.W. Beattie, Butcher, were tenants in what had become two separate stores by 1910. Beattie occupied the south store. Charles Consigney, a shoemaker aged 50 in 1918, opened a shoe store in the north half and was here into 1921. A.E. Kennedy, a Presser, was in the south half at the same time.
Swift Canadian Produce, managed by Isaac Hudson, was in the north store in 1931 until 1953. Orville Dale took over the produce business for a few years. Trapnell’s Bakery was here in 1958 and then Doris’ Beauty Salon in 1959. The salon became Brian’s Hair Styling by 1966.
Above Right: The photograph is part of a panoramic photograph taken between 1887 and 1891. The fabric awning is marked “Marshall’s Bakery.” Above Left: The advertisement is from the March 18, 1887 issue of The Seaforth Sun. Below: The advertisement is from the February 28, 1890 issue of The Seaforth Sun.
The south store was home to W. John Thompson’s Shoe Repair from 1940 to 1979. Dr. C.E. Toll had the Seaforth Dental Office in the north store in the early 1970s. Roth Food Market had both stores in the 1980s, and by 1990, Culligan Real Estate occupied both.
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