A.G. Ault & D. McGregor Block
10 & 12 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario
( Year built: 1877-78 )
William Ault had a grocery store here in 1868-71. Alexander (“Aggie”) Ault took over the grocery in 1872 and was the tenant of the store when the frame building burnt in 1876. Ault’s property was valued at $3,000; he had only $800 in insurance. William Campbell bought the north part of this property after the fire.
Dr. W. R. Smith, physician and surgeon, had an office to the south of Ault’s grocery in 1869-70. Also next door in 1869-70 were Thomas and Sarah Simons, confectioners who also sold fruit and fish. T. Simons was also a house and sign painter in 1870-71. Thomas Garniss, a tailor, was the tenant here from 1872 to 1874. The Feb. 19, 1874 issue of The Huron Expositor reported the property changing hands:
Property Changes – Mr. D. McGregor, of Harpurhey, has purchased the store and lot at present occupied by Mr. Garniss, nearly opposite the Mansion House, for $950. Mr. McGregor intends opening in these premises a book bindery and stationery store.
Daniel McGregor & Son was the occupant of this store when the fire started next door in Mrs. William D. Griffith’s grocery and candy shop in 1876. The building, books and stationery were valued at $2,000; he had $1,000 in insurance.
It is likely that A.G. Ault and Daniel McGregor co-operated in building the two store brick block which replaced their burnt out store buildings in 1877-78. The red tones to the brick of north half distinguish Ault’s building from McGregor’s. The upper façade is beautifully proportioned into four window bays divided by projecting brick pilasters surmounted by a raised brickwork frieze. The windows of the north half extend lower than those of the south half and have a small oblong pane above the regular four-paned window. The heavy, ornate window labels with imitation keystone are made of moulded concrete. The windows sills of the north windows are wood while those of the south windows are concrete. The upper cornice has been removed. (See the story about the Michael Jordan Block for a photograph showing the original cornice of this building.) The storefront cornice with dentils and end brackets has also been removed. The main floor now has doorways, at either end, to the two stores. The original doorway placement was in the centre of each store. All of the original storefront has been removed from the lower façade.
A.G. Ault moved into his unfinished store in November of 1877. Samuel McLean joined Ault in business in 1881-82. Ault went out of the business for a few years and B.B. Gunn occupied the store between 1887 and 1891. When Gunn moved up the street to the corner store, Ault resumed his grocery business here. The Huron Expositor reported on September 4, 1891:
We understand that Mr. A.G. Ault intends starting in the grocery business again in his own store, that at present occupied by Mr. Gunn. Mr. Ault was very popular when in business before, and no doubt many of his old customers will be pleased that they will have an opportunity of doing business with him again.
Ault advertised as the “Seaforth Tea Store.” An ad in the 1893 Huron Expositor indicates that he also tried his luck, for a while, in selling ready-made clothing for men and boys, dress goods, shawls, mitts, etc. His main business, though, was groceries. A.G. Ault remained in business here until his death some time in 1915.
George D. Haigh had taken over the north store by 1914. His grocery business was here until 1932 when William Arnold, also a grocer, replaced him. He was here only a year when Alex McGavin took over the store from him. McGavin had the store until some time in 1940, after which time it stood vacant. Gordon Wright opened a furniture repair store here in 1944, John Kelland, Tire Sales, followed in 1945, and Harry Parnell, of the Parnell Tire & Battery Shop, in 1947.
Above Photo: This photograph was taken circa 1900. Ault advertised lower prices for those customers who paid cash. As did many other merchants, he also accepted goods in kind, like butter, eggs, and produce. The architectural details of the original storefront are visible here, e.g., the cornice with dentils and end brackets, the pilasters at either side, the inset doorway with transom, and plate-glass windows.
B.F. Christie started a butcher shop in the north store in 1954. He was also the owner of the building at the time. Christie was in business here until the late 1950s. John Cardno Insurance was the tenant here in 1960. The McKillop Mutual Fire Insurance Co. had offices here, as did W.E. Southgate, in 1966. By 1987, the Huron Expositor office had moved into the north store.
In 1881, Murdo Y. McLean moved his news-paper printing business from the building on John Street to the south store here, until this time occupied by Daniel McGregor’s stationery store. The McLean Bros., Murdo and Alan, published one of the local weekly newspapers, The Huron Expositor. McLean Bros. bought The Seaforth Expositor from W.F. Luxton and George W. Ross and assumed its editorship with the December 9, 1879 issue. M.Y. was succeeded by his son, Keith, and he in turn by his son, Andrew Y. McLean. A.Y. McLean remained active in the paper’s operation, along with his daughter, Susan, into the 1970s. Signal Star Publishing of Goderich bought the business in 1982. At the time of its sale the McLean family held the record for the longest continuous ownership of a Main Street business – 112 years. The newspaper office moved one door north in 1985.
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