Sam Stark Block
24 & 26 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario
( Year built: 1877 )
Sam Stark had four stores on this lot, next to William Robertson’s hardware, in the 1860s. George Ewing had a butcher shop in one, Stark had a shoe shop in a second. W.J. McCleary had law offices in a third, and Dr. John Campbell had his home and office in the fourth. After the 1876 fire, Stark sold part of the lot to Robertson and built a brick block adjoining Robertson’s block in 1877. The architectural detailing of Stark’s Block matches that of Robertson’s Block, and others, to the north. Stark’s Block was destroyed by fire in the early 1990s. The Elliott Financial building now stands on part of the lot where Stark’s Block once was.
In 1876, the stores owned by Sam Stark were occupied by Stark, John Eades, a barber, and Mrs. Charles Graham’s millinery store. Stark’s new brick block was occupied by Thomas Coventry’s Boot & Shoe shop in the north store until 1880; James McGuffie & Co.’s liquor store in the middle store, also to 1880; and, Henry Mitchell’s Fancy store in the south store. Mitchell’s store was taken over by a victualler by the name of John Martin who was here for just one year. The Misses Grieves, dressmakers, had three rooms above from 1877-81.
By 1880, Francis Holmsted, a lawyer, owned the Stark Block. William Logan had a business in the north store in 1880, but was soon succeeded by George Good. Good had a grocery here until 1884 when he moved further south to a corner store. Maggie Ferguson, a dressmaker, had a shop here in 1885. James McGuffie’s store was now McGuffie & Robertson’s seeds store, until 1881. It was replaced by John Killoran’s liquor store some time in 1881 to 1886. The south store was a grocery operated by Hugh Robb from 1881-85 and by William and James Robb in 1886. Robb’s grocery moved to No. 3 Campbell’s Block in early 1890. Above one of the stores, Holmsted had law offices, for many years.
Left Photo: The picture on the left is part of a photograph taken in June 1878. William Robertson’s circular saw sign marks his hardware store. The boot marks Thomas Coventry’s store which is the north part of Sam Stark’s Block. The building to the south, projecting into the street, is Patrick Megary’s brick block. The advertisement to the left is from the June 8, 1883 issue of the Seaforth Sun.
Archibald and James Scott were the proprietors of Scott Bros. Music Store in the north store from 1889 to 1901. The middle store continued to be a liquor store run by Henry Jackson from 1892-95. Part of the middle store also housed the Dominion Bank from 1893-95. The south store was occupied by J.P. Dopp, a butcher, throughout the 1890s. Holmsted had his law offices in the middle part from 1896 to 1901 after which time it and the other stores were vacant or had short-term tenants for a year or two. The south store was a laundry between 1902-06 operated first by Fang Kee, then by Charlie Yew, and lastly by Charles Hinas.
Photo Below: The storefront of Scott Bros. Music circa 1897.
Alfred Box ran a successful restaurant in the north store space for decades, starting some time in the 1910s and until 1942. Willard Elliott joined Box in 1933. Mason and Agnes Harvey took over the restaurant in 1942. and by 1945, the restaurant was James McDonald’s Bakery. At about the same time in the early 1910s, the middle store became a billiard hall, first run by John Bell, then by Louis Atkinson in the 1920s, Joseph Doyle and Joseph Nigh in the early 1930s, and by W.G. Gill in the late 1930s and 1940s. In the late 1940s and 1950s, the Seaforth Farmers’ Co-operative had a produce store here. By 1958 & into the 1960s, it housed Gingrich’s Appliances.
James Cleary had a grocery in the south store by 1916. The May 17, 1935 issue of The Huron Expositor reported: “Store is Enlarged and Redecorated - Extensive alterations have been completed on the grocery store of Mr. J.J. Cleary here. The floor space has been greatly enlarged and the interior redecorated. The alterations were made by Harry Hart, while John F. Scott did the decorating.” Cleary was in business at his “Red Band Store” until 1955.
In 1951, the Simpson’s (later Simpson-Sears) Mail Order Office was located in the north store. The Eaton’s Order Office followed, in 1955, moving into the south store. Anstett Jewellers had replaced Gingerich’s in the middle store by 1975. Anstett’s and the Sears Order Office were still here in the 1990s when the Stark Block burnt and was later demolished.
Above Photo: A photograph of the interior of Jim Cleary’s store c. 1920. Advertisements Below Left: The Huron Expositor, January 28, 1916, Below Right: The Huron Expositor, November 6, 1891.
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