John Kidd Block
15 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario
( Year built: 1878 )
John Kidd purchased the land from Robert Carmichael and had this distinctive brick store built in 1878, replacing the frame building lost to fire in 1876. The crowning feature of this building was its central projection advertising the “Kidd’s Hardware Depot” and topped by decorative iron cresting. The building itself is 2½ storeys high. The entablature is plain with two rows of dentils above a quatrefoil window. The labels on this, and the second-storey windows, are heavy, protruding, ornate metal with a keystone effect at the top. The label stops appear to be in the shape of a lion’s head.
The four windows in the second storey consist of a pair of closely spaced longer windows in the centre and a shorter window either side of this pair. The top portion of the original window opening is now closed in. The window sills are concrete.
The main floor was entirely remodeled with huge plate-glass windows inserted. The doorway is inset at the south end of the façade. An original feature still evident are the two pilasters, one at each end of the storefront façade.
Arthur Veale occupied the first frame store on this site some time in the 1860s. George Dent had a general store here from 1869 to 1876.
Left Photo: Kidd began business as a tinsmith but by 1863 was also selling building supplies from a store on the east side of Main Street. Kidd’s Hardware was at its west-side location from early 1879 to 1892.
The January 25, 1878 Huron Expositor reported: “Another New Brick Store – For several days during the present week workmen have been engaged in ex-cavating for the cellar of Mr. John Kidd’s new brick store. Mr. Kidd, having purchased from Mr. Car-michael the lot adjoining Mrs. Whitney’s block, intends erecting thereon, in the spring, a large brick store, which he will occupy as a tin shop and hard-ware store. Thus will be added one more link in the chain of magnificent business edifaces in this town.”
Robert and Andrew Kidd, tinsmiths, joined the business in 1883. Mrs. John Kidd was the business owner in 1884 when the store was advertised as Mrs. Kidd’s Cheap Hardware and Stove House. George was also part of the business, joining in 1885.
Advertisements Below Left: An ad appearing in The Huron Expositor December 16, 1910, and; Below Right: An April 4, 1899 issue of The Huron Expositor.
Sydney Mullet and J.R. Jackson purchased Kidd’s hardware business some time in 1892. Sydney Mullett ran the hardware store until 1900. The next hardware merchants here were Chesney & Smiley from 1901-06 and Chesney & Archibald from 1906 and into the early 1910s.
Advertisement Left: From The Huron Expositor January 21, 1876.
By 1914, J.F. Daly had his jewellery store in the former hardware store. Daly was a jeweller, optician, issuer of marriage licenses, and the first Ford car dealer in town. In about 1907, Daly and Alex Winter jointly purchased a Model N Ford, the first horseless carriage bought in Seaforth. John F. Daly’s Garage and Auto Sales continued on business here into the late 1950s. When Daly died in 1952 or 1953, he was the longest-serving Ford dealer in Canada.
Frank Kling purchased the store in 1958. He had his plumbing and heating business here until 1966. In that year Hildebrand Paint & Paper opened shop. By 1995, Hildebrand’s expanded to include a florist shop.
Above Photo: Armistice Day 1918 – celebrants pose in front of Daly’s Garage and J. Wesley Beattie’s Butcher shop. A sign on the doorway between the stores advertises Frank S. Beattie, V.S., Veterinary Surgeon, who had rooms on the upper floor. The advertisements below are from The Huron Expositor, December 16, 1910 and April 4, 1899.
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