George Mitchell Store
19 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario
( Year built: 1878-79 )
George Mitchell had this store built in 1878. The brickwork matches that of the neighbouring Whitney Block to which it is joined. The more elaborate and decorative labels of the two upper storey windows are a distinguishing characteristic of this store.
Allan Mitchell occupied the frame store on this site from the early 1860s. W.A. Shearson had a flour and feed business here which Thomas Lee bought in early 1871. Lee ran a grocery here until the 1876 fire. He suffered a loss of $1,000 but was fully insured.
Merchant Tailors Halley & Anderson were the first occupants of the new store in 1878. They were in business here until 1882. John L. Smith, who was in the staple and fancy dry goods and grocery business, was the next tenant in 1883. Sharp & Levins, also grocers, took over the store in 1888. Henry Levins continued in business here until 1894.
Mitchell sold to John Beattie in 1889. Frank S. Beattie, a veterinary surgeon, had an office on the second floor from 1889-94. John Beattie also had an office on the second floor from 1899 until about 1914. By 1914, J. Wesley Beattie had his butcher shop in the store. Beattie was eventually the owner of the building. He was in business here many years. In 1943, W.L. Whyte bought the butcher shop. He continued to run the shop until 1954.
Above Photo: This 1924 photo shows the George Mitchell store south of Kidd’s Block. The window labels distinguish it from the Whitney Block to the south. Marshall Stewart had a flour and feed business in the south corner store and the Garden Grocery next door. The photographer D.F. Buck was in the next store, J. Wesley Beattie’s butcher shop was in the Mitchell store, and J.F. Daly’s Garage was in the Kidd Block. To the north were Wigg’s Shoes, Holmes’ Furniture & Undertaking, Scott’s Paint & Paper, the Princess Theatre, Crich’s Bakery, and Edges’ Big Hardware Store. Advertisement Below Left: is from the March 17, 1871 Huron Expositor.
In 1946, Elva Keith and Mary Clark opened a hairdressing salon on the second floor. By 1953, Keith, a beautician, ran the business by herself and was here into the late 1960s.
The store was taken over in 1955 by Melville Staffen who ran a plumbing business here until April of 1966. Ruby’s Meat Market was the next tenant in July 1966. By 1970, The Seaforth Meat Market, run by William Laverty, was in business here. By 1990, Custom Art Design, run by Robert Dinsmore, was the tenant in this store, replaced by Pete’s Paper Clip by 1995.
Advertisement Lower Left: is from the April 11, 1884 Huron Expositor. Advertisement Lower Right: is from the July 12, 1889 Huron Expositor.
Advertisement Lower Left: is from the July 24, 1940 Carnival Issue. Advertisement Lower Right: is from the July 12, 1889 Huron Expositor.
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