A walking tour through the Neepawa of yesteryear

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Published on Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Photo courtesy of Beautiful Plains Museum. Duncan McGregor’s blacksmith shop – 278 Mountain Ave. Scotty McGregor in doorway.

 Article Submitted by Rick Sparling

The Neepawa Press

Our business in Neepawa was supposed to be twofold. First we had planned to golf the beautiful golf course and then we were to meet up with local historian, Cecil Pittman.

Our mission at that point was to walk the downtown streets and try to figure out what businesses were there in the 50s and 60s, when we were growing up, and try to name some of the people who owned and worked in those businesses. When I say ‘we,’ I am referring to the golfing foursome of Cam Smith, Ron Kleven, Barry Deveson and me, all born and raised in Neepawa. Of course I’m also including Cecil in this as well. I also received information from others from ‘my generation’ who have communicated with me over the past few months. Kaz Holod also was involved later, filling in some missing info from his generation.

Our plans fell short when we received news that the Neepawa Golf Course had taken in too much rain and we made the decision to golf at the much drier Shilo course. After golfing there we then drove to Neepawa and met up with Cecil and started the tour. With the five of us walking and talking and meeting various people along the way, and other distractions such as a rain shower, we tried to come up with the way it was back then. Please forgive me if I missed some people and misspelled others. Here are our thoughts:

Starting at the northern end of Mountain Avenue sat the CPR Station. The only employees recalled there were Don Smith, who was the telegraph operator and Charlie Pellow, who delivered freight for them. Further south just around the corner on Merriman’s road was the Swift Hatchery and Livestock building. Kozak’s gravel pit was right there as was the Salt Plant’s stand pipe. Dick Foley worked in the hatchery prior to opening up his own business in the west end of town. Bud Barker ran the livestock side of things. The Ogilvy Elevator was between Vince Merriman’s greenhouses and Swifts by the CPR railway tracks. Mr. Chisolm, Mark’s father, worked there. Mark became the principal in Minnedosa. It became Manitoba Pool Elevator run by Bill Pearson. Back up on the west side of Mountain Ave. heading south we came across the Johnny Roco Service Station where Pete and Steve Slobodian hung their hats. The next business was Johnny Johnston’s ‘Blue Bird Café.’ Wiseman’s Garage was the next business south and we recall there was a taxi service operated through the garage.  Eric built the garage in 1939 on the corner of Mountain and Boundary and Stanley, Eric’s father, drove taxi for him. Continuing along Mountain was Pifko’s Grocery store. 

Mr. and Mrs. Pifko had two daughters, Joyce and Jean. Stronski’s Shoe store was right next door and I recall their daughter Darlene, Joyce Pifko and Freda Brough were always seen together throughout their high school days.

The number following most business names, (in brackets) was their telephone number, so with that in mind, the next business along Mountain Avenue was The Laundromat. I think Homer Gill was the first investor in that particular business. Roy Birnie’s tire shop was the next shop. (92) Matt Stoetzel had a repair shop in the back of Birnie’s and did auto service there.  Matt had a son named Joe. Roy and Stella Birnie had five children: Bonar, Bob, John, Jean and Alice. Scotty McGregor owned the blacksmith’s shop beside the laundromat. Scotty and Vera had two children: Mel and Marlene. Mel  lives in Brandon these days and Marlene lives in Carberry. She married Barry Anderson, Fred, of Smith and Anderson’s son. Barry retired as principal of Carberry Collegiate.

 The next business along Mountain was Guinn Bros Memorials. Ron, Bill and Jim all worked there at one time or another. Ron and Leta’s children were Bill and Sarah and Bill and Barbara’s were Joyce, Bobby and Holly. Jim and Bernice had two children, Ken and Marilee.

Roy Gillespie had his garage next. (107) Gillespie’s was at the corner of Mountain and Brydon and came into being around 1943 as a Minneapolis-Moline dealership. Hugo Mackie worked there. The Mackie children were Laura and Norman. Later on, a couple of service bays were added and they became a Dodge-Desoto dealership. There was an “eagle sign” that was about four feet high that sat out front, emblematic of a Case dealership. This stretch of businesses, which included Gillespie’s, Guinn’s, Birnie’s, Stoetzel’s and McGregor’s was affectionately known as “Centerville.” Dr. Hutchinson’s office sat next. Dr. H.H. Hutchinson had a daughter, Joyce, who took her education here in Manitoba then ventured out east for employment. He also had two boys Barry and Pat. Dr. Barry Hutchinson  has returned to Neepawa in his retirement. It was a common sight to see the Farncombe sisters, from the Plumas area, park their horse and buggy along the north side of Doc Hutchinson’s office.

Bush Wilcox managed the Co-op store. (103) Lewis Deveson, Gordon Hall, Alvin Wark and Mr. Frank Stanglmaier were a few of the men working for Bush. There was also a Mr. George Keyes and a Mr. Gibson on board. Mr. Keyes was Lawrence’s father. Lawrence was the captain of my hockey team and I recall playing in the finals that year back around 1954. Ron Kleven and Cam Smith were part of that ‘almost’ championship ‘BlackHawk’ team.  Lewis and Muriel Deveson had four boys. Barry, Ronnie, Richard and Brian. Hanson’s garage was squeezed in between the Co-op and Bell Lumber (66) where Tody Card, Bud Hanson, Miller Dunsmore and Ross Howatt punched the time clock. Marjorie Sparling worked there as well for a period in 1958. Hansons had a son, Harold. Hurrell’s Bakery (278) was next with Lawrence Hurrell at the helm, who brought in the early morning baking crew of Mr. Vanalstein and Rad Bates, the head baker. On Saturday mornings, the aroma coming from Hurrell’s would bring in enough traffic to gobble down all of the jam busters produced for the day. Some say these jambusters were “world famous”. You would be hard pressed to find one today that came close! Lawrence and Grace Hurrell had two girls, Marilyn and Lorraine. Earlier, Frank Pasquill Sr. was also a baker there. The Pasquills had three children, Sharron, Frank (Jr.) and Richard.

 What was once Christies became D and R Groceteria (32) and was between Hurrell’s and Frank Reid’s, new in 1957, barber shop, who also sent out cleaning for Perth’s. Reid’s was in the corner of the IOOF Hall. (International Order of Odd Fellows.) This brought us along to the corner of Mountain Ave. and Mill St. Just around the corner in the IOOF hall was an egg grading station, which might have been associated with Swift’s. Daisy Graham was an egg grader there. Continuing south on Mountain, along the west side of the avenue, was the Bank of Commerce. Mr. Shewfelt managed the bank and the family lived upstairs. The Shewfelts had a girl, Elaine and her two older brothers, Spence and Henry. Prior to the expansion of the bank, George Rey operated Rey’s Cleaners and Rey’s Men’s Wear. (86) Mr. Rey sold the men’s wear part to George Wickett and kept the dry cleaning business until 1978. Rey’s featured a huge swordfish hung on the wall. This was brought back from a fishing trip in Mexico. The fish now adorns a wall at the Neepawa Banner. Jack Masters worked for George as did Davey Cathcart and Cora Harvey. 

Holland’s Studio eventually took over from Rey’s which was run by Fran and Eric Holland. We believe there might have been a small jewellery store next before The Regent. It was Wally The Jeweller. Parrot’s also had a flower shop in there before Wally. The Regent had a billiard parlour upstairs and a four lane bowling alley downstairs. Brothers Tom and Alex Hyra were the owners. Tom Hyra’s children were Verna and Lawrence while Alex and Mary had one son, Allen.

 Bob Hunt’s Café occupied the next building, which gave way to Eaton’s catalogue store. (85) Hunt’s children were Dawn, Harley and Margo. After the café closed, the oldest daughter Dawn opened up a children’s clothing store called Dawnals. When that closed, Eaton’s rented the property for their catalogue operation on the main floor at which time, the Hunt family still resided upstairs. The rifle range was in the basement for some time prior to relocating to the Roger’s Fruit building and eventually to the fair grounds. There was a butcher shop next to Hunts in the early 50s run by a Mr. McIntosh and Charlie Orchard ran it for a spell, as well. 

 The S.O.S. Store (7) was next with the proprietor being Max Gladstone. The SOS store sold those “Neepawa jackets” that were the rage back in 1961 and since a friend of mine still has one hanging in his closet, here’s a description of it. They were mainly black melton wool jackets with “Neepawa” in white letters across the front. There were flags on the left sleeve, the Union Jack crossed with the American flag. Your name was on the right sleeve, again white on a black background, trimmed with a black and white elastic at the bottom and finished off with white buttons. Remember them?  The S.O.S. Store was also very innovative when it came to sales. They offered an annual “Buy one get one for a cent Event”. This was similar to what they call a “BOGO” event today. English’s barber shop was the next business, owned by Jim English, where Doug Anderson worked. 

Robinsons Clothing (67) was owned by the Leckies and managed by Fred and Thelma Barker. The Barkers had twin boys, Brian and Bob, and a daughter Jackie. Vic Kasprick worked at Robinsons. Hargraves Drug Store (11) was next. Previous to Hargraves, it was Still’s Drug Store which Lawrence Hargraves purchased in 1952. This stretch along Mountain Avenue has been modified over the years, but we know that Zeke’s Jewellery, (44) Morrish Studio, Sear’s Catalogue Store (442) and doctors’ offices filled in the spaces up until Harris’s Drugs (31). The doctors were Dr. Lambertson, Dr Mulligan and Dr. Sicotte. Harris Pharmacy (31), operated by Art Harris, purchased  Murphy and Hole’s Drugs in 1960 which was operated by Boxer Hole. Boxer and Lottie had one daughter, Nancy Lou. There was a huge clock just in front of Boxer’s Drugs and Morrish Studio 

 George McKidd managed Mrs. Martin’s 5 and 10 cent store. George had one daughter, Jean. Right next to the 5 and 10 was Wally Raginski’s Jewellery, after moving up from beside The Regent, followed by William’s Tomboy Store. (Red and White). Reg Williams was the owner and Hory Frampton looked after produce while Ken (Spike) Spackman was the butcher. Cam Smith was a delivery boy there for the summer of 1961. Grasby’s barber shop was in the Tomboy store.

I spoke to Dale Williams, who filled me in on some of the information on the Bank of Montreal. Harry Deighton was the bank manager prior to when Dale was there. The Deightons had a boy, Dave, and a girl, Brenda.  Rolfe Mills was in charge from 1956 to 1958 at which time, Cy Astley took over. Second in command for Rolfe was Jack McMunn, who was replaced by Ken Gibbs at the same time that Cy arrived. The other two (Rolfe and Jack) were transferred from Neepawa out west. Some of the employees throughout the years were Norma McCracken, Donna Stepplar, Dorothy Lindsay, Dorothy Mauthe, Lorna Veale, Susan Drayson, Hazel Baker, Lorna McDougall, Clarence Lanavaz, Peggy Strohman, Bill Guinn and Elsie Bell.

 Bray’s Grocery was eventually taken over by Wickett’s Pharmacy (456) with George Wickett the owner/pharmacist. George operated the pharmacy from 1953 to 1967. George and Ethel Wickett had one daughter, Bette Lynn, who still lives in Neepawa. Gerry Keating was a delivery boy at Wicketts and when he went to university, Wayne Lee took over that responsibility. Originally, Mr. Wickett’s first drug store was further north on Mountain Ave., as he had bought out Rey’s Mens Wear in May of 1953, then later on, moved beside The Bamboo Garden.  

Tony Evans restaurant became The Bamboo Garden. (37) Mrs. Rankie, Sylvia’s mother, was front and centre for many years working for the owner, Frankie Lee. Stella Allum also worked the front end cash register there. Frankie and Jean had two daughters, Audrey and Lorraine.

Art Grasby’s Barber shop gave way to JB Jewellery (Bilkosky’s) which turned into Doug Anderson’s barber shop. Art Grasby was Billy’s father. Billy was a successful jockey in the mid 50s and early 60s. Doug Anderson had two children, Linda and Blair. Linda married Billy Nicholson and they reside now in Ladner, B.C and have a boy, Rob, and a daughter, Christie. We had the pleasure of running into Billy and Linda at the Legion after our golf game in mid-September and we also bumped into  brother Clifford at the golf course, along with Ronnie Kilburn, Bud Lee and the McLaughlin brothers, Jim and Blair. Anderson’s, by the way, was the same spot where Hymie the Barber now sits. Doug eventually took over English’s business and moved back down the street. This takes us to the end of the block at The Economy Store (40). Al Schullman was the owner and  Clara Hawkins worked there for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Schullman had one daughter, Muriam and Nels and Clara Hawkins had one son, Howard, and a daughter, Myrna. The Economy Store was what we boys called “Kleven Korner.” That was Ron’s favourite spot from which to people watch on Saturday nights. He had us all there and we used to swing from the awnings just to while away the hours.

Remaining on the west side of Mountain Ave. and crossing Hamilton St. is Fenwick’s Department Store. (1) It must have been difficult to remember Fenwick’s phone number (1)! Fenwick’s had a “goods on approval” policy, whereby one could take something home on trial and either return it or buy it in the next day or so. Homer Gill worked there at one time as did Harold Patterson and Elma Murray. Al Lytle owned it and Wayne Sparling ran the furniture and appliance department. Al and Doris had two girls, Jane and Jo Anne. Wayne Sparling and Mary (Gibson), who reside in Brandon, had three children: Karen, Brent and Troy. Karen and Troy reside in Brandon and Brent is in Edmonton. Alison Seaborn worked at Fenwick’s as well and she and husband Len had two children, Robert and Beverley. The North Star Garage was the last business on the west side of Mountain Ave. I worked at The North Star and I vividly remember my first job there was washing a bus. No easy task! Tom Johnstone owned the garage and ran it with his son, Jack until 1957. Shortly afterwards, Jack sold cars for Murray’s Garage. Jack and Velma had two sons, Jim and Alan and a daughter, Marie.