General Stores, Butcher Shops and Bakeries

More Big Hill Country pg 36, 2009

General Stores

In partnership with Count de Journal, Joe Limoges built a Trading Post near the railway line in Cochrane around 1896. It appears to have operated for two years when it was sold to James Johnstone. The Johnstone store was operated from a lean-to built on his house on the corner of Centre Avenue and First Street. The home later belonged to Dan White and his family, later becoming known as the Grayson Home. In I 898, Mr. Johnstone built a new store on the corner of First Avenue and First Street West.

Alex Martin and his brother-in-law, Mr. Foley, who had a store in Mitford, moved to Cochrane and built a store, with living quarters on the corner of First Avenue and Second Street West. In 190 I, they sold to Mr. C .W. Fisher. Martin and Foley also operated a store out of the Andison Block, likely after they sold to Mr. Fisher. Mr. Fisher turned the building on I st Ave. and 2nd Street West into the Liberal Headquarters in 1904 and he bought the Johnstone store which he operated in partnership with Mr. Tom Quigley. It now appears that Mr. Fisher owns buildings on both ends of I st ( or Main Street) Street and 2nd Street West. By 1904, Mr. Fisher had build a large two storey business block known as the Fisher block on this location.

In 1905, Mr. Fisher was in partnership in the store with Mr. Stringer and Mr. W J. Simpson went into partnership with Mr. Fisher in 1908. Mr. Fisher ran the general store and Mr. Simpson, with the help of Mr. Rellinger ran the hardware business. Around 1910, Mr. William Andi son went to work in the Fisher Store where he remained until 1919. With the death of C.W. Fisher, Mr. Andison went into partnership with C.W. ‘s brother Tom Fisher. Tom Fisher left to live in California, selling his interest to Mr. R.A Webster in 1922.

In 1916, Mr. R.A Webster bought the Cochrane Hotel, which had been closed due to prohibition and established the “People’s Cash Store” on the main floor. In 1921, he sold to the United Farmers of Alberta and when he returned to take over the store from the UFA in 1923, Mr. Andison joined him in the Cochrane Hotel here they operated as Webster and Andison.

In 1925, Mr. Webster bought the Fisher Block and moved the store back to the Fisher Block. Mr. Andison bought out Mr. Webster and operated the Wm. Andison Store. The Fisher Block burned in 1928 and Mr. Andison had a new store built on the site which reopened in the spring of 1929. In the meantime, he operated his store out of the Curling Rink. Mr. Andison operated Andison ‘s Store until 1955 at which time he retired and the business was taken over by his daughter Alice and son-in-law R.E. Moore. They operated Andison’s store until 1961 when with Alice’s cousin Joe Andison they had Moore’s Foodmaster built on the empty lot between Andison’s Store and the Elite Cafe. The original store was now operated as Andison ‘s Dry Goods. In 1972, Mr. Fred Keller took over Moore’s Foodmaster and it became known as M&K Supermarket. (see Cochrane Foodmaster Story)

In 1909, the Quigley brothers leased space in the Howard Block. In 1910, Stringer and Pfiefer took over the Quigley lease and operated the store until 1912 when it was taken over by Hall and Werner. They only operated it for one month when it closed in 1912.

In 1903, Mr. Andy Chapman opened a branch store for Mr. Dave White from Banff, Alberta. This store was located in the Andison Block on 1st street. Joe Howard bought White’s interest in 1904 and Mr. Chapman’s interest in 1905. In 1906, Mr. D. White and his partner Mr. Bain purchased the store from Joe Howard. J. Campbell, who was married to Mr. D. White’s sister managed the store for Mr. White and apparently bought the store in 1908. In 1911, Mr. Fred Maggs entered into partnership with Mr. Campbell, buying out Mr. White’s interest in 1915. Mr. Maggs operated the store until 1938 when he retired and sold the store to Wm. Andison. The Store was operated by Mr. E. Simpson as Simpson’s General Store until Mr. Jimmy MacKay bought his interest in 1948. Originally it was operated as a Red and White Store but in 1958 it became J .A. MacKay General Merchant. Jimmy and his wife Chris began making ice cream, using his grandmother’s recipe and the name was changed to MacKay’s Ice Cream as ice cream took over from the grocery business.

Butcher Shops

In 1904 a Butcher Shop was opened in the Fisher Block with Mr. Ernie Andison operating the business. (See Story) In 1907 he sold his interest to the Towers Brothers but continued to work in the shop.

In 1910, Mr. E.C. Johnson opened a Butcher Shop in the Howard Block and in 1914, Mr. A. Clarke took over the Butcher Shop and operated it until 1935 when it closed due to the depression. In 1916, Ernie Andison opened his own butcher shop in a store built by the Chapman Bros. This building was east of MacKay’s store. Mr. Joe Andison, son of Ernie entered into the business with his father. When Ernie died in 1959, Joe continued the business until 1961 when he moved his butcher shop into the new Moore’s Foodmaster Store. The old butcher shop became a plumbing and heating shop. When Moore’s Foodmaster became M &K Supermarket, Fred Keller was known for the quality of his meat in his butcher shop. Fred sold the Supermarket to Ian Brooked who continued to operate the store and butcher shop. Jimmy MacKay also had a butcher shop in his General Store. In 1965 Mr. and Mrs. G. Prescott opened R &G Meats in the Locker Plant. They continued to operate until around 1969. When the first strip Shopping Mall was built on 4th Avenue in the late 1970’s Murray and Pat Johnson opened Murray’s Meats in one of the Bays. Murray also offered delicatessen meats and was a favorite stopping place for the High School kids at lunchtime. They would come down the hill and stop at Murray’s to buy one of his great meat pies (which he heated in the microwave for them) and then on to the Red Rooster at the comer to get a coke or a slurpie. That was lunch and the old brown bag went by the wayside.

Locker Plant

Locker Plants existed due to the fact that there was no electricity in the rural areas and no home freezers made. Individuals could rent a locker and store their frozen foods in it. They would have a key to access the locker inside the larger freezer area. Cochrane’s Locker Plant was built in 1947 by Patterson and Cummings. They sold it to J. Korman in 1949. In the 1950’s and 1960’s Bill Beirle operated the plant and butchered and sold meat. In the mid 1960’s most of the rural homes had power and home freezer chests had become available making locker plants outdated and so they disappeared.

Bakery Shops

In 1912, there was a Bakery operated by G. Pitter, then there was note of a bakery run by J. Baillie. The location of the bakery was north of Ben’s Cozy Cabin, later Longbotham’s house. Later J. Baillie moved his shop into the Russell Hotel when it was converted into stores after prohibition came in during 1916. Mrs. Allan’s Tea Room also had a bakery and she was known for her wonderful meat pies and baked goods. In later years Annie Raby was often called upon to make and decorate Wedding Cakes. She was also known for her Christmas cakes. Annie operated out of her home. A bakery existed in the 1950’s and 1960’s in the old Pool Hall on 1st Ave West. When Moores bought out the buildings housing the Seven Star Cafe and the Plumbing and Heating on First Street West, the new portion of the Supermarket included a Bakery.

In the 1970’s when the new Cochrane Valley Shopping Centre was built Harry and Clara Shroeder opened a bakery in the new mall. Rudy and Lottie Wenger bought the business and ran the bakery for many years until it was sold in the 1980’s to John and Donna Coutts. John and Donna turned the business into “Friends Coffee Shoppe” and opened into the Laundromat next door which they also operated. They sold the business in the mid-1990’s and although it has changed hands a few times it is still operating.