Historic Vancouver Photos

[officedweller]

Excavation of the 3rd CP Station :

https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/cons...-of-third-cpr-station-site-excavation-42

Another pic of the station showing the platforms.
https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/cpr-vancouver-terminal

https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/canadian-pacific-railway-vancouver-passenger-terminal

[jollyburger]

Vancouver in the 1970s



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/nst-5535

[officedweller]

Here's a pic of that unique retail facade on Hastings St:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXr7NkGE7pB/?igsh=dTBrNGV1N2V5NGhs

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Here's a pic of that unique retail facade on Hastings St:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXr7NkGE7pB/?igsh=dTBrNGV1N2V5NGhs

That project is still on the market the last time I checked.

Image of it under construction in 1948?

https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/corn...ngs-where-first-survey-stake-was-located

Better photo of the building



https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/neon-products-of-western-canada-tip-top-tailors-front

The store design of a Tip Top Tailor (inside an Eatons?) is also quite interesting for the 1940s

https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/tip-top-tailors-for-t-eaton-co-interiors-floors-etc

[officedweller]

That looks like a former theatre with the stairs - so could it be the Hastings store?
Was that a theatre before?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by officedweller

That looks like a former theatre with the stairs - so could it be the Hastings store?
Was that a theatre before?

No, Tip Top commissioned the design for their new store in 1948. They had been in the city since the 1920s, and this was their first purpose-built premises. They hired Charles Bentall to design and build it - he was an engineer, not an architect, and his Dominion Construction company were the builders.

I'm not sure why the Archives have the Eaton reference, but Tip Top were independent, based in Toronto. The link is to the interior of the 1948 store - it's also shown in newspaper articles from the store opening. Tip Top bought out rival tailors William Dick in the 1950s and sold this building off in 1955, moving across the street.

There's a longer version of the story on the Changing Vancouver blog.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

No, Tip Top commissioned the design for their new store in 1948. They had been in the city since the 1920s, and this was their first purpose-built premises. They hired Charles Bentall to design and build it - he was an engineer, not an architect, and his Dominion Construction company were the builders.

I'm not sure why the Archives have the Eaton reference, but Tip Top were independent, based in Toronto. The link is to the interior of the 1948 store - it's also shown in newspaper articles from the store opening. Tip Top bought out rival tailors William Dick in the 1950s and sold this building off in 1955, moving across the street.

There's a longer version of the story on the Changing Vancouver blog.

Such a cool design for a purpose-built retail store. I suspect most, like me, assumed it had been a movie theatre.

[officedweller]

Thanks for the info!