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Difference between revisions of "P. R. Ritcey"
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| − | P. R. Ritcey & Co. Limited was a long-established retail and wholesale business in [[Kentville]] located immediately across | + | P. R. Ritcey & Co. Limited was a long-established retail and wholesale business in [[Kentville]] located immediately across Aberdeen Street from the [[Kentville Station]]. It began in 1871 when Thomas Lewis Dodge started a hardware and furniture business, at first on Main Street but after a fire in 1876, he built a large three-storey store across from the station,<ref>Mable Nichols, ''The Devil's Half Acre'' (1967), p. 159</ref> one of a wave of businesses that relocated near the station as Kentville's business district grew up around the railway following the completion of the Windsor & Annapolis in 1869. As his sons joined, the firm became the T. L. Dodge & Co. They served as agents for Massey Harris farm machinery and sold a wide array of hardware, paint, furniture and later groceries..<ref>Louis V. Comeau, ''Historic Kentville'', Nimbus (2003), p. 4</ref> The store bought up warehouses along the track to the east and grew along grew Aberdeen street, providing rental space to several other retail businesses such as tailors and restaurants. The firm was later known as the Supply Company and in the 20th century was bought by P. R. Ritcey who turned it into a grocery wholesaler known as P. R. Ritcey & Co Limited. After the collapse of the apple industry Ritcey bought Herbert Oyler's the adjoining brick tile apple warehouse. The firm remained active through the 1960s, receiving 5 to 10 cars a year.<ref>[[1969-MemoOfGenInfo|1969 Memorandum of General Information Corporate Info, page 8]]</ref> The store was demolished in the 1980s, but the old Oyler warehouse remains, now serving as Cleve's sporting goods. |
The store and warehouse were served by their own 457 foot long spur from a east facing switch on the north side of the mainline. The business location immediately beside the station resulted in its appearance in the background of many photographs taken of the station over the years. | The store and warehouse were served by their own 457 foot long spur from a east facing switch on the north side of the mainline. The business location immediately beside the station resulted in its appearance in the background of many photographs taken of the station over the years. | ||
Revision as of 21:42, 27 April 2013
P. R. Ritcey & Co. Limited was a long-established retail and wholesale business in Kentville located immediately across Aberdeen Street from the Kentville Station. It began in 1871 when Thomas Lewis Dodge started a hardware and furniture business, at first on Main Street but after a fire in 1876, he built a large three-storey store across from the station,[1] one of a wave of businesses that relocated near the station as Kentville's business district grew up around the railway following the completion of the Windsor & Annapolis in 1869. As his sons joined, the firm became the T. L. Dodge & Co. They served as agents for Massey Harris farm machinery and sold a wide array of hardware, paint, furniture and later groceries..[2] The store bought up warehouses along the track to the east and grew along grew Aberdeen street, providing rental space to several other retail businesses such as tailors and restaurants. The firm was later known as the Supply Company and in the 20th century was bought by P. R. Ritcey who turned it into a grocery wholesaler known as P. R. Ritcey & Co Limited. After the collapse of the apple industry Ritcey bought Herbert Oyler's the adjoining brick tile apple warehouse. The firm remained active through the 1960s, receiving 5 to 10 cars a year.[3] The store was demolished in the 1980s, but the old Oyler warehouse remains, now serving as Cleve's sporting goods.
The store and warehouse were served by their own 457 foot long spur from a east facing switch on the north side of the mainline. The business location immediately beside the station resulted in its appearance in the background of many photographs taken of the station over the years.
Gallery
Kentville Station, circa 1942 with P. R. Ritcey store in right background.
Box car unloading at the P. R. Ritcey spur east of the Station, July 1958.
Kentville Station, circa 1970 with P. R. Ritcey store in right background.
No. 9059 at Kentville Station on an evening in January 1977 with P. R. Ritcey store in right background.
References and Footnotes
- ↑ Mable Nichols, The Devil's Half Acre (1967), p. 159
- ↑ Louis V. Comeau, Historic Kentville, Nimbus (2003), p. 4
- ↑ 1969 Memorandum of General Information Corporate Info, page 8
