We’re looking at Jack’s Shoe Store, in business as long as anyone can remember but now just another shuttered store in another small prairie town. It’s a trend common out in rural parts and one by one they close and the local economic base shrinks yet again. Rinse and repeat. The statistics paint a worrying picture.
No matter how it’s sliced, there’s nothing remotely easy about running a retail establishment, regardless the location, but it’s doubly hard in a small town like Coronation Alberta. Here the population’s about nine hundred and the rural base adds a little more. That’s it.
The business first makes mention in old phone books in the late 1950s, as Jack’s Shoe Repair, but a few years later the name changed to what we see today. There are some missing years in the directories used in researching this piece, so we can’t be more precise. Interestingly, there was an earlier business in town called Jack’s Clothing Store with a phone number one digit different. It’s possible they’re connected.
Jack’s operated at least until the early 1990s (so at minimum 35 years in business) but some evidence suggests someone else took over, or some other business (junk or second hand store?) moved in for a time. Clearly there’s been no recent activity. Jack (Jacob) of Jack’s Shoe Store was in his mid-70s at the time he left and in addition to his shoe repair business he also did rural mail delivery. Sources: Jack’s 2006 obituary, online business directories and Google photo search.
The town’s water tower seen in back dates from the 1910s and it’s still in use. I think we’ll have to return to Coronation to check it out sometime when were not in such a rush.
Short Subjects: Reports that are short and sweet in nature. Think silly little snippets, vignettes and things of that sort. You’ll be in and out in no time.
Beer Parlour Project Friday🍺: The Thorsby Hotel, built in 1929 & a photo by the manager's 7 years old daughter. More below 👇
Agreema politely asked if she could shoot a few photos & we obliged. A dark environment like this is very unforgiving & the camera she used quite temperamental, so she did an amazing job. We're out of work as photographers! Great food at this place, BTW!
Beer Parlour Project Friday🍺: The Tofield Hotel, built in 1912 & patron Lana, shot on Rob's vintage view camera. More below 👇
She's a sweetie & met her late husband at the hotel. The building from the alley side hasn't changed much since being built but the front brickwork is now covered by siding.
Crossley slides (unrestored), an unnamed fellow snacking on Sun-Maid Raisins - mountains of BC - 1950s. More below 👇
The distinctive red box is instantly recognizable! The location is listed as the Whitewater Valley & we think it's in the Sandon area close to Retallack. Perhaps some of our friends out that way can confirm. Sandon B.C., would Hal know? Crossley frequented Sandon so the location makes sense. Note the (mine?) road cutting across the slope in back. The slide is dated 1955 in the catalogue but 1956 on the frame.
Shout out to: Jason Sailer. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
An old section of Highway #6 (BC) in the 1970s & 2021 - it's the second most shared post in our entire history! More below 👇
The original photo shows the road about the time it was decommissioned. This was always a troublesome section & so it got replaced by a new route further up the hill. While it hasn’t seen a car in eons, it remains overall in reasonable shape, save for some rockfall in places like this. These came down about ten years ago.
Happy Holidays from Off the Beaten Path w' Chris & Connie. Thanks for your continued support & encouragement. More 👇
🎄 🎄 🎄
CPKC's Holiday Train from a few nights ago. Rather than fight the crowds to see it, we wanted something a little more intimate. A bit of hike, but we brought mulled wine to help us keep warm while waiting. It's not a great shot & originally we had no intent to share it here, but what the heck.
Trainspotting is like fishing. It's not about the catch but rather getting out. If a train comes by, great, but if not, we had each other & a chance to get away from the day's problems. That's a BIG win in our books...even if we did freeze our bottoms off. _______
Out exploring with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Comments are currently turned off