Black & White Grocery (Ramsay) in B&W

In the days before 7-11s and Circle Ks (or earlier Mac’s), you might shop for convenience goods at local mom and pop corner store located right in your own neighbourhood. They were everywhere and a place to pick up a jug or loaf on the way home from work. The owners probably knew you and the family by name and it felt comfortable. Today we’ll be looking at just such a place, Black & White Grocery in Calgary’s old Ramsay neighbourhood.

At the time of our visit in 2015, the store had recently closed after being in business sixty plus years, but everything must come to an end we suppose. More recently, the building was torn down after being empty for years. The plans were to incorporate it into a residential complex, but that never happened. Too far gone structurally and beyond saving they said.

Black & White Grocery, or any of its contemporaries, were a magnet for kids who’d flock to buy candy and which sold like crazy. A penny, dime or quarter at a time. Lotto and smokes were big sellers. In the old days meat and produce were often available, but later on it seemed junk food filled the shelves.

Few of these stores remain anywhere and Calgary has less than a handful. One, within shouting distance of Black & White Grocery, recently closed. Now a nearby chain convenience store is the only neighbourhood option.

Black & White Grocery dates back to the 1940s and common for the time, there’s a residence in behind for the owners. These people, along with their families, typically, were also the employees. It’s a short commute to work. Our visit the building was adorned with old coke signs, more throwbacks to another era, but these and everything else up there were removed shortly after.

It only seems fitting that given the store’s name (officially Black & White Meat, Grocery and Confectionery) that images be shot in monotone. Or is that too formulaic? They were captured on a cheap snapshot camera, the light conditions were horrible, but given the place is now gone, we thought they were worth sharing again.

A few blocks away…
MacDonald Bridge Calgary ~70 Years Apart.
Doherty Hall @ Stampede Youth Campus.
Nobody’s Home: Ramsay.

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Date of adventure: March, 2015.
Location: Ramsay neighbourhood, Calgary Alberta.

At Black & White Grocery, Ramsay Calgary (2015).

It had closed after 60+ years a few months prior.

It’s gone now.