In recognition of Wallaceburg’s 150th anniversary this year, the Wallaceburg & District Museum has launched a new feature on social media: ‘150 Facts, for 150 Years’.
Here is one of their recent posts:
Shaw’s Hardware was part of the business community on James Street for 99 years until the owners Joe and Dorothy Shaw retired on April 30th, 1977. They were the third generation to have the store, which was opened by Joe’s grandfather, J.C. Shaw in 1878.
The original store was located near the corner of James and Nelson, but in 1910, they moved to the site of the old J.W. Husband& Son store where it remained until closure.
Joe was interviewed in 1977 by the Courier Press and recalled his memories of the many years he spent at the store. During the days when coal and wood burners were used to heat homes and businesses, Shaw’s would stay open late on Wednesdays and Saturdays. “Those nights, you come to work all dressed up, ‘cause you knew you wouldn’t be doing any work or selling anything – those were visiting nights. By 8 0 clock, there’d always be eight or nine people sitting around the stove visiting.”
In those days, the store opened from 7am – often staying open until 11pm. The long hours took their toll and merchants petitioned to the town fathers for earlier closing.
The generations of the Shaw family saw the needs of the customers change throughout the years.
Shaw’s Hardware was part of the business community on James Street for 99 years until the owners Joe and Dorothy Shaw retired on April 30th, 1977. They were the third generation to have the store, which was opened by Joe’s grandfather, J.C. Shaw in 1878.
The original store was located near the corner of James and Nelson, but in 1910, they moved to the site of the old J.W. Husband& Son store where it remained until closure.
Joe was interviewed in 1977 by the Courier Press and recalled his memories of the many years he spent at the store. During the days when coal and wood burners were used to heat homes and businesses, Shaw’s would stay open late on Wednesdays and Saturdays. “Those nights, you come to work all dressed up, ‘cause you knew you wouldn’t be doing any work or selling anything – those were visiting nights. By 8 0 clock, there’d always be eight or nine people sitting around the stove visiting.”
In those days, the store opened from 7am – often staying open until 11pm. The long hours took their toll and merchants petitioned to the town fathers for earlier closing.
The generations of the Shaw family saw the needs of the customers change throughout the years.
The first picture shows Joe Shaw on the final transaction of the business to Ralph Haycock before closure on April 30, 1977.
If you have an old photo, or video, that you would like to see on the Sydenham Current, let us know by sending us an email to sydenhamcurrent@gmail.com.
