The Corner Store

A COMMUNITY STAPLE

Interior of the Corner Store at Maher and Hardy (now East End Variety) c.1940s

On loan from Claude Beaulne

Corner stores were also called variety stores, convenience stores, or some version of their hours of operation like “7-11.”

The most profitable items used to be cigarettes, but now include lottery tickets and beverages (including beer and wine).

The map of North Bay shows a large concentration of stores in the “East End”, an area from Main Street to Hwy. 11, east of Fisher. This was a working class neighbourhood where people lacked cars.

Soda Fountain Equipment

Equipment from the soda fountain at Demarco’s.

On loan from Lisa Demarco

Bill Booth’s Store

North Bay Museum Forder Collection

Did You Know…

• Pinehill Variety sponsored the AAA Midget hockey team. Their fondest memory is winning the Air Canada Cup, in a tournament here in North Bay, in 1984.

• Claude Beaulne of EastEnd Variety continues a tradition of offering lottery tickets from Rotary, Ferris Lions Club and the Paddle program.

• Demarco’s welcomed their customers with personalized mugs that were kept on shelves behind the soda bar.

Central Grocery at McIntyre and John, 1948

Courtesy of Nancy Bowers

Remember When…

“Mathieu’s Central Grocer was at the corner of McIntyre and John, and run by my grandmother Albertine Mathieu (Bertha) and the eldest son, my uncle Dan. They delivered groceries by bicycle. Then my Dad took it over in the 50’s. We lived in the back, then built the brick house next door.”

Nancy Bowers