169-175 E Hastings St

Designed in 1904 by architect A. Pare for McDowell, Atkins, Watson and Co., druggists, this building is typical of the two to three-storey buildings erected with a commercial operation on the main floor and accommodation above. By 1911, the drug store was owned by Owl Drug chain, one of several outlets in the Vancouver area.

The building’s simple architectural design reflects the growing trend of public taste from the highly decorated Victorian facades to the more refined ornament of the Edwardian era.

The building’s different uses also reflect changing development patterns in Vancouver. Although the early residents of the area had been chiefly male, the development of efficient transportation links meant that families could journey to the new city.

Businesses, which served the needs of female clients, soon were established. In this site, this included a fruit merchant and a clothing store. In the 1930s, the site became a confectionery with a restaurant. In the 1940s, the focus shifted to men’s activities with a billiard hall, a cigar shop and a shoeshine stand.

Source

Canada's Historic Places

More information

http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8288&pid=0