Commercial Street circa 1965
While pondering downtown Nanaimo and all our efforts to 'rejuvenate' it my thinker drifted back to the late 1960's and early 1970's when the downtown Nanaimo I remember was far more vibrant than it is today in spite of all our efforts to breathe life back into it.
There is an interesting facebook group that is a treasure trove of Nanaimo memories which I asked to list all of the businesses they remember being on Commercial Street. The following list, which strays a bit off Commercial Street gives an idea of just why Commercial St. really was commercial.
The wide variety of stores that once occupied would rival any 'mix' you will find in any mall anywhere today. I invite anyone to add to the list any businesses that have been missed.
- A&B Sound
- AC Taxi Stand
- Andersons Clothing
- Around the World Travel
- Bank of Hong Kong
- Bank of Nova Scotia
- Bank of B.C.
- Bay's Cafe
- BC Hydro
- Block Bros.Realty
- Brewsters Fabrics
- Brian Ball's Office Supply
- Budget Centa Tax
- Central Pharmacy
- Charlie Yorks
- Charlie Yorks Childrens Clothing
- Commercial Pawn
- Copp Shoes
- Dakins Camera
- Diners Rendezvous
- Eatons
- Fiesta Lanes
- Fiesta Theatres
- Fletchers Furniture
- Fletchers Music
- Galloway Meats
- Glenn's Sandwiches by China Steps
- Grassicks Jewelers
- Harding and Son Jewelers
- Heavy Eddy's
- Home Hardware
- Hoppers Jewelers
- Horizon Imports
- Islander Cafe
- Jean Burns
- Johnson's Hardware
- Kellers Jewelers
- Kelly's Audio Underground
- Ken Maycock Optical
- Ken Thompson Men's Wear
- Kennedy's Drug Store
- Laurentide Finance
- Lindays Stationary
- Malaspina Florist
- Manfred Meyers Jewelry
- Marshall Wells
- Metropolitan
- Modern Cafe
- Mr. Mikes Steakhouse
- Mrs. Martin's Hat Store
- Nanaimo Florists
- Nanaimo Realty
- Nanaimo Sewing and Sound
- Nanaimo Smoke Shop
- Nanaimo Sportsman
- Nanaimo Pharmacy
- Nash's Hardware
- Overwaitea
- Ostles Gas Station
- Penny's Florist
- Pet Shop (China Steps)
- Purdy's Chocolates
- Quinn's Jewelers
- Ross Paints
- Royal Bank
- Sam Lees
- Sally Shop
- Scotch Bakery
- Sears
- Serendipity
- Singer's Store
- Skyline Cafe
- Sports Centre Billiards
- Steve's Coffee Bar
- Sweet 16
- Terminal Hotel
- Terminal Restaurant
- The Daily Free Press
- The Fun Centre
- The Longhouse
- The Nanaimo Times
- The Smoke Shop (Gordon St.)
- The Tux Shop (Fred Meyers?)
- Willing Wayne The Discounter
- Woolworths
- Yales Shoes
- Yoxal's Deli
I don't like downtown, its dirty and I feel unsafe, quite a few dark places and sketchy people on the street. Maybe because of the Y and the casino and low income area surrounding it. "Back in the day" it was probably a much more upscale type of folk living and working there.
ReplyDeleteGreat memories sneaking out of the office in late 60's....our office was in the photo
ReplyDeleteand it was a matter of steps to the Palace Hotel where my boss taught me how to play shuffleboard in mid afternoons. Was a lot of fun coming back to the office as well. (we were beside House of Stein).