St. Mary's Departmental Store

The St. Mary’s Departmental Store is a two-storey brick structure, completed in 1905, that occupies a large corner lot at the intersection of Bowlen and Cliffe streets in Fredericton. Architect William E. Minue from the former community of Gibson designed the store for Fredericton merchant C.H. Thomas.

The heritage value of this substantial brick structure resides not only in its expression of local design and building skill, but in its location and original use and function. In 1904, Charles H. Thomas, the visionary behind the St. Mary’s Departmental Store, hired local architect, William E. Minue, to sketch the design plans. John Maxwell, prominent local stone mason, completed the brick work on this structure. This was the second time that William Minue and John Maxwell had worked together. Maxwell built the Hartt Boot & Shoe Factory in 1899 from Minue’s architectural plans.

The St. Mary’s Departmental Store officially opened on 5 May, 1905. Not only was the building modern in every respect, but with more than half a dozen departments, this store promised to satisfy every consumer. This building stood as a symbol of progress and prosperity for the former village of St. Mary’s. Mr. Thomas had conceived of a department store on a grand scale which would serve the residents of both St. Mary’s and Fredericton. Its location at the end of the Fredericton-St. Mary’s bridge ensured a healthy flow of consumer traffic.

The St. Mary’s Departmental Store temporarily closed in 1909, only to open the following year under new management. In the ensuing decades, this substantial building housed a number of business interests. During the 1940’s, this building contained the law offices of Whitman A. Haines and the Bank of Commerce, in addition to the Alexandria Lodge. For a brief period before the 1945 Devon-Fredericton Amalgamation, this building housed the Devon Town Council Offices.

Source: City of Fredericton, Local Historic Places Files

The character-defining elements associated with the St. Mary’s Departmental Store include:

- rectangular two-storey brick structure;

- strategic corner entrance with additional entrances on the Bowlen Street and Cliffe Street façades;

- large rectangular windows, regularly spaced;

- flat roof with simple overhanging cornice;

- storefront cornice over the corner entrance and extending into the street façades;

- historic location near the former highway bridge;

- location upon a large corner lot.