A two-storey brick building at Elie, in the Rural Municipality of Cartier, was built between 1907 and 1909 by merchant Edouard Bernardin and his wife Catherine. After Edouard died in 1927, Catherine continued to operate the store for another ten years. The building was then rented to Dr. J. Joseph Gonty who used it as his medical office and residence. In 1946, it was sold to Noel Girard and, two years later, its main floor was rented out to the Elie Co-op, as its building had been destroyed by fire. Girard later sold the store to Oris Aquin and Albe Legault who continued to rent it to the Co-op until 1953. It was sold to Aldea Houle in November 1953. The store obtained a liquor license for a vendor in the back of the building in 1960. Aldea then sold the store to her daughter Pauline and Marcel Bouchard in November 1970.
The store was sold to Doug and Helen Wedgewood in February 1985. It was owned from 1987 to 2022 by Russ and Anne Mierke who undertook considerable renovations. The front section of the store is original with pressed-metal ceiling tiles.
Elie General Store (August 2017)
Source: George Penner
Elie General Store (August 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Interior of Elie General Store where the front section is original (August 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Original ceiling tiles of Elie General Store (August 2019)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.90139, W97.75771
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Jean Joseph Gonty (1902-1970)
Treasures of Time: The Rural Municipality of Cartier 1914-1984, History Book Committee, Rural Municipality of Cartier, 1985, page 100. Manitoba Legislative Library.
We thank Kyra Mierke for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Rose Kuzina, George Penner, and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 17 September 2022
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