In 1903, this six-storey brick warehouse was constructed for the Kemp Manufacturing Company, a metal goods manufacturer from Ontario, on a design by Winnipeg architect James H. Cadham. The builders were Philip Burnett and Sinclair Ritchie.
In the late 1920s, the firm amalgamated with McClary Manufacturing and Thomas Davidson Manufacturing to create General Steel Wares Limited. It occupied the building into the 1950s. Built in three stages, the northeast part facing McDermot Avenue came first. In 1906, a southwest addition faced Lombard Avenue. Finally, a southeast addition was designed by architect James McDiarmid and built in 1911 by the construction firm of Frid-Lewis.
In the 1950s, the building was sold to Gaylord Limited and occupied by a series of companies. A retail furniture store owned and occupied the building since the 1970s. It is a municipally-designated historic site.
Kemp Block (June 2014)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Kemp Block (February 2021)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89572, W97.13483
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Thomas Davidson Warehouse / Falcon Hardware Building (515 Waterfront Drive, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites
Kemp Building (Gaylord Block), 111 Lombard Avenue, City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, September 2011.
We thank Nathan Kramer and George Penner for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 30 September 2022
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