Historic Sites of Manitoba: Taylor Building (177 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg)

Erected by businessman and politician Thomas William Taylor in 1882, this building was home for his printing business until 1968, though Taylor himself died in 1924. The firm specialized in bookbinding and the printing of account books, legal forms, and blank cheques, as well as a range of other printing services, and it operated until 1968 under proprietor William Chandler Birt.

With redevelopment of the area in the early 1970s, the building housed an art studio and interior design firm, later a restaurant, modelling academy, and fitness studio. A municipally-designated historic site, it was damaged by fire in August 2025.

Taylor Building (April 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Taylor Building (January 2021) Source: George Penner Taylor Building after a fire (November 2026) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89720, W97.13763 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Thomas William Taylor (1852-1924)

Memorable Manitobans: William Chandler Birt (1880-1968)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

T. W. Taylor Building (177 McDermot Avenue), Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee.

“‘It’s pretty bad’: Johnny G’s restaurant in Exchange burns in early morning fire,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 August 2025.

We thank George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 4 November 2026

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