This brick building on Hargrave Street (formerly Charlotte Street) in Winnipeg, measuring 33 feet by 99 feet, was built between late 1910 and early 1911 by the construction firm of Desrochers and Company for Joseph Ernest Guertin and his Western Paint Company at a cost of about $18,000. Initially a three-storey structure, a fourth storey was added in 1940 at a cost of about $9,000.
An iconic neon sign, featuring a kaleidoscopic logo topped with a cowboy hat, is attached to the front of the building. A heritage mural by Annie Bergen appears on the south exterior wall.
Western Paint Warehouse (1911)
Source: Manitoba Free Press, 20 May 1911, page 14.
Western Paint Warehouse (May 1940)
Source: Winnipeg Tribune, 23 May 1940, page 40.
Western Paint Warehouse (August 1940)
Source: Winnipeg Tribune, 31 August 1940, page 5.
Western Paint Warehouse (August 2018)
Source: George Penner
Western Paint Warehouse (March 2023)
Source: Jordan MakichukSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89965, W97.14352
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Manitoba Business: Desrochers and Company
Memorable Manitobans: Joseph Ernest Guertin (1878-1953)
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 3214/1910, City of Winnipeg Archives.
“Building permits total $14,000,000,” Manitoba Free Press, 28 November 1910, page 8.
“Our new address, The Westren Paint Co.,” Manitoba Free Press, 20 May 1911, page 3.
“New Warehouse of the Western Paint Company just recently completed,” Manitoba Free Press, 20 May 1911, page 14.
“Western Paint Co. Ltd.,” Winnipeg Tribune, 23 May 1940, page 40.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1682/1940, City of Winnipeg Archives.
“City building permits issued to date total $1,670,000,” Winnipeg Tribune, 6 July 1940, page 19.
“Western Paint Co. Ltd. announces the opening of enlarged premises,” Winnipeg Tribune, 31 August 1940, page 5.
This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk, George Penner, and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 17 February 2025
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