Historic Sites of Manitoba: Inglis Building / North West Commercial Travellers’ Association Building (291 Garry Street, Winnipeg)

In 1908, tailor A. F. Thomas designed and built a one-storey café at 291 Garry Street. A few months later, he added 16 feet to the rear of the structure plus an upper storey, both designed by local architect John Danley Atchison. Four years later, the building was taken over by the tailoring firm of R. J. Inglis Company, which made extensive renovations to it, supervised by architect Herbert Bell Rugh. In 1916, Inglis built a 40-foot addition to the rear of the building, with two storeys plus mezzanine floors.

Inglis left the site in 1924 after which the building was vacant for several years before it was rented by the Army and Navy Veterans in Canada. In 1945, the building was purchased by the North West Commercial Travellers’ Association, and converted into office and a meeting hall. Subsequent main floor tenants included the Monarch Life Assurance Company, Fidelity Trust, and A & M Furniture Rental and Sales.

The building is a municipally-designated historic site. In 2018, an exterior renovation project received a Conservation Award from Heritage Winnipeg.

Inglis Building

Inglis Building (June 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Inglis Building commemorative plaque

Inglis Building commemorative plaque (September 2014)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89381, W97.14048
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: John Danley Atchison (1870-1959)

Memorable Manitobans: Herbert Bell Rugh (1879-1924)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Travellers’ Block (283 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

MHS Centennial Organization: North West Commercial Travellers’ Association of Canada

Sources:

North West Commercial Travellers' Association Building (291 Garry Street), City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, March 2002.

We thank George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 16 November 2021

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