Manitoba Historical Society
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Historic Sites of Manitoba: Safeway Store No. 507 / Storr’s Drug Store (893 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg)

This one-storey brick building on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg, measuring 32 feet by 80 feet, was constructed in 1929, at a cost of about $12,000, by contractor William Arthur Irish. Opened officially on 2 November 1929, it was one of the first nine stores built in the city for Safeway Stores Limited. The grocery store chain occupied the building until 1951, when it became home to Storr’s Drug Store. It operated here until 1975.

Former Safeway store on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg

Former Safeway store on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg (May 2019)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88568, W97.16995
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: William Arthur Irish (1872-1941)

Manitoba Business: Safeway Stores Limited

Sources:

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 3148/1929, City of Winnipeg Archives.

“Safeway stores receive four building permits,” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 July 1929, page 3.

[Safeway advertisement], Winnipeg Tribune, 1 November 1929, page 7.

“For Easter … It’s Swift’s premium ham,” Winnipeg Tribune, 8 April 1936, page 12.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

Former Safeway at 893 Portage gets a makeover” by Christian Cassidy, West End Dumplings.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough, Nathan Kramer, and George Penner.

Page revised: 10 March 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

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