Historic Sites of Manitoba: Stovel Block / Kay Building (245 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg)

In 1893, this two-storey structure on McDermot Avenue in Winnipeg, designed by Hugh McCowan, was built by local builder Daniel David Wood on the north side of McDermot Avenue for the printing and publishing firm of Stovel Company, run by brothers John Stovel, Augustus Breathwaite Stovel, and Chester David Stovel.

By 1900, the firm had outgrown its space so an additional two floors were added, again designed by McCowan. The building also housed the editorial office of Der Nordwesten, a German-language weekly newspaper, and other businesses.

In mid-1916, a fire gutted the building. The Stovels rebuilt between 1916 and 1917, with work done by the Sutherland Construction Company, but did not reoccupy the block, instead moved to space elsewhere. The property was sold in 1940 to Kay’s Limited, a dry goods firm. The building is a municipally-designated historic site.

Stovel Block

Stovel Block (circa 1901)
Source: “Caverhill, Learmont & Co.: Wholesale Hardware and Metal Merchants: Catalogue No. 40: Montreal, Canada, 1901” (page 6)

Stovel Block

Stovel Block (circa 1903)
Source: An Illustrated Souvenir of Winnipeg by W. A. Martel & Sons.

Kay Building

Kay Building (April 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Kay Building

Kay Building (December 2018)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89733, W97.14106
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Stovel Printing Company

Manitoba Business: Sutherland Construction Company

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Stovel Printing Building (365 Bannatyne Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Memorable Manitobans: Hyman Kay (1887-1969)

Sources:

Stovel Block / Kay Building (245 McDermot Avenue), Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, July 1998.

We thank Orest Kinasevych and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 15 January 2023

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