Sunday, May 14, 2017

70 Lansdowne Avenue - Reid and Reed Market / Jumbo Foods

© 2017, Christian Cassidy
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.9260371,-97.116681,3a,75y,227.43h,89.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqaIuWJ4WQSgG4IHCdNY_9g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1
Top: May 14, 2017
Bottom: Ca. 2015, Google Street View

Place: Reed and Reid market / Jumbo Foods
Address: 70 Lansdowne Avenue (Map)
Constructed: ca. 1909
Architect: Unknown

January 29, 1912, Winnipeg Free Press

The building first appears in the Henderson Directory of 1909 as home to Isaac Madnitzky, grocer. Hyman B Goldstein and William Goldstein, a carpenter, lived in the house at the back.

by 1911, Annie Arkin is listed as the live-in proprietor.

The first longer-term owner came in 1912 with Edmund Hunt, a shoemaker, who both lived and operated his shop from here. The Hunts also took in lodgers, that first year they included Edmund Moran, an Eaton’s clerk, and C. Stacey, a streetcar conductor. 

Hunt called this address home until around 1917 when he moved to Inskster Boulevard and the store appears to have closed. 

There is no listing for this address from 1918 – 1920 but in 1921 it reopened under a series of short term owners: 1921 - Smith and Kaulfold Meat Market; 1922 - Philip and Retson Grocery; 1923 - H. A. Sorenson Grocers; 1925 - R. Fisher Grocery and Meats. 

Fisher, who lived at 77 Inkster Boulevard, changed the name of the store in 1926 to Smithfield Market, which was the name of a large commercial meat market in London.

Top: March 21, 1927, Winnipeg Tribune
Middle: September 29, 1936, Winnipeg Free Press
Bottom:  October 18, 1941, Winnipeg Tribune

In 1927, two new owners stepped in They were Joseph Reid of 77 McAdam Avenue and Charles Reed of 155 Inkster Boulevard.

In Henderson Directories, the building continued to be listed as Smithfield Market through the 1930s. In newspapers, though, the men went by Reid and Reed Market.

John A. Stalker of 143 Luxton Avenue was their long-time meat clerk.

The store had a quiet existence during its Reid and Reed period. There were no robberies or fires, just a break-in in 1937 when thieves stole some tobacco.

Ad, December 1919

Joseph Reid was the elder of the business partners.

Born around 1886 in Cookstown, Northern Ireland, he came to Winnipeg in 1900 and shortly after began working in the grocery business for the W. H. Stone Co. 

Stone started his grocery business in 1887. By 1911, he had expanded his original store at Main and Atlantic and added another one at Main and Bannerman. By 1919, there was a third location on Corydon Avenue. 

Joseph's wife, Jemima, came to Winnipeg from Caven, Ireland, around 1912. After they married, they settled at 77 McAdam Avenue and had at least three children: Myra, William and Joseph. 

The Reids were heavily involved in St. John’s Anglican Cathedral

Jemima died in 1939 and Joseph died on June 3, 1950, at the age of 64.

April 29, 1921, Winnipeg Tribune

Charles Reed was born in Dublin, Ireland and came to Canada in 1912 at the age of ten. The family settled at 155 Inkster Boulevard.

In 1921, Reed's father committed suicide in the Red River after, it seems, he was in the early stages of dementia. He left a note for the family, wife Mary and six children, asking their forgiveness, but he did not want them to see him deteriorate.

Charles stayed living at the family home with his mother even after marrying Catherine Matheson and having children of their own. (Another son, George, also remained at the family home and also married a Matheson.)

On March 29, 1937, Charles and Catherine became parents to premature twin daughters. Sadly, it appears both died shortly after birth. In April 23, 1941, they had another daughter, Evelyn, who survived.

The Reeds were very involved in St. John’s Anglican Cathedral.

Charles continued to run the business after the death of Reid until his retirement in 1961. He died at the family home in 1973 at the age of 71.


In 1961, the store was sold to Franciszek (Frank) and Krystyna Partyka who changed the name to F P Foods.

The following year, he had the old living quarters demolished and a new, 20' x 35', two-storey addition was added. Here, the family would raise their six children.

Frank was born and raised in Poland but fled the country during World War II. While travelling Europe to escape Nazi rule, he met and married Krystyna, also from Poland.

In 1947, he came to Manitoba with Krystyna's oldest brother. Frank first worked on farms, in the pulp and paper industry, and then in a foundry in Winnipeg before feeling settled enough to send for his wife.

The Partykas retired in 1979, the same year Mrs. Partyka became ill and died of cancer. Frank died on November 3, 2001.

The name F P Food Market carried on through the 1980s under the Ayon family from the Philippines.

Through the 2000s the store was known as Jumbo Foods.


The store and living quarters were sold in September 2016 and are undergoing exterior renovations.

It was during these renovations that the above signage was revealed. Given the five digit phone number, the painted signs could date anywhere from the late 1920s to mid 1940s.

In a recent news story, the owner told CTV that he will be having the sign cut from the front of the building and mounted on the St. Cross elevation as part of the renovations.

7 comments:

  1. Too bad the old signage could not removed and preserved by the Manitoba Museum or some other historical entity.

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  2. Well, in this article it states that the owner will move the signage to the side of the building. http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/old-sign-found-during-construction-on-convenience-store-1.3415086

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  3. That was my grandfathers store (Charles Reed) his memory lives on through my newborn son Daniel Reed Wengel born April 26 2017. Charles Reed was a good man and very well respected in the community....I hope my son will follow in his footsteps.

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  4. My Mom wrote this:

    "That was my Father’s store. He was a hardworking man who had many loyal customers. He employed a full time butcher, clerk and delivery boy. Customers could phone in their orders and have them delivered for free. When his clerk took holidays I helped out in the store. My mother was his accountant/bookkeeper. She was a descendant of the stone mason who built Lower Fort Garry and other historical buildings in Manitoba. Thank you for writing the article about my father’s store. I have other information if you are interested.
    Charles Reed would be proud of his namesakes. He has 4 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. His 2 grandsons carry one of his names. His 3 great grandsons also carry one of his names. His memory will be carried on.
    Evelyn Reed"

    ReplyDelete
  5. The owners did not move the signs. They were covered over by vinyl siding. As of today, the store is being gutted of its fittings including the freezers. Future plans are unknown.

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  6. The city permit posted in the window indicates that the former store is to be converted into a residential unit.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks everyone for your comments on this building. At least the sign is protected for now. Unfortunately, the city has no museum or heritage wing tasked with saving stuff like this, so it's a case of covering it over or throwing it away.

    To the grandchild of Mr. Reed who commented above ... the grandchild of Mr. Reid contacted me and would like to get in touch! If you are interested in being put in touch, please email me. You'll find the address in the "Contact Me" button in the right hand column.

    ReplyDelete