© 2026, Christian Cassidy
.jpg)
Address: 245 Donald Street, (Map)
Constructed: 1926
Architect: Pratt and Ross
Contractors: James Reid (excavation), Wallace and Aikins Ltd. (construction)
Cost: $57,000
The first business to open here was Gibson's Bowladrome on January 6, 1927 in the basement level, which was numbered 351 Donald Street. It was a 20-alley bowling parlour with a lunch counter and confectionery store, and the third bowling venue owned and operated by Charlie Gibson.
As the building was still under construction, only eight alleys opened that night. This was just enough to serve the two bowling leagues that had registered to use the space.
Gibson's sons, Leslie, Ray, and Ormee, took over the bowling chain in 1958 and ran it until the last brother died in 1972. The Bowladrome was closed by 1974.
The anchor tenant of the building, which took up 8,000 square feet of the main floor, was the Province of Manitoba Savings Office, which opened on April 1, 1927.
The bank was established by the province in 1920 with the motto "Conducted to foster the thrift and welfare of the people". Its deposits were used mainly to fund rural and agricultural loans where credit was tougher to come by. (Ontario and Alberta also had provincial banks for much the same purpose.)
It opened two branches in Winnipeg, one downtown and one in the North End, as well as in Brandon, Portage, Stonewall, Dauphin, and Ethelbert. The downtown branch was on the main floor of the Lindsay Building. It got a good deal by moving, as it paid $1,250 per month for its new $8,000 square feet versus $964 per month for 3,857 square feet at its old location.
By 1924, the Provincial Savings Office boasted 24,000 depositors, more than $9 million on deposit, and a surplus of $60,000. By the start of 1927, it had 37,000 depositors and $15 million on deposit.
April 28, 1932, Winnipeg Tribune
Manitoba's Savings Office closed abruptly in February 1932. A government committee that looked into the closure identified six men, including two Conservative MLAs, a Conservative MP, and the provincial organiser for the Conservative party, who spread rumours that the bank "was broke" and urged friends and colleagues to withdraw their cash.
The rumours spread rapidly through rural communities and created a run on the bank, causing its temporary closure. It never reopened.
The committee found that the bank was not broke. Any transactions, its liquidity, and the government credit backing it up in case of an emergency were all within legal parameters. It seems the Conservatives were merely trying to embarrass John Bracken's Liberal-Progressive coalition government.
Within days of the closure, the accounts of its depositors were transferred to private banks and nobody lost any money.
The Cave supper club opened in 1935 in the old Savings Office and some of the retail shop space. The club was owned by Max King and was notable for its cave-like interior using burlap covered with plaster and mood lighting. King opened a Cave in Vancouver and Edmonton a couple of years later.
There was a local house orchestra and nightly floor show, but the Cave did not bring in many top acts like other supper clubs in the city. Its fare more often resembled that of a vaudeville show than a night club.
One July 1942 offering included Shirley Bush, military tap dancer, Wilfrid Dubois, juggler, and the De Sylva Twins dance duo. Singer and comedian Hattie Noel appeared at the Cave in January 1941 and was so popular that she was booked for a two-week stay the following year.
The imported floor shows trailed off due to the difficulty in booking travelling acts during the war. It was then left to local singers and musicians to take up the slack.
A fire destroyed the interior of the Cave in December 1944. The other businesses in the building, Ida McCullough's millinery shop and the Bowladrome, got smoke and water damage. The club was renovated and reopened a few months later.
The Cave's lease was not renewed, and it closed in May 1947.
In 1956, Investors began construction on a custom-built office building on Broadway and vacated 345 Donald in late 1957.
In 1959, another provincial government agency, this time the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission, leased the entire main floor of the Herzig Building to be its only downtown liquor store, replacing a much smaller one on Fort Street. It would also be home to the MLCC's liquor enforcement inspectors.
Manitoba Liquor Control Commission Store No. 2, as it was officially known, opened on November 16, 1959, and caused instant traffic chaos. The agency intended to purchase a neighbouring service station lot, but that deal fell through at the last minute. As a result, the store had no customer parking.
Liquor shopping at that time was much quicker than today, as there was no store to browse around. You walked in, wrote what you wanted on a slip, brought it to the counter, and someone fetched it from the back for you.
It was immediately found that customers were not going to pay for parking in a commercial lot a block or two away for a five-minute transaction. Instead, they parked in loading zones, double-parked on the street, or circled the block endlessly waiting for a meter to open up.
The city was unimpressed by the gridlock that had been created. In early 1960, it converted the dozen parking meters nearest the store to 15-minutes only. This angered other retailers near the intersection whose customer required more time in their stores.
The MLCC began planning for a new "self-serve" liquor store in the area in 1973. Continued parking woes and a doubling of its lease rate meant that the Herzig Building was not in consideration. It instead chose a former service station site a block away at Ellice and Hargrave and designed it with eleven customer parking spots out front. It opened on September 3, 1974.
The next major tenant opened in June 1975 and took up the whole main floor and basement.
In the early morning of March 11, 1975, a fire started in the floor below a beauty salon in a two-storey building at Portage Avenue and Colony Street. It made its way into the neighbouring United Army Surplus Sales and created a small inferno. Three businesses were completely burned out, and several others suffered smoke and water damage.
Owners Ned and Fred Begoch vowed to rebuild at the Portage and Colony site and the new store opened in March 1978. They operated both stores, plus a third in Garden City Square that opened in 1985, through to 1986 when the 245 Donald Street location closed.
When United Army Surplus closed, the building was ready for another reset.
Crystal Palace Snooker Lounge and Deli was created in 1981 at 299 Kennedy Street. It moved into larger premises at 345 Donald in late 1985, and by February 1986 was hosting the Manitoba Open snooker championship.
An early owner was Henry Nogiec, who was well-known in the Canadian snooker community and at times represented Manitoba at national events. By the early 1990s, the owners were Ron Brown and Wayne Clisy.
Crystal Palace closed around 1996.
October 19, 1985, Winnipeg Free Press
The Free Press did not cover the grand opening, nor did Giant Tiger take out any ads, but the store opened in late 2002 or early 2003.
In July 2026, it was announced that the store will close on November 7, 2026. It provided no reason, just to say that the decision to close a store is "never made lightly". (Unlike the closure of its store in The Pas on July 31, 2026, there was no press release issued.)
What's next for the former Herzig Building? Given its eclectic history, it could be anything, really!
Cost: $57,000
Streetscape ca 1915. Knox Church bottom right. (McInnis postcard collection)
In May 1926, New York-based developer B. H. Herzig purchased land at the northeast corner of Donald Street and Ellice Avenue. The lot was home to the third iteration of Knox Presbyterian Church until it sold the property in 1914 to fund the construction of its present building overlooking Central Park.
Herzig, who had been coming to Winnipeg for years, usually to attend fur auctions, said this was the first year where he felt the city's future prospects and the low cost of land were the right combination to purchase. He said: "There is no limit to the money which we will put into our proposed building so long as the property will give an equitable return for the investment.". Ideas he floated included a hotel, apartments or commercial block.
In the first week of September 1926, a $37,000 building permit was issued to Herzig's newly created Donald Realty Corporation and local real estate firm Aronovitch and Leipsic for a single-storey with full basement block designed by local architects Pratt and Ross.
It would be constructed of brick and concrete and measure 117 x 120 feet. James Reid began excavation right away and Wallace and Aikins Ltd. began construction by the end of the month.
Given Herzig's hope for the lot, the building may have been constructed so that additional floors could be added later, something not uncommon at the time.
March 9, 1926, Winnipeg Tribune
It would be constructed of brick and concrete and measure 117 x 120 feet. James Reid began excavation right away and Wallace and Aikins Ltd. began construction by the end of the month.
Given Herzig's hope for the lot, the building may have been constructed so that additional floors could be added later, something not uncommon at the time.
February 11, 1927, Winnipeg Tribune
The first business to open here was Gibson's Bowladrome on January 6, 1927 in the basement level, which was numbered 351 Donald Street. It was a 20-alley bowling parlour with a lunch counter and confectionery store, and the third bowling venue owned and operated by Charlie Gibson.
As the building was still under construction, only eight alleys opened that night. This was just enough to serve the two bowling leagues that had registered to use the space.
Gibson's sons, Leslie, Ray, and Ormee, took over the bowling chain in 1958 and ran it until the last brother died in 1972. The Bowladrome was closed by 1974.
July 3, 1928, Winnipeg Tribune
The anchor tenant of the building, which took up 8,000 square feet of the main floor, was the Province of Manitoba Savings Office, which opened on April 1, 1927.
The bank was established by the province in 1920 with the motto "Conducted to foster the thrift and welfare of the people". Its deposits were used mainly to fund rural and agricultural loans where credit was tougher to come by. (Ontario and Alberta also had provincial banks for much the same purpose.)
It opened two branches in Winnipeg, one downtown and one in the North End, as well as in Brandon, Portage, Stonewall, Dauphin, and Ethelbert. The downtown branch was on the main floor of the Lindsay Building. It got a good deal by moving, as it paid $1,250 per month for its new $8,000 square feet versus $964 per month for 3,857 square feet at its old location.
By 1924, the Provincial Savings Office boasted 24,000 depositors, more than $9 million on deposit, and a surplus of $60,000. By the start of 1927, it had 37,000 depositors and $15 million on deposit.
April 28, 1932, Winnipeg Tribune
Manitoba's Savings Office closed abruptly in February 1932. A government committee that looked into the closure identified six men, including two Conservative MLAs, a Conservative MP, and the provincial organiser for the Conservative party, who spread rumours that the bank "was broke" and urged friends and colleagues to withdraw their cash.
The rumours spread rapidly through rural communities and created a run on the bank, causing its temporary closure. It never reopened.
The committee found that the bank was not broke. Any transactions, its liquidity, and the government credit backing it up in case of an emergency were all within legal parameters. It seems the Conservatives were merely trying to embarrass John Bracken's Liberal-Progressive coalition government.
Within days of the closure, the accounts of its depositors were transferred to private banks and nobody lost any money.
The Savings Office took up just 8,000 of the main floor's 15,000 square feet. The rest was a series of little shops; three along Donald Street and four along Ellice Avenue.
Over the years, these contained small businesses such as a pharmacy counter, tailor, jeweller, taxi dispatch office, pet shop and millinery.
Over the years, these contained small businesses such as a pharmacy counter, tailor, jeweller, taxi dispatch office, pet shop and millinery.
The Cave supper club opened in 1935 in the old Savings Office and some of the retail shop space. The club was owned by Max King and was notable for its cave-like interior using burlap covered with plaster and mood lighting. King opened a Cave in Vancouver and Edmonton a couple of years later.
There was a local house orchestra and nightly floor show, but the Cave did not bring in many top acts like other supper clubs in the city. Its fare more often resembled that of a vaudeville show than a night club.
One July 1942 offering included Shirley Bush, military tap dancer, Wilfrid Dubois, juggler, and the De Sylva Twins dance duo. Singer and comedian Hattie Noel appeared at the Cave in January 1941 and was so popular that she was booked for a two-week stay the following year.
The imported floor shows trailed off due to the difficulty in booking travelling acts during the war. It was then left to local singers and musicians to take up the slack.
A fire destroyed the interior of the Cave in December 1944. The other businesses in the building, Ida McCullough's millinery shop and the Bowladrome, got smoke and water damage. The club was renovated and reopened a few months later.
The Cave's lease was not renewed, and it closed in May 1947.
July 31, 1947, Winnipeg Tribune
In late 1947, Investor's Syndicate (now IG Wealth Management) moved its head office to the building and took up the entire 15,000 square foot first floor with the exception of a little storefront for Ray Hamerton's musical instrument shop. The A. L. Patterson art studio joined the Bowladrome in the basement.In 1956, Investors began construction on a custom-built office building on Broadway and vacated 345 Donald in late 1957.
November 15, 1959, Winnipeg Free Press
In 1959, another provincial government agency, this time the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission, leased the entire main floor of the Herzig Building to be its only downtown liquor store, replacing a much smaller one on Fort Street. It would also be home to the MLCC's liquor enforcement inspectors.
Manitoba Liquor Control Commission Store No. 2, as it was officially known, opened on November 16, 1959, and caused instant traffic chaos. The agency intended to purchase a neighbouring service station lot, but that deal fell through at the last minute. As a result, the store had no customer parking.
Liquor shopping at that time was much quicker than today, as there was no store to browse around. You walked in, wrote what you wanted on a slip, brought it to the counter, and someone fetched it from the back for you.
It was immediately found that customers were not going to pay for parking in a commercial lot a block or two away for a five-minute transaction. Instead, they parked in loading zones, double-parked on the street, or circled the block endlessly waiting for a meter to open up.
The city was unimpressed by the gridlock that had been created. In early 1960, it converted the dozen parking meters nearest the store to 15-minutes only. This angered other retailers near the intersection whose customer required more time in their stores.
The MLCC began planning for a new "self-serve" liquor store in the area in 1973. Continued parking woes and a doubling of its lease rate meant that the Herzig Building was not in consideration. It instead chose a former service station site a block away at Ellice and Hargrave and designed it with eleven customer parking spots out front. It opened on September 3, 1974.
August 6, 1975, Winnipeg Tribune
The next major tenant opened in June 1975 and took up the whole main floor and basement.
In the early morning of March 11, 1975, a fire started in the floor below a beauty salon in a two-storey building at Portage Avenue and Colony Street. It made its way into the neighbouring United Army Surplus Sales and created a small inferno. Three businesses were completely burned out, and several others suffered smoke and water damage.
Owners Ned and Fred Begoch vowed to rebuild at the Portage and Colony site and the new store opened in March 1978. They operated both stores, plus a third in Garden City Square that opened in 1985, through to 1986 when the 245 Donald Street location closed.
Crystal Palace sign, December 1996. (City of Winnipeg Archives)
When United Army Surplus closed, the building was ready for another reset.
Crystal Palace Snooker Lounge and Deli was created in 1981 at 299 Kennedy Street. It moved into larger premises at 345 Donald in late 1985, and by February 1986 was hosting the Manitoba Open snooker championship.
An early owner was Henry Nogiec, who was well-known in the Canadian snooker community and at times represented Manitoba at national events. By the early 1990s, the owners were Ron Brown and Wayne Clisy.
Crystal Palace closed around 1996.
October 19, 1985, Winnipeg Free Press
Long-time Toronto discount retailer The BiWay (later shortened to BiWay) arrived in Winnipeg in late 1985 with stores at Richmond West Shopping Centre, Cottonwood Shopping Centre, and Garden Oaks Shopping Centre. By July 1986, it had six Winnipeg stores, including 345 Donald Street.
Canadian retail conglomerate Dylex Corporation, the parent company of BiWay, filed for bankruptcy protection in 1995. This meant the closure of all of its Western Canadian stores, including Winnipeg's eleven. The company continued on for a while under new ownership, but by 2001 the few remaining BiWay stores around Toronto also closed.
Biway took up a large section of the main floor of the building, but shared it with Manitoba Justice's Youth Correctional Services offices.
The Horseshoe Cabaret opened in the BiWay space on May 22, 1997. It boasted a 41.5-metre-long bar and $50,000 worth of cedar on the walls. The live music venue was country-themed, but it also hosted rock, hip hop, and funk acts. Even Randy Bachman played there! It was also known for hosting raves.
The last mention of it in "at the clubs" newspaper listings was the end of December 1999. The last mention of it hosting a show was the "Groove Community Festival of Funk" on June 9, 2000.
Here's a video of an on-stage performance that pans the room to give a sense of its interior.
Canadian retail conglomerate Dylex Corporation, the parent company of BiWay, filed for bankruptcy protection in 1995. This meant the closure of all of its Western Canadian stores, including Winnipeg's eleven. The company continued on for a while under new ownership, but by 2001 the few remaining BiWay stores around Toronto also closed.
Biway took up a large section of the main floor of the building, but shared it with Manitoba Justice's Youth Correctional Services offices.
The Horseshoe in 1999 (2 Ply Collective on YouTube)
The Horseshoe Cabaret opened in the BiWay space on May 22, 1997. It boasted a 41.5-metre-long bar and $50,000 worth of cedar on the walls. The live music venue was country-themed, but it also hosted rock, hip hop, and funk acts. Even Randy Bachman played there! It was also known for hosting raves.
The last mention of it in "at the clubs" newspaper listings was the end of December 1999. The last mention of it hosting a show was the "Groove Community Festival of Funk" on June 9, 2000.
Here's a video of an on-stage performance that pans the room to give a sense of its interior.
The old Herzig Building was now nearly 75-years old, vacant, and in poor condition.
CentreVenture, the arm's-length civic property development agency, began courting the North West Company in 2001 to open one of its Giant Tiger stores in the downtown. (Like BiWay, Giant Tiger was a long-time Ontario retailer ready to launch into Western Canada.)
On top of the cost of purchasing the store, the NorthWest Company estimated that it would take another $750,000 to gut and renovate the building, including replacing the roof and facade. The city agreed in 2002 to help out with a modest $32,000 Strategic Economic Incentive Grant to be paid out over five years.
CentreVenture, the arm's-length civic property development agency, began courting the North West Company in 2001 to open one of its Giant Tiger stores in the downtown. (Like BiWay, Giant Tiger was a long-time Ontario retailer ready to launch into Western Canada.)
On top of the cost of purchasing the store, the NorthWest Company estimated that it would take another $750,000 to gut and renovate the building, including replacing the roof and facade. The city agreed in 2002 to help out with a modest $32,000 Strategic Economic Incentive Grant to be paid out over five years.
The Free Press did not cover the grand opening, nor did Giant Tiger take out any ads, but the store opened in late 2002 or early 2003.
In July 2026, it was announced that the store will close on November 7, 2026. It provided no reason, just to say that the decision to close a store is "never made lightly". (Unlike the closure of its store in The Pas on July 31, 2026, there was no press release issued.)
What's next for the former Herzig Building? Given its eclectic history, it could be anything, really!
No comments:
Post a Comment