South & East, Donnelly & Archer and Red & White

Postcard from collection of Verna and John Olenick WW1 era

The fourth corner in Reston’s main downtown is where we are heading today with this blog. Previously, the blog has featured Chapman’s Drugstore on the southwest corner, Berry Hardware on the northwest, and Reston House Hotel on the northeast. Today the southeast one is an empty corner but it has a long retail history.

In the early 1900’s, a Mr. White from Antler, SK built the building with large west facing windows to maximize light and E.H. Berry was the first occupant with his family and selling watches and jewelry before building the Berry Block in 1906. Everett and Harold Donnelly were next in that building with a gentleman’s clothing store. Harold is on the 1906 Canada Census living in Reston and both brothers can be found on the 1911 census with Harold’s wife Ruby (Winters) and their young son Lloyd.  A former Restonite shared some of his research from the archives of the Reston Recorder and found that the Donnelly Brothers were in business from August 1, 1906 until June 1909.   Thanks Kelly!

                        
This receipt must have a great story! 

Date? To Thos Boulton - Kindly pay to Donnelly & Archer the sum of Twenty Nine Dollars and charge to me. David Lockhart
I accept this order for $17.00 only. T.E. Boulton
Received on above order the sum of Twenty One Dollars and Fifty Cents. Donnelly Archer T.H.D.

                                               
                                 Dated June 5, 1916 (?) to T.E.Boulton for 2 pair of Brown Bells (?) $2.00


Postcard from Prairie Towns website taken in about the early 1920's 

Alfred Archer arrived in Reston in 1904 and had a clothing business on the west side of Main Street where the Credit Union now stands. He later worked for the Donnelly brothers making men's clothing and doing alterations. He upgraded his skills by taking a professional tailor course in Chicago in 1910. Archer was in partnership with Harold Donnelly in the Main Street store starting in July of 1909.  A short time later, Archer's name was lone on the building as is shown in the postcard above. In 1924, Mr. Archer moved into the former Photography Studio on Second Avenue (where the Drop In parking lot is today) where he was a tailor and dry cleaner until the early 1950’s. (Thanks again Kelly for these details!)  It has been said that his business suffered because of his dedication to the Reston Memorial Park. Link here to information about his home on Second Avenue and about the park here and here.

Back to the southeast corner, in 1926 the building became the home for Empire Family Outfitters.  Three years later the Harper brothers - Robert, Hilton and Preston purchased the building.  They were offspring of Thomas and Mary Rebecca Harper who farmed at 34-6-27 south of Reston for many years. Reston had another General Store with Robert and his sister Anna selling groceries and tobacco.  Little did they know the depression was about to strike and making a living would not be easy for anyone, including the Harpers.  

Picture from collection of Verna and John Olenick

In 1931, William John Abbey (1879- 1963) bought the store and lived with his family in the back. He and his third wife Selena Mae Reed (1890-1975) raised 4 boys (Leigh, Nelson, John, Edward) and 3 girls (Mary, Shirley and Anna May) in Reston. Shirley Abbey told me the store opened on her 6 month birthday. Will (her father) remodeled the store in 1946 and in 1956 it became a self service store. Awnings were installed to block the late afternoon sun streaming in those huge windows. He had a truck to sell his products from in the country and his son John took on this part of the business. The Abbeys were active members of the Reston United Church, Masons/Eastern Star and Chamber of Commerce. When Will died in 1963, Mae and her stepson John (1912-1974) ran the store in partnership until he died suddenly in 1974. John was also a community supporter and was a member of the Lions Club.

From page 172 in Sequel to Trails Along 2009 the Pipestone

 Henry (Harry) Willment began to work at the Red and White in 1971 and purchased it from Mrs. Abbey in 1974. He and his wife Ida (Fanthorpe) lived on Reston’s further east side on 9th Street. Fletch Manning wrote about their home in the Recorder here in 2004. Harry was the youngest son of a large family from England that immigrated to Saskatchewan to homestead in the late 1920’s. Harry and Ida had 1 son and 4 daughters.

October 1, 1974 Brandon Sun clipping 

The next owner was Gary Schiltroth who moved to Reston late in 1977.  He reopened Abbey’s store as Gary’s M&M in February of 1978.  The next year, he married a local girl, Barbara Birnie and ran the grocery at this location until moving across the street and north to the former home of Berry’s Farm Equipment.  In 2002,  the business was closed.  The old building was destroyed sometime in the 80’s. Besides the owners and their families, the businesses supported many employees over the years that made the Reston area their home.  

Picture from McKee Archives - Brandon University - circa 1964

Thinking about these owners and employees makes me pause to appreciate their contributions to early Reston.  Next time I pass by the empty corner, I will reflect about all the purchases that were made here over the years and may just hear echoes of the friendly greetings that were exchanged as well.