108 Years A Shop

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31725, 8 July 1968, Page 10

108 Years A Shop

A shop which has stood for 108 years on the corner of St Asaph Street and Hagley Avenue closed its doors for the last time on Saturday. The shop and dwelling will be demolished and the land cleared for tennis courts for Hagley High School.

The owner of the property, Mrs A. Craig, said yesterday that the building was erected by a Mr Brooks, of the Governor’s Bay Hotel, for occupation as a hotel, but a licence was not granted. Black pine timber for it was brought from Little River. Mrs Jane Powell, Mrs Craig’s mother, bought the shop 50 years ago and ran a general store there for 20 years. On the retirement of her mother, Mrs Craig became the owner but leased the premises for the next 30 years until last month. “I have lost count of the number of tenants I have had,” Mrs Craig said. “Some have made fortunes and others have gone bankrupt.” She said she did not want to sell the property as she planned to build a new shop and tearooms, but zoning had prevented this. The last tenant Mr R. H. Jackson, had been in the shop for only six weeks.

As well as serving a large consumer area, the shop has been the tuck shop for West Christchurch and later Hagley High School pupils, and sports players from Hagley Park.