NEW SHOP BUILT

Southland Times, Issue 21263, 9 December 1930, Page 7

NEW SHOP BUILT

THOMPSON’S FISH SUPPLY MODERN METHODS APPLIED. Workmen have been engaged for some months past in erecting a building on the vacant section at the corner of Kelvin and streets, and this has been fitted out as a most up-to-date fish shop and will be occupied in future by Thompson’s Fish Supply. The building, which was designed by Mr A. C. Ford, and built by Mr O. E. Johnston, is a tw'B : storied one with a plain white front, simply marked .with the word “Thompson’s.” The shop on the lower floor has been lined and floored with tiles, and the counter and window-bench have also been tiled over. The tiling, which was executed by Mr J. Bowden, of Christchurch, might almost be described as a work of art. Mr Bowden, who learnt his trade in England, imported his own tiles and finished the. walls -and counter in white tiles decorated with narrow golden-brown bands. The floor was made of brown tiles intermingled with smaller blue and white tiles and the whole gives the effect of a very fine linoleum. The front of the shop around the large plate glass windows is also tiled.

The shop is entirely devoid of woodwork apart from the door, window sashes and stairway leading to The upper floor, the work bench behind the counter being made of tarazza and the fittings of chromium. The ceiling’is done in fiber-plaster and the lighting at night will be supplied with four hidden lights placed near the ceiling. The stairway to the upper floor is built of beautifully figured heart rimu and the upper floor has been left unfinished to be finished later as a supper room or sample room. The rear end of the shop is decorated with three lead-lights showing a ship and two salmon.

The rear of the shop is very commodious and contains a kitchen, with office above, a store room, a smoke room, a freezing chamber, a cool chamber, a condenser room and a large work room. The work room is reached through a door at the rear of the shop or by a side entrance, which is fitted with rails for a small trolley. The room is well lighted and is furnished with concrete washing tubs and cleaning benches, a pickling tub and drying bench, and a boiler for the reception of cray fish. Mr Thompson has fitted his cleaning benches with movable timber faces for cutting fish or for opening oysters, and these have been made in such a way that they can be easily removed for cleaning. The whole shop has been kept very free from timber and is practically fire-proof. It is modern in every detail and is one of the mdst up-to-date of its - kind in the South Island. Mr Thompson has shown initiative in winning the Times Oyster Derby during the last two seasons, and he has shown it again, and confidence in Invercargill with it, in building such a shop for the convenience of his customers.