Woolworth’s Ultra-Modern Store Will Open Tomorrow

[Evening Tribune, 24 March 1954]

After 36 years of service to shoppers at the corner of East Main street and Cross street, Woolworth’s move tomorrow into a luxurious new building on East Main street coinciding with the 75^th birthday of the Woolworth organization.

The magnificent new Woolworths is a shopper’s “dream come true” where housewives, and indeed every member of the family, will receive prompt and efficient service at the 1,100 feet of counters. Designed for speedier shopping, the new building has many new and novel features which will make shopping a pleasure.

The old Woolworth’s opened on May 1, 1918, and through the years has given excellent service. But the many improvements installed in the new Woolworth’s buildings erected since, have made the present premises old-fashioned, so last August work started on the erection of a new store.

The buildings facing on East Main street were demolished to make room for the store, and the R. Timms Construction and Engineering Company of Welland erected the new modern building in a very short time.

First things that customers will notice on entering the new store is the lighting, for the whole shopping floor is brilliantly illuminated with daylight lighting. In addition to the usual “hollow square” shopping counters, there are several new counters of revolutionary design at which the sales girl stands outside the counter. Stationed at various points over the store are wrapping stations, where customers can have their goods wrapped and pay for them there too.

A welcome addition is a modern lunch counter, with 56 feet of counter space. Here customers can stop for a snack or have lunch. All food is prepared and baked on the premises daily in a large modern kitchen. All fittings on the lunch counter are of stainless steel.

Another new feature is a shoe department for ladies and children where high class shoes can be obtained. There is also a pet shop department, (Miki Sheils ran this department in the back of the store for many years) and a horticultural counter. Wide spacious aisles ensure that there will be no crowding.

The entire building is air conditioned and has been finished in light colored materials and paints. Downstairs most of the floor space has been given over to storage, with the various goods kept in steel bins. A two-way electric conveyor belt leads from street level, for easier handling of goods. There are also spacious restrooms for the staff and public and employees lounge for the staff of 50, is tastefully decorated and fitted with easy chairs and a radio.

Cooperating with Ray Beattie, the popular manager of the store, are William Ross of the Woolworth construction department in Toronto, Ray Bridle, supervisor of the London district for Woolworth’s and F.L. Gooderham, Toronto, the store opening supervisor for Canada. These four men have been on hand to prepare for the opening of the store tomorrow.

A welcome guest at the opening will be A. B. Munro, the manager of the Welland store from 1929-33, who was raised in Welland. He is now assistant general manager of the Woolworth stores in Canada. In 1953 his position was taken over by Ray Beattie, who has remained as manager of the local store ever since. In his 21 years of service Mr. Beattie has been actively associated with the life of the city, and has done valuable community service with the service clubs and other organizations.

The general contractors for the building were the R. Timms Construction and Engineering Limited who have recently moved into new offices on Lincoln street, West.

“It has been our pleasure to carry out some of the finer buildings in Welland during the past few years such as the new post office, the addition to the Welland County courthouse and the modernization and remodelling of the two Loblaws stores,” said R.H. Timms, vice-president.

“The new Woolworth store is another step in the improvement and expansion of downtown Welland,” he said.

Other firms who participated include, E.S. Fox, plumbing and heating systems, Trans –Canada Fixtures, Libby Air-Conditioning, Ontario and Fulsom Electric Limited, Niagara Falls electrical engineers and contractors.

The interior and exterior mill work was supplied by Niagara Lumber and Planing Mill products of Welland.

A feature of the opening will be the budgie and pet display by the Bio-Vin Company of St. Thomas. There is a special offer in connection with the engineers opening. Besides their fine line of budgies and canaries, the Vio-Bin Mill firm has a country wide reputation for all kinds of pet foods and supplies.

Welland Dairy Limited are supplying the milk for the lunch counter and Canada Bread Limited have the contract for bakery products.