The Beall Block – 93 River St
A 1910 map provides a snapshot of the block at the beginning of the twentieth century, showing a barber shop at the east end, a general store in the middle and a butcher shop at the west end.
The east storefront was associated for many years with shoes and shoe repair. Around 1910, Perry MacGregor operated a shoe sales and repair business here and remained for more than 25 years. Photographs from about 1912 also show a barber pole and barber shop at the east end of the block. The Switzer family operated a boot and shoe business in this general area during the same period.
The middle storefront developed a long association with the grocery trade. During the 1930s, Lex Gordon and his wife, Mary Farrell, operated a grocery business here. It was later sold to James O’Leary. In 1951, Bob and Gene Young purchased the grocery store and operated it in the Beall Block until 1960, when they moved next door to the larger building at 97 River Street.
The west storefront was known for many years as a butcher shop. Lex Gordon’s brother, Arthur Gordon, and his wife, Myrtle Goode, purchased the business from James Christie in 1935. Robert Charter later operated the butcher shop, and period photographs identify it as Charter’s Meat Market.
The shop was also the scene of a tragedy in 1962, when Charter’s nephew, Bryce McGilvery, suffered a sudden heart attack and died while working in the store.
Over the years, the businesses occupying the Beall Block have changed many times, but the three-storefront building remains a reminder of an era when Sunderland residents could find their grocer, butcher, barber and shoemaker within a few doors of one another.
Today the left two entrances are for the Haven Beauty Studio and the right for The Sweet Spot Cafe and Dessert Spot.
2. Saint Andrews United Church – 10 Church St N
3. Sunderland Town Hall – 120 River St
4. Dr. Joseph Henry Oliver Home – 128 River St
5. St. Mary’s Anglican Church – 134 River St
6. Dr. James McDermott Home – 160 River St
7. The Fogg House – 198 River St
8. The Blacksmith Shop – 135 River St
9. The Nipissing House Hotel – 123 River St
10. Stop 4 Variety – 111 River St
11. The Old Drug Store – 108 River St
12. The Gigantic Hand Saw, Guardian Pharmacy – 103 River St
13. Fresh Mart – 97 River St
14. The Beall Block – 93 River St
15. The Harness Shop – 89 River St
16. Taylor’s Store – 85 River St
17. The William Doble Home – 32 Albert St
18. The Sunderland Presbyterian Church – 5 Albert St
19. Doyle’s General Store – 3 Albert St
20. The McDermott Block – 1 Albert Street S
21. The Sunderland Telephone Company. – 63 River St
22. James Doble Home – 3 Cedar St S
23. William Nassau Doble Home – 12 River St
24. Thomas Welsh Home – 20 River St
25. Robert Doble Home – 48 River St
26. The Bank – River Street (CIBC) – 74 River St
27. The Brock House Hotel – 82 River St
28. The Hardware Store – 92 River St
29. The Early Undertaker – 96 River St
30. The Printing Shop – 98 River St
31. The Magic Door – 100 River St
32. The Sunderland Legion – 104 River St
33. 108 River Street – 108 River Street
34. “Old” Fire Hall – 5 Church St N
35. The Sunderland Memorial Arena – 20 Park St