You're a Vernonite if you can remember . . .

[Verminator]

Sorry superbee, I don't have any pics of Henri's store. I did find this, though - it's an old Vernon postcard from the late 30's or early 40's, taken from somewhere behind the St.James Catholic church. You can see the church just to the right of the big tree in the foreground and near the center of the photo is what looks like the old Kalamalka Hotel. I often wonder what it was like to live in Vernon in those days, it looks so small-townish and peaceful in this shot. Sigh.....

[Fritzthecat]

Verminator, thank you for the Polson Park update. I will have to get there again one of these days. Sorry to hear it is being so disrespected. That's terrible.

Would you happen to have a photo in your shoebox of Henri's Store in Lavington? I know it was abit out of your loop there at the Army Camp. I don't know when Henri's burned down, hopefully Fritz can remember. I do know Henri's store was still there in the early '70's because I bought my measuring spoons there then. I'd love to see a photo of Henri's. Oh, those ice cream cones.....

Henri's store: It was 1981...............I am 99% sure.

[Fritzthecat]

Does anybody remember what the building that houses Okanagan Springs Brewery was before it was the brewery? I seem to recall it being a Tire store.

[Tphord]

I believe the Okanagan Springs building was the BC Fruit Shipper's packing house.

[gotaway]

Does anybody remember what the building that houses Okanagan Springs Brewery was before it was the brewery? I seem to recall it being a Tire store.

They used to retread truck tires, some of the moulds were kept out on the street side loading dock .

[superbee]

Verminator, thanks for posting the photo from behind the Catholic Church. I think I can see the Kal Hotel too, maybe it's wishful thinking but also the old PO across the street. Over more to the right I think I can see the dark roof of the old red brick firehouse. That sat right behind where the Allison Hotel was in my time. When I was little it was the Museum with many stuffed creatures. There was some kind of big stuffed bird (a bald eagle?) over the doorway. The doorway faced west, over to the big arched gateway to Cenotaph Park.

That is a great photo. The next time I'm in Vernon I will go up behind the Church and see if I can find near to the same spot. I also have to get to the Museum, I've heard they have lots of old Vernon photos there. Maybe one of the elusive Mr. Fritz?!!

[superbee]

Tphord, I remember a fruit shipping place just down over the bank from the Catholic School, right along the tracks. Didn't it have the Big Chief Indian head on top of one of the roofs?

That is a super Ogopogo apple box label. We had a wooden apple box here that had a Big Chief label. I assumed it came from the same apple processoring place behind the Tastee Freez, where Horton's is now, since I remember that Big Chief sign up on its roof.

[CR250R40]

Tphord, I remember a fruit shipping place just down over the bank from the Catholic School, right along the tracks. Didn't it have the Big Chief Indian head on top of one of the roofs?

That is a super Ogopogo apple box label. We had a wooden apple box here that had a Big Chief label. I assumed it came from the same apple processoring place behind the Tastee Freez, where Horton's is now, since I remember that Big Chief sign up on its roof.

[zookeeper]

I remember when the Big Chief Mobile home park opened out on the Landing. Need help here, used to be a service station behind the National, what was behind the Kalamalka Hotel?

[superbee]

Zookeeper, I remember behind the Kal Hotel just being a dirt parking lot in the early '60's and then a paved parking lot. Then a small building appeared. Was it a beer and wine store? Gerry O's?

For some reason I thought it was a laundromat there before the beer and wine store....

[superbee]

Thanks, CR, that's the Big Chief I remember!

[zookeeper]

Yes superbee, it was an empty lot behind Kalamalka, beside that was Bennetts furniture that you could enter front (main st) or back. It wasn't a service station behind the National either, it was a taxi company, Capitol I think, a guy Joe? had it, he lived out towards Lumby. Then out towards Bella Vista the Ogasawara brothers had a grocery store. There was a little gift shop next to Henri's in Lavington, but it didn't last long.

[CR250R40]

Yes superbee, it was an empty lot behind Kalamalka, beside that was Bennetts furniture that you could enter front (main st) or back. It wasn't a service station behind the National either, it was a taxi company, Capitol I think, a guy Joe? had it, he lived out towards Lumby. Then out towards Bella Vista the Ogasawara brothers had a grocery store. There was a little gift shop next to Henri's in Lavington, but it didn't last long.

Close, Zookeeper, "Valley Taxi" was behind "The National" in a white stucco building with a single repair bay and gas pumps, owned by Walter Joe. Walter also had a produce acreage on Hwy #6 called "Walter Joe's Happy Acres."

"Capital Taxi" was across the street in the "Gerry O's Cold Beer and Wine Store" building.

[superbee]

And before that, the little Capital Taxi stand was in the alley along the side of the Capital Theatre.

[CR250R40]

Vernon's "Capitol Theatre" in 1938 showing The Citadel.







Entrance.


Lobby.