Buildings
609 Main Street
| Formerly: | Mindell Block Norman Bethune Hall |
|---|---|
| Address: | 609 Main Street |
| Use: | Commercial |
| Original Use: | Commercial |
| Constructed: | 1925 |
| Architects: | Max Blankstein |
| Contractors: | Fraser & MacDonald |
More Information
Faced in red brick, this two-storey commercial block was built in 1925. It is another design by prominent Winnipeg architect Max Blankstein. Its front elevation features a storefront with large display windows. A brick parapet with a central pediment (complete with name, date, and stone coping) trims the top of the building. Detailing on the building is subtle, consisting primarily of patterned brick work.
Clothier Louis Mindell, who had been on Main Street near Alexander Avenue since the mid-1910s, established this block after a fire destroyed his previous shop. A business in his name continued at this site well into the 1950s. Subsequent occupants included tailor J. Fox, William's Men's Wear, Central Clothing, Central Pawn Brokers, the Cut-Rate Department Store, Home Welfare Association, and Winnipeg Domestic Appliances Co. The upper floor initially housed a Gospel Hall and by 1940, the Union Gospel Mission. The building was later named the Norman Bethune Hall and contained the offices of the Labour Progressive Party and Communist Party of Canada.
Design Characteristics
- Two storeys
- Faced in red brick with a parapet, also made of brick
- A central pediment holds the building's name, date, and stone coping
- The ornamental details are subtle and can be found in the patterned brick work
- The Main Street facade features large display windows