What was on that Corner (Part 11) Article originally published Winter 2014/15
When one stands at the intersection of Muskoka Road & Brock Streets, and looking west down Bay Street, the Post Office is located on the northwest corner of Bay Street and Muskoka Road. On the south side of the street across from the Post Office is a trend setting clothing store called Muskoka Bear Wear. The area just north of the Post Office on the west side of Muskoka Road has seen many changes in occupancy. A portion occupied by a dental office and a thrift store was a feed store in the 1920’s serving the rural farm area around Gravenhurst. The building located on the south side of Bay Street facing Muskoka Road has been a commercial building since its construction and is now occupied by the Bear Wear clothing store. Prior to the clothing store, a florist shop operated out of that location. When my family and I arrived in Gravenhurst in 1971, the Royal Bank of Canada served its clients out of that location. From the 1920’s on, for a number of years, a Mr. Cherenza operated a fruit and vegetable store at that location and he was believed to be one of the first persons to operate such a specialty store in town. The structure also served as a local pharmacy operating as Drury’s Drug Store for a period of time. We have discussed the historic occupancies looking west and north of the intersection. Let us change our position and look east. On the north side of Brock Street is the well-known landmark, the Albion Hotel, and on the south side, there are two new businesses in the rear of the building facing Brock Street – one is a Beauty Salon and the other is a shop called Trend Setter, a modern sporting goods outlet. The building was reconstructed after a devastating fire. To the east of those businesses, there is a building containing Rebelein’s Bakery which has been operated by the Rebelein family since 1959. The easterly half of the structure was used as a restaurant for a few years and more recently as 24
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an extension to the bakery operations catering to the summer trade. Prior to the bakery locating in the building, it was occupied by Gravenhurst Plumbing and Electric. The building has also housed a Chinese restaurant and a shoe repair shop operated by the Tremblay family. It is interesting to note from the recollections of Mr. Davie that at one time the building served as the Post Office for the town prior to the construction of the present one. East of the present Rebelein building is a structure occupied by Taylor Chiropractic. At one time this building was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Passmore. Mrs. Passmore operated a bakery in the building and established a reputation of producing the best baked goods in town. Note: The information used in this article was obtained through an interview with Jack Davie who spent his boyhood years in Gravenhurst. His father also operated a store on the main street of Gravenhurst. Jim Passmore, a member of the Gravenhurst Seniors Club also confirmed some of the information. By Garnet Schenk