Rex Cafe - Blairmore, AB - Alberta Heritage Markers on Waymarking.com

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Rex Cafe - Blairmore, AB

in Alberta Heritage Markers

Posted by:  T0SHEA

11U E 685084 N 5498192

Fire has played a large role in this block, with two major ones, first in 1906, then in 1919, ultimately causing the third building constructed on the site to be a fireproof one built of brick.

A small building owned by Chinese entrepreneur Mar On was destroyed by fire in 1906. In 1910 the McEachern Block (Kalil Bldg) was built for both the Kalil Bros dry goods store and the Alberta Trading Company (Gales and Hamel) grocery store, with the upstairs hall hosting the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The Kalils moved one block east in 1911 leaving the Alberta Trading Company the entire main floor until the end of 1913, after which it served as a restaurant, and later the Dugout confectionary and cigar store owned by Walter Howes. Both the Dugout and the IOOF hall upstairs were destroyed by another fire in 1919.

Enrico Pozzi built a fireproof brick building in 1922. It operated as the Palm Cafe and the American Cafe until 1927 and then as the Rex Cafe from 1927 to the late 1960s, after which extensive interior renovations and updating of the front façade occurred.
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