National Grocers - History

Known as the National Grocers (NG) building, this very solid structure was built in the first quarter of the 20th century (not shown in the 1911 fire insurance map across Cataraqui Street from the Bailey broom factory). Owned by the Weston Corporation from 1936-1976, it shared a joint lead with the Kingston Whig-Standard newsprint warehouse. (Actually, National Grocers was bought by the Loblaw Companies in 1955, and Garfield Weston had gained controlling interest over Loblaw in 1953.)

Nominally located at 12 Cataraqui Street with several additions, it served restaurants, institutions, convenience and corner stores, though not single customers, it was at times described as a cash-and-carry operation.  The Cash-and-carry concept was a departure from old-style grocers in which a clerk handed over items, chosen by a customer, from behind the service counter. The building was built during World War I as a munitions storehouse for the Third Military District. (1951 aerial view - top photo and below, undated - Queen's University Archives, other images are Whig clippings.)

With the National Grocers chain's buying power, economies were found by eliminating overlapping of travelers' territories and distribution networks of smaller wholesalers. NG's operation in Kingston had several predecessor businesses, its lineage stretching back to 1832:

In the 1920's, National Grocers was the largest handler of foodstuffs in Canada, second-largest in North America. Former Mayor W. Craig was once the local manager. His store on Ontario Street (still at that locaion in 1929) merged with 34 other wholesalers as the just-chartered National Grocers chain in August, 1925, and he left his NG branch manager position in 1930, having opened an accountancy office at Brock and Wellington Sts. This 1925 Whig ad showed the volume of business - products shipped in by the carload:

Mr. G.W. Mahood used the building as a cheese warehouse until August 15, 1938, betore National Grocers occupied the building. (Prior to 1939, NG had rented unused space in the Wormwith Piano Factory, later S&R). The NG building's 'edge-of-town', unguarded location was a consistent target for thieves, with reported thefts of cigarettes, candies, chewing gum, melons, sugar, bread, tea and dates on various occasions, taken from the building itself, trucks outside and boxcars on its CN-served spur. In one 1964 incident , three thieves' combined age was only 31! 

The NG building had repeatedly withstood basement flooding from the 1930's into the 1950's during periods of heavy rain. Flood and fire! A June, 1941 fire started in rubbish and spread to the roof of a sugar storage storehouse. Then there's this curious cause of an under-boxcar fire on October 9, 1960:

In December, 1959 a Teamsters' information picket was set up, involving the 16 drivers and warehousemen in Kingston. George Robertson's Wholesale business on Ontario and Johnson Streets was sold to NG in 1966. Jim Stevenson shared this memory, "I worked at National Grocers in the summers when I was at Queen's. From 1963 until 1969 I filled orders in the warehouse for grocery stores, resorts and camps in the area at night that went out on the trucks the next morning. Great physical workout (lifting 100lbs of flour or beans) and got paid too, the first year, the magnificent sum of $1.78 per hour. Shift was 10:30 pm until whenever we were finished the next morning, maybe 8:00, 10:00 or whatever. Good times!" Jim also mentioned sorting potatoes unloaded from boxcars.

A 1970 strike at National Grocers' 11 Ontario branches resulted in a settlement under which drivers were paid $4.25 and warehousemen $4.00 per hour. This circa-1970 image shows an insulated CP insulated boxcar with a CN maple-leaf boxcar on the NG lead, with the outer fence of the Woolen Mill oroperty (Harold's Demolition) at right:

Mike Rose contributed this memory: "I unloaded many a box car full of charcoal or sugar bales at the National Grocers siding. Jack MacMillan, Jack Bearance, Ed Brown - memories of the place and people between 1972 and 1976."

Relocating to 133 Dalton Ave. on ten acres of land bought by the Greenwood Brothers in 1969, that was developed and built on in 1973-74, this new location was more expansive and close to Highway 401. The NG building was listed for sale in this December, 1978 Whig real estate ad:

Used by Harold and Hilda Westendorp as a warehouse for nearby Harold's Demolition, the NG building was the site of an auction held to sell off various stored materials in late-October, 1987. The new owner, George Vosper, purchased the property for $275,000. Vosper hoped to host offices and businesses in his new building, similar to those in the nearby Woolen Mill, another former industrial building.

Meanwhile, National Grocers continued to serve 1,500+ customers from their Dalton Avenue building. Ric Barr purchased the NG building in 2002, evolving into NGB Studios - an artists' colony. Photos from an April, 2019 visit: 

As seen from the Rideau Street side (above) and side facing Woolen Mill with two doors for freight-car unloading (below):

End view from Cataraqui Street:

Built-to-last, this solid structure has done just that!