Person Record

Metadata

Name

McKay Brothers

Places of residence

Owen Sound, Ontario

Nationality

Canadian

Notes

McKay Brothers was a drygoods store situated along main street Owen Sound, located in the former Ryan Brothers building. It had a Lamson Cash Carrier money monorail that was very interesting to watch. The clerk would put a bill of sale and tendered money into a little metal box that would go whizzing up to the office, and then change would come back down to the clerk.

There is a video (DVD) at Grey Roots that shows the interior of the store during its last month of operation.

Reportedly, in 1905, Tom, Ed, Ken and Bert McKay set up a drygoods store downtown, in Owen Sound. In 1923, they moved their business across the street into the former Ryan Brothers drygoods store building, where they would remain until the store closed.

In 1904, there was an advertisement for "McKay's" for home-made candies, fancy chocolates and bon bons, bulk oysters and catering. This "McKay's" was at 35 Poulett St. (main street). See souvenir booklet 1993.024.029 (page 52) for this ad.

In 1994, the former McKay Brothers store was known as "McKay Village" and owned by Ralph Stobbe.

It later became the location of the Artist Co-op.

Occupation

Confectioners?
Dry Goods Store

Publications

Croft, Melba (see her local history books for images re McKay's)
Walker, Bill, "Dawning of a New McKay's: Revamped McKay's Holds 18 Shops", THE SUN-TIMES (Owen Sound), October 8, 1994.