Description of Historic Place

The wood framed, mid-19th Century commercial building with Classic Revival influences is located on the corner of Queen and King Streets. A retail establishment for most of its history, the building remains a store to this day. The designation encompasses the building’s exterior and parcel; it does not include the building’s interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 52 Queen Street lies in its use as an early corner store, its Neo-classical architectural influences, and its importance to the Queen Street and King Street streetscape.

Tim O’Connell was one of many merchants in this area of Charlottetown to have his property destroyed as a result of the devastating Charlottetown Fire of 1866. By November of 1866, he had rebuilt his American Variety Store. The store contained a wide selection of items including: books, tobacco, confectionary, room papers and mirrors.

The American Variety Store was eventually sold to the Duffy Family who also maintained the building as a store. In 1920, the building was renovated and as a result, a new office was added to the rear of the building and steel ceilings were installed inside the store and office. Duffy’s Store closed in the late twentieth century.

The building has been home to many different businesses since then, including a restaurant, a cafe, and a craft shop. It currently serves as a sports store. 52 Queen Street is a well-kept example of a mid 19th century corner store and remains an important part of the Queen Street streetscape

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
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Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of 52 Queen Street lies in the following Classic Revival character-defining elements:
- The overall massing of the building
- The placement and style of the large windows, including the display windows with their transom lights
- The central placement and style of the storefront door, with its transom light, that has a highly stylized number fifty-two in the centre
- The sign band, with three contrasting eliptical details that have the number thirty in the centre
- The contrasting moulding and trim running throughout the exterior of the building
- The pitch of the gabled roof, with eave brackets on the south side
- The addition to the back, or eastern side of the building

Other character-defining elements of 52 Queen include:
- Its location on the corner of Queen Street and King Street