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O'Regan's Liquors

107-113 Charlotte Street, Saint John, New Brunswick, E2L, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1982/03/18

This photograph shows the contextual view of the building, 2005; City of Saint John
O'Regan's Liquors - Contextual view
This photograph shows a window with an ornate sandstone lintel, 2005; City of Saint John
O'Regan's Liquors - Window
This photograph shows the storefront of the building and illustrates the recessed entranceways and cast iron pilasters, 2005; City of Saint John
O'Regan's Liquors - Storefront

Other Name(s)

O'Regan's Liquors
Boyaner Brothers
Boyaner Brothers
Roxie's
Roxie's
St. John Hair Store
St. John Hair Store

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2009/03/12

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

O'Regan's Liquors is a three-storey brick Italianate commercial building located on the west side of Charlotte Street in the Trinity Royal area of the City of Saint John.

Heritage Value

O'Regan's Liquors is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with its former occupants.

O’Regan’s Liquors is recognized as one of a collection of commercial Italianate and Second Empire buildings that were built between 1877 and 1881 after two-thirds of the city were destroyed by the Great Saint John Fire in 1877. This building is a good example of Italianate commercial architecture from the rebuilding period in Saint John after the fire. The use of brick and the quality of the workmanship in this building represent the will for the city to rebuild, as well or better, after the fire.

O’Regan’s Liquors is recognized through some of the occupants that have conducted their business here. Charlotte Street was primarily the social and leisure centre of the city. This was the place to shop, dine, play billiards, or enjoy a theatrical production. This building originally held three business enterprises at the storefront level, a doctor's office and apartments in the upper levels.

The northernmost shop in this building was O'Regan's liquor sampling room from 1879 until the mid 1890's. In 1890, Grindon Welch and Company disposed of their interests to Mr. O'Regan making him the top wine and spirit merchant in the city. Mr. O'Regan's stock came from all the great wine, spirit, and malt producing countries of the world.

Miss Katie Hennessey operated the St. John Hair Store in the southernmost shop in this building. She was a hairdresser from the late 1880's until she died in 1920. The hair salon continued until the mid 1920's and then closed its doors.

Roxie's Music Ltd. began in the old O'Regan shop about 1930. When Ben Goldstein moved his music store to the building north of this building Roxie's transformed into Roxie's card and gift shop. This company survived half a century and ceased operations in the early 1980's.

From the early 1920's until early 21st century, part of O’Regan’s Liquor was used as an optometrist shop, 50 of those years by Boyaner Brothers.

The apartments in the upper storey were known for many years as the Dufferin Apartments.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that describe O’Regan’s Liquors include:
- rectangular three-storey massing;
- brick exterior walls;
- window placement and proportions;
- shares similar features and set-back with neighbouring building to the north;
- corbelling and other brick details;
- continuous sandstone lintels;
- second storey lintels are peaked and decorated;
- round decorated lintel over the window in the central bay;
- storefront with bracketed cornice, wooden fascia, six cast-iron pilasters, recessed entrances, transom windows and wooden bulkheads.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

New Brunswick

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (NB)

Recognition Statute

Municipal Heritage Preservation Act, s.5(1)

Recognition Type

Municipal Heritage Preservation Act

Recognition Date

1982/03/18

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Developing Economies
Trade and Commerce
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design

Function - Category and Type

Current

Commerce / Commercial Services
Office or Office Building

Historic

Commerce / Commercial Services
Shop or Wholesale Establishment
Residence
Multiple Dwelling

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

841

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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