Description of Historic Place

Grimmer Building is a mid-19th century wooden two-storey Classic Revival commercial building with a boomtown façade featuring a stepped parapet. It is located on Water Street in St. Andrews.

Heritage Value

Grimmer Building is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with past owners and commercial uses.

Grimmer Building is recognized for its architecture. Built circa 1850 for merchant Charles Bradley, it is a good example of Classic Revival commercial architecture with boomtown elements. It has a unique façade with a stepped parapet and broad cornices. The storefront has a central entranceway flanked by two large storefront windows.

Grimmer Building is also recognized for some of the occupants and for its commercial uses. Charles Bradley obtained this property from the estate of Thomas Wyer Jr. along with the right-of-way to Wyer’s wharf. This wharf access made this a prime location for transported goods being received by the many vessels that landed in St. Andrews. He carried on an extensive dry goods business in the town for about 50 years. He was Justice of the Peace for Charlotte County for over 40 years. This building served as Grimmer’s grocery store from the late 19th Century until the 1930’s. George Durrell Grimmer was the first proprietor of the store but the operation was soon taken over by his brother John Davidson Grimmer. In 1943, this building became the St. Andrews liquor store until the 1970’s.

Source: St. Andrews Civic Trust - Charlotte County Archives, St. Andrews, NB.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe Grimmer Building include:
- two-storey rectangular massing;
- overall symmetry of the façade;
- stepped parapet with broad cornices and returned eaves;
- wooden shingle siding;
- wooden storefront cornice;
- large storefront windows;
- recessed central entranceway.