This single storey retail development was built in 1922, and is seen here in 1978. It was developed by R O’Hanley, who hired E Evans & Son to design it, and Blackley & Turner to build the $9,500 investment. This was Ronald O’Hanley’s only development in Vancouver, as far as we can tell. The notice of his death, in 1934, said he had resided in BC for 38 years, but it was actually longer, as he was listed living in BC in Union Mines in the 1891 census. Then he was aged 21, and a coal miner. Born in Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, he was an engineer (probably at a mine) in 1901 on Texada Island. He was described as ‘of Texada’ when he married ‘Nettie’ (Sarah Euphrates) Ross, of Orillia, in 1902, and they returned there after their wedding.
In the following years he moved at some point – R O’Hanley was an alderman in Port Coquitlam in 1914, and then joined the army during the war. In 1918 he was on a train from Montreal that derailed, killing several servicemen, but he was apparently unharmed. By 1920 he was living in Vancouver, a salesman with C C Snowden, and living in the Beaconsfield apartments on Bute Street. His employer made a wide range of cleaning and lubricating products, mostly from oil. He was still working for the same employer in 1930, living at 1001 West Georgia, and listed as Ron O’Handley. He died in 1934 at his home at 790 Howe Street, still working as a commercial traveler. “He was well known in Northern Alberta and throughout British Columbia.” His wife died in 1951, in Vancouver.
For many years after the store was completed it was a drug store, initially Grandview Drugs (run by Frank Whaley) until 1928, then the Reliable Drug Store until 1933. Both stores had armed robberies; in 1927, 1929 and 1932. A fish market opened, and promptly closed in 1935, and then from 1937 to 1941 the Grandrive Shoe Service, followed by Grand Re-New. In 1948 Harry Mah Dong opened his Master Tailors store, which remained here until 1995, although John Ngo took over in 1972 and in 1975 it became Master Tailors and Cleaners (seen in the picture).
Next door were 906, and 910. Combined into one store as Everbest Grocery in 1948, run by M Chiu (according to the street directory) into the 1950s, although the Vancouver Sun said someone else ran the store. In 1951 “Jack Chin, proprietor of Everbest Grocery, 910 Commercial, told police he was lying on the chesterfield in a room at the rear of his store when he heard someone force the back door of his storeroom. Chin grabbed his pump shotgun, loaded it and ran to the doorway. When he saw one of the burglars in the storeroom, he shouted: “Stop or I’ll shoot.” But the burglar failed to heed the warning. Ducking his head low, he ran out the back door towards a gate at the rear. Chin fired the shotgun in his direction.”
Mr Chin’s response was more understandable considering just 9 months earlier the Province reported that “approximately $1500 in merchandise was stolen from Everbest Grocery, 910 Commercial, Tuesday night.
Proprietor Mathew Chin told police that cigarettes, tobacco, a Swedish rifle and shells, costume jewelry, tea, two bottles of whiskey, a case of butter, some stamps, a piggy bank containing $50, and some aspirin tablets were taken.”
In 1922 there had been a dry goods store (Allen’s) next to a bakery (Godley’s), and a wide variety of other businesses and services that never stayed more than a year or two, from Acme Signs to the Grandview Sports & Social Club. The one exception was George’s Barber Shop, run by George A. McLeod, from 1936 to 1947 in 910 Commercial. Everbest was here until 1995, when the Commercial Super Market replaced it from 1996 to 1999, before plans for redevelopment saw the building cleared.
In 2005 the replacement for the single storey building was completed, called City View Terraces, designed by Ankenman Marchand. There are 18 strata units on the top three floors, and retail below. There’s currently a tattoo store, a pharmacy, and a cafe and coffee shop.
Image source: City of vancouver Archives CVA 786-79.01
1386
Changing Vancouver 