This is an excerpt from the book about the shopping facilities in Alma Street rather than this house.
There is some conjecture regarding the construction of the old store situated on the corner of Slack-Smith and Waterloo Streets opposite the R.S.L. Bowling Clubhouse. One source of information has said it was first constructed by Wright Heaton, a large wholesale chain of grocery suppliers, while another states it was constructed by Peter Kennedy, and Wright Heaton used the old original Hall on the corner of Alma and Corunna Street as a storehouse. Regardless of its origin, by about 1922, it was operated by E. Brumby and Kennedy as a general store. Jim Brumby, a son of the proprietor, has recalled that the store was taken over by McIntyres about 1927 to 1928, and they are listed in the 1930 Wise's P.O. Directory as store proprietors. C. I. Evans and Son took over the store in the late 1930's, with Irwin Evans maintaining the management for some years before the store was closed about 1946. It operated as a temporary R.S.L. Club before the present premises were built, and following the vacation was used as a private residence until it was badly damaged in a windstorm in 1987.
The absence of efficient refrigeration and frozen food during those early years highlighted the need for fresh fruit and vegetables. Wise's P.O. directory of 1910 shows William Battman as a fruiterer. Later, Mrs F. Bulpitt is listed as a fruiterer, but by 1920, this passes back to the Battman family again as George Battman is recorded in the Post Office directory of 1920. (18).
It is also known that Willy Gum, a Chinaman, had his vegetable garden near the present site of McNabs house between Alma and Corunna Streets during the 1920's and 1930's period.
Granny Collins once operated a fruit shop in the area between the Coronation Hotel and Collins' Shop, but this was burnt down about 1920. Her son George operated a general store during the 1920's and 1930's in a now disused building facing Houlahan Street near Brian Jones' garage. John McGee, whose mother owned McGee's bakery, recalls that the shop sold everything from brooms to produce, and items such as biscuits were weighed out separately on the big scales on the counter. The scales had a multitude of uses, as newborn babies from the hospital on the opposite side of the street were also weighed on the scales at Collins' shop. The shop closed during the war years 1939-1944. (19).
Wise's Post Office directory of 1920 lists a Mrs M. Sarquis as the proprietor of a Burren Junction store. This was a cafe-type confectionery shop where Mr and Mrs Reg Smith now reside. About 1932/3 this was operated by Kelly's before being taken over again and used as a wool store by the family of George Sarquis.
About 1920, Harry V. Pooley also owned a drapery business in Burren Junction. A billiard room in the centre block facing Slack-Smith Street was owned by a Mr Witton at one time, according to records supplied by Mr Les Murphy. In 1915, W. J. Wallace is listed as owning a billiard saloon, and by 1917, A. Mcakin is described as a hairdresser and billiard saloon owner in Burren Junction. The original billiard saloon in Slack-Smith Street was one of the blocks of buildings destroyed by fire in the 1920's. (20).
Leslie Scocomb was a blacksmith in Burren Junction by 1910, and Charlie Thompson also operated as a blacksmith in the early days between Houlahan and Waterloo Streets. Next door, a saddler's shop was located, with the proprietor being a Mr Pollock who also acted as a bootmaker.