Former Grocery Store

“656 Union St dates back to 1893 where, as was the custom of the day, a small temporary house was constructed at the rear of the lot. A tailor named Archibald Murray lived there first, to be followed by a string of occupants. The house changed hands as many as four times in one year, probably as a result of gambling debts. The new coach house (656 Union) closely follows the layout of this original building, although doubtless the loggers, long shoremen, and miners who followed Murray would never recognize this version”

The storefront at 658 Union St “was added to an existing two-story rooming house in 1912 when Strathcona’s streets were levelled to make way for street cars and automobiles”

Source

The Vancouver Sun