Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The McWhirter Building in Fortitude Valley is part of Brisbane's history.

McWhirters Department Store in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, 1938

McWhirters Store was erected in four stages on land acquired between 1899 and 1929, by Brisbane draper, James McWhirter of the firm of McWhirter & Son Ltd (later McWhirters Ltd).

It’s founder James McWhirter had arrived in Australia in 1878, from Ayshire, Scotland.

From its establishment in 1898, McWhirters Ltd expanded rapidly from a small drapery business to become one of Brisbane's largest and most sophisticated departmental retailers, with the principal store occupying over an acre of land bounded by Brunswick, Wickham and Warner Streets, at the well known Valley Corner.

Today, McWhirters are long gone and the building now houses individual shops and eating places.

9 comments:

  1. I'm glad that the building wasn't torn down and some new "modern" monstrosity put up in its place...still, I hate to see these old stores go out of business.

    Thanks much for stopping by The Villages DP and for you fine comment. Much appreciated!

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  2. I remember this grand building from a visit many years ago. It's good that it's found a new use.
    Sydney - City and Suburbs

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  3. Yes, I like that it has found a new use. This is what is happening here all over the city. The GPO is just one example.

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  4. These old buildings are just fabulous. Many of them are languishing in older cities in the USA. Great blog you have here!

    Jan
    GDP

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  5. Beautiful...nd thank you for the visit

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  6. It is good that it wasn't torn down.

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  7. I love weather-beaten red bricks, it has a character of it's own! Nice angle, good capture! :)

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  8. I like it, it looks beautiful with its red brick and severe looking facade. It does look like a building with a history :)

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  9. That on takes me back ... on our rare trips to be big smoke Mum was always tossing up whether to go to the Valley or the city to shop. In the Valley there was McWhirters and another store I think it's name was Allen and Stark. In the city there was MacDonald and East and a couple of other names that escape me.

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