Chain stores were once commonly found on Chatham’s King Street.

Among the earliest of these (circa 1900) was the Northway Company which was, in general, a dry goods emporium, but they also specialized in women’s and children’s ready to wear clothing. They were located, originally, in the McKeough Block which still stands and is situated at 150 King St. W.

Our older readers will remember this as being to the immediate east of the once popular Sunshine Restuarant. This would be about opposite and slightly west of the present-day Satellite Restaurant.

Northways later moved to the Central Block which was located on the north side of King Street, second building east of Fifth Street. The Central Block was destroyed in a mid-1980s fire.

Another early chain store operation was that of Brewster’s Five and Dime (1908) which was somewhat similar in function to later era Metropolitan stores and Kresge’s.

The Brewster store was located in the Taylor Williamson Block, on the........

© Sarnia Observer