The new home of Luxe Home Interiors at 564 Yates Street has a rich history full of change and reinvention.
Constructed in 1860 as Nathaniel Moore’s Dry Goods Store, it was one of the first brick buildings on Yates Street when the road was nothing but a dirt horse and buggy corridor. A variety of commercial ventures followed which included a supply store for gold hungry miners seeking adventure to find their fortunes in the Klondike. At one time, tents, ropes, axes and shovels piled the wooden sidewalk in front of our store.
In 1899 the horse and buggy era ended as residents and visitors could now travel down Yates Street on the city’s new streetcar. As change and invention continued, 564 Yates street also experienced a radical renovation in 1909 becoming the Majestic Theatre, the first movie theatre in downtown Victoria. Patrons could enthusiastically watch silent, black and white films, like “Bred in the Bone”, and “The White King of the Zaras” for 10 cents.
The life of the theatre was short lived and 1917 the façade was once again changed to its current restrained brick frontage. Over the years 564 Yates has been the home to the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (seeking to ban alcohol consumption in the city), a kitchen supply store and more recently, home of Hughes Clothing, which has relocated to Oak Bay.
We think it’s fitting that this beautiful piece of Victoria’s history is once again being reinvented as the new home of Luxe Home Interiors. It is our goal to honour the past and preserve the heritage features of the building while showcasing exciting new interior design trends and home furnishings for years to come.
Sources:
City of Victoria Archives
Hallmark Heritage Society