The Big Cover-up - Part One

Well, after a bit of a hiatus Storefront Vancouver is back with more great posts for 2018!

If you've ever been in downtown Vancouver you've probably noticed the building that houses the Church of Scientology at the North West corner of Hastings and Homer Street. Today it looks a bit odd with its funky mirrored paneling. But interestingly enough it's a great example of what happened to many old buildings in downtowns around North America in the 1950's, 60's and 70's. They were covered up!

By the late 1950's the move was on to the suburbs and retail was shifting to the shopping mall. Many downtowns had older stone or masonry buildings constructed in the late 1800's or turn of the century which were now looking a bit dated. The building at 401 West Hastings was a prime example of this as it dates from 1909. This photo was taken by W.J.Moore in 1931. Moore is of course known for his panoramic images of Vancouver. (Vancouver Archives str N281.2)

So in order to try and lure shoppers back to the downtown buildings and storefronts were covered up with slipcovers of paneling and corrugated metal siding. The new facades could then be covered with large modern signs. This 1974 image below from the Vancouver Archives (CVA 778-145) shows Peoples Jewellers with its modern looking mirrored panels which are still there today. The building next door was covered with metal siding and was home then to Reitman's.

By the 1980's slipcovering of older building began to go out of style and many downtowns rediscovered the older buildings that had been hidden away for decades. Today there are only a few buildings and storefronts left in Vancouver that are still covered up.

Check out Part Two in this series of The Big Cover-up!