Viewing Object

The auctioning of livestock has been one of the keys to success for Fraser Valley Auctions (1983) Ltd. for 25 years. Buyers and sellers from all over the Lower Mainland, throughout BC, Alberta and into the United States take advantage of the weekly Saturday livestock sales that range from chickens, rabbits and geese to pigs, goats, sheep, llamas and cattle. Each week, Wednesdays are set aside for cattle only with approximately 200-300 head ranging from bulls to calves. A separate schedule to auction horses, mules and ponies along with tack and equine supplies takes place on selected Sunday as listed on the Web site.

Joe Gibson started his business ventures in the 1920s. His first was an electrical supply shop that he opened in the Theatre Block in 1922. By 1925 Joe was involved in real estate, and in 1926 he expanded the electrical shop to include hardware. In 1931 he sold the store, but built a new building supply store in 1932 that was run by his son Colin until his death in 1933, when the store was closed. In 1937 Gibson added insurance to the services he offered at his location on the corner of Glover Road and Fraser Highway (then Yale Road). At this point, Gibson reopened the Langley Theatre and his wife Olive ran it until 1944. In 1938 the Gibsons entered the auction business, running the weekly Thursday auctions that became an important part of Langley's routine. It turned out to be the most successful of all of his enterprises. Gibson sold the real estate business to Len Goble in 1945. Gibson's son Mickey Bladen Gibson ran and owned the Gibson's Auctions after his father retired in 1958. The site was rebuilt as The Auction Centre in the 1970s and later the building housed Fraser Valley Auctions.