Viewing Object

Mr. S. E. Mathews started his grocery business in the Murrayville Cash Grocery Store, which was actually the back half of the Traveller's Hotel that had been moved foward to front onto 48 Avenue. Samuel E. Mathews acquired the empty lot located on the south-west corner of the Five Corners intersection in approximately 1931. The new store was built in 1933/1934 complete with living quarters at the back and upstairs. Two male customers, possible last names Mortice and Greenside, who were carpenters helped build the new store. Inside, the back of the store was built a foot higher than the front because its was built into a hillside. The front was lower to provide easier access for the customers. The new store was 28' x 46'. The original store configuration had two porches on the east side (facing 216th Street), one at the back of the house and one at the front (closed-in circa 1980). The new store was opened in 1934. The Mathews sold the store to the Bishop family in 1950. It was restored in 2007.
See Also: Murrayville Cash Grocery
Term Source: HPC Record (LCM 996.048.002, aka, Folder No. HPC-484/1251)

The original store on this site (now 21611 48th Ave., Murrayville) was built in 1889 but had burnt down in 1896. The second store built here was owned by H. A. MacDonald, who sold it to W. F. Andrews and J. W. Lee in 1911. Still in his school years, Philip Young (PY) Porter began working for them in 1912 following a short stint as a blacksmith. P.Y. continued his employment with the store when Seth Witton purchased it two years later. PY became the local postmaster in 1916 and eventually bought the store from Witton in 1917. Porter employed Ab Sherritt and Mr. Crockett to do extensive renovations in the late 1930's and the "new" P. Y. Porter General Merchandise store was completed in 1939. P.Y. ran the store for many years but gave the daily management of it over to his son Eldon (a.k.a. Eldy) in the late 1950's. Eldon demolished the remaining section of the pre-1900 store and added a coat of stucco. P.Y. continued to help out until 1971 when he finally retired. Under Eldon the store became known for lawnmower repair and sales, as there were lots of mowers around and outside; one can still see grooves in the floor where mowers sat. After Eldon's death in 1997, the store was taken over by his daughter, Karen Lescisin. It is now (2007) a coffee and tea shop.
Term Source: Langley's Heritage