History of The Mercantile
The Mercantile, circa 1850
The Mercantile opened as a funky gift store in 2006. While the building had been a private home since 1968, prior to that it had a long history as a site of business and a community gathering place in the booming hustle and bustle of Ameliasburgh hamlet.
It was built in 1895 by the Ancient Order of United Workmen (AOUW), Lodge 262, to be their lodge quarters. The AOUW bought the land from Owen Roblin in March 1888, following a devastating fire in 1887 that destroyed its original lodge housed in a store across the street. Unfortunately the newly constructed store/lodge also burned, in 1894, and was replaced in 1895 by the brick building that houses The Mercantile today.
With lodge meeting rooms upstairs, the downstairs was set up as a general store, and was operated by a series of villagers, including George Redner, William H. Stafford and William Carnrike, until being taken over by the File brothers, Frederick and Albert, in 1908. The brothers, two of the long-bearded village doctor’s nine offspring, operated the general store for almost 50 years. In 1957, Arthur Corfield became the proprietor. In 1960, Ronald Callow bought the store and operated it until 1968 when he converted it to his family residence. Also, from around 1970 to 1975, the Callows operated a busy restaurant, The Ameliasburger, in the building.
While not the first nor only general store in town, it is perhaps the best remembered. Through the decades that the Files ran the store, it was a meeting place for Ameliasburgh residents. As well as selling groceries (picture an old-fashioned country store with apples in locally-made barrels) and all manner of goods, including hardware, housewares and clothing, the store housed the post office from Oct. 16, 1912 until 1951, the year that Frederick File, the postmaster, died. His widow Clara acted as postmaster for four months following his death. Fred had also served as township clerk from 1908 to 1951.
Albert, known as Timmy, preferred the life of a traveling pedlar during the summer, taking a different route each day of the week. With his large grocery wagon pulled by two horses, he picked up supplies, including special orders for customers, every Saturday in Belleville. He often took eggs in trade for merchandise and had a washtub installed on the top of his wagon, in which to place the eggs.
The File Bros. Store reflected society’s progress and began selling gasoline and handled Imperial Oil products for over 40 years. The gas pumps were to the west side of the building.