Adam Brothers Harness Manufacturing Company, 1903
The first building on this corner was the two-storey brick Georgian style home of Laurent Quenton St. George, a dry goods merchant. Built between 1807 and 1810 it was the first brick residence in the town. When Quenton left Canada, his home was rented to the Canada Company, a private British land development company that was granted over a million hectares from the British Crown, which it sold or leased to British, Irish, and Scottish settlers. The company used Quenton’s home as its headquarters until 1895. (The Canada Company’s operations gradually wound down starting in 1856 and it ceased operations in 1953).
The Quenton Str. George home was demolished in 1902 to make way for the Adam Brothers building, the six-storey commercial building now at 204 King Street East. which was completed in 1903. John and Charles Adam, owners of the Adam Brothers Harness Manufacturing Company, occupied the building until 1917, producing horse harnesses, blankets, collars, and sweat pads.
After 2017, The Timothy Eaton company used the building as a warehouse for five years.
In 1923, the building, now referred to as the Adams Building, reopened to multiple commercial tenants. It hosted numerous businesses on its six floors including Cordage Distributors, maker of rope, cordage and twine (for 16 years), and Brooks Lamp & Shade Company (for 10 years).
In 1944, eyeglass maker Hermant Percy Ltd. (renamed the Imperial Optical Company Ltd.) moved in and by the 1950s they were the main tenant, before being replaced by the Safety Supply Company, who also occupied the building next door. The Safety Supply Co. remained in the Adams building until 1986.
In the 1990s, the Adams Building was bought by Allied Properties, renovated, and amalgamated with 210-212 and 214 King Street as an office complex.
The first building on this corner was the two-storey brick Georgian style home of Laurent Quenton St. George, a dry goods merchant. Built between 1807 and 1810 it was the first brick residence in the town. When Quenton left Canada, his home was rented to the Canada Company, a private British land development company that was granted over a million hectares from the British Crown, which it sold or leased to British, Irish, and Scottish settlers. The company used Quenton’s home as its headquarters until 1895. (The Canada Company’s operations gradually wound down starting in 1856 and it ceased operations in 1953).
The Quenton Str. George home was demolished in 1902 to make way for the Adam Brothers building, the six-storey commercial building now at 204 King Street East. which was completed in 1903. John and Charles Adam, owners of the Adam Brothers Harness Manufacturing Company, occupied the building until 1917, producing horse harnesses, blankets, collars, and sweat pads.
After 2017, The Timothy Eaton company used the building as a warehouse for five years.
In 1923, the building, now referred to as the Adams Building, reopened to multiple commercial tenants. It hosted numerous businesses on its six floors including Cordage Distributors, maker of rope, cordage and twine (for 16 years), and Brooks Lamp & Shade Company (for 10 years).
In 1944, eyeglass maker Hermant Percy Ltd. (renamed the Imperial Optical Company Ltd.) moved in and by the 1950s they were the main tenant, before being replaced by the Safety Supply Company, who also occupied the building next door. The Safety Supply Co. remained in the Adams building until 1986.
In the 1990s, the Adams Building was bought by Allied Properties, renovated, and amalgamated with 210-212 and 214 King Street as an office complex.
