Hoa Viet – Part II

*This is a follow up to a post about this building that appeared in June, 2008.

Today is this building’s birthday. 80 years young, as it opened to the public Monday July 8, 1929. While browsing the microfilm at the library looking for something else, I stumbled across this article about the opening:

From the Border Cities Star – Saturday July 6, 1929:

SALES AND SERVICE ON WYANDOTTE ST.
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ATTRACTIVE STRUCTURE LOCATED NEAR BRUCE AVENUE AND IS ARTISTICALLY DESIGNED BY A.J. LOTHIAN, ARCHITECT

Taking its place along Wyandotte Street West among the handsome new business buildings erected on that rapidly developing business thoroughfare, the new sales room and service garage now occupied by Nash Motor Sales Company, is the last word in a modern building of the type.

Having a frontage on Wyandotte Street near Bruce Avenue of 40 feet and a depth of 100 feet, the new Nash Motors sales room and service garage, of one story height (sufficiently high in part to permit a mezzanine floor), has abundant room for the various uses for which this structure is employed.

PLATE GLASS FRONT

The exterior of the building, facing Wyandotte Street has a plate glass front across the full width of the structure with exception of face brick pillars and base. The plate glass full length entrance door giving access from the street to the show room and full length windows adjoining, are flush with the building, thus harmonizing with the general architectural design. The display room is equipped with a terrazzo floor of striking design. …

It really is amazing that this building has survived with so few changes. If you’re ever out shopping for Chinese,Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino or other Asian products stop by at Hoa Viet. Prices are good, plus you can check out the building. They haven’t stuccoed the building, and for that reason alone they get my business.

If you ever find yourself shopping there, make sure you look down, because the “terrazzo floor of striking design” is still there… 😉