In 1919 the store was described as having a long counter in the centre of the ground floor for sales goods. They sold dry goods, shoes, and ladies’ ready-to-wear clothing. The second floor housed the office and the milliner’s room. To the right of the milliner’s room was the men’s clothing department. The furniture and hardware could be found on the third floor, the office supplies on the fourth floor, and the out-of-style clothes under the eaves. Items such as coils of rope, chain, iron, horseshoes, molasses, oils, butter, etc. could be found in the basement. A unique feature of the store was the cash cups running on wires from the various departments to the office carrying cash and change.

Bank employee looking over goods in Turners store.

In the late teens, Vernon Matthew, James MacWilliams and William Turner entered into a partnership. They bought the store from Sinclair and Stewart and operated a successful general store until January 30, 1930, when the store was totally destroyed by fire. The fire appeared to have started in the attic between the floors. O’Leary had no fire department at the time so the citizens turned out to form a bucket brigade. Despite these efforts the largest store west of Summerside, burned to the ground. Wet blankets and splashing water kept the walls up thus saving the nearby buildings which were Jack Pate’s meat market and Pate’s Store with residence on second

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