Key Number:	HS 10478
Site Name:	Puffer-Chung Block
Other Names:	Club Cafe
Site Type:	0406 - Mercantile/Commercial: Restaurant 0499 - Mercantile/Commercial: Other

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			40	26	4

Address:	5010-5012 - 50 Street
Number:	10-12
Street:	50
Avenue:	50
Other:
Town:	Lacombe
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View
Negative Negative	09-R0107-34 09-R0107-02	2010/01/08 2010/01/08	E face W face

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Rectangular Long Facade
Storeys:	Storeys: 2
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:	Nailed Frame
Superstructure Cover:	Brick - Bond: Stretcher
Roof Structure:	Flat
Roof Cover:	Roof Cover: Unknown
Exterior Codes:	Massing of Units: Double Semi-Detached, Related Wings: Rear Number of Bays - Facade: First or Ground Floor, 6 Bays Wall Design and Detail: Plain Panel Wall Design and Detail: String or Belt Course Wall Design and Detail: Entablature Wall Design and Detail: Plain Parapet Wall Design and Detail: Carving Wall Design and Detail: Decorative Brick Plain Eaves Roof Trim Material - Verges: Concrete Dormer Type: None Chimney Location - Side to Side: Centre Chimney Location - Side to Side: Offset Right Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Centre Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Front Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Rear Chimney Stack Material: Brick Chimney Stack Material: Metal Chimney Stack Massing: Single Roof Trim - Special Features: Other Window - Structural Opening Shape: Segmental Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Voussoirs Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: None Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Material: Brick Window - Sill Type: Continuous Sill Window - Sill Material: Brick Window - Number of Sashes: Two, Double Hung Window - Opening Mechanism: Single or Double Hung Window - Special Types: None Main Entrance - Location: 2 or More (Facade) Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Plain Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening Material: Wood Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Flat Transom, Single Light Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Number of Panels Per Leaf: 7 Main Entrance - Leaves - Special Feature: Glass Main Stairs - Location and Design: None Main Stairs - Direction: None Main Porch - Type: None Main Porch - Special Features: None Main Porch - Material: None Main Porch - Height: None
Exterior:	Entablature, cornice, decorative frieze and concave brackets, architrave, brick chimneys, four pilasters, brick string course, voussoirs, rectangular double hung windows with four lights topped by segmental arch, continuous sandstone sills, lugsills, neon lights, name plates.
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	Lot Size: 30' by 120' (florists), 20' by 120' (Club Cafe). Part of downtown commercial core. One of many pre-1925 buildings on Lacombe's Main (50) Street.
Condition:	Structure - Poor Repair - Poor (1972)
Alterations:	Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Chimney Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Window Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Door Site: Original

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started	1907/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Mercantile/Commercial: Restaurant Mercantile/Commercial: Restaurant	1907/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
339758 Alberta Ltd. Wm. Puffer and Hop Chung Cole and Seaters Fred Mah Fay and Central Alberta Florists	1907/01/01 1913/01/01 1980/04/30

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	George Mobley
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Original owners were Wm. Puffer (M.L.A.) and Hop Chung. On January 1, 1911 fire destroyed the buildings on this site. In the Spring of 1911 Wm. F. Puffer and Hop Chung had building built for Pioneer Meat Market (right hand side) and for a restaurant and store for sale of fruit, candy and silkwear in addition to rooms for rent. The Masonic Lodge held many meetings up above the meat market. Cole and Seaters owned and managed the meat market by 1913 for several years until Puffer and his son Lloyd got involved in the business again. Present owners are Fred May Fay (Club Cafe) and Central Alberta Florists. * * * Original buildings destroyed in 1911 fire. According to Information Form submitted by applicant, this building was constructed in 1911. * * * HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE This is a very interesting building for several reasons. It was originally built to house two distinct businesses: William Puffer's butcher shop and Hop Chung's restaurant. Chung also had the offices for his laundry in this building and because Puffer was one of the founders of the Lacombe Masonic Lodge, the Masons had their temple on the second floor of this building until 1982. Puffer also served as a town councillor and MLA for many years. The business association of Puffer and Chung is noteworthy, especially given the strong nativist sentiments often expressed by "Main Street" businessmen in Alberta in the early 20th century. In addition, the building is of some architectural interest. The restaurant side once contained many late 1940s fittings and the "Puffer" half of the property remains much as it was in the 1920s. BUILDING/SITE DESCRIPTION The building as it is today appears to be in good condition, and the building envelope, apart from the roof, has gone through some major upgrading. The brick facade was restored eight years ago with the assistance of the Lacombe Main Street Programme; other serious structural faults at the rear and internally were also rectified around the same time. Two and a half years ago, the owners at the time decided to restore the 1920-era storefront on the Chung side, and removed all of the late 1940s covering. This exposed areas of brickwork which had not had their masonry restored and left them open to the elements and inevitable deterioration. The roofs, with the exception of the rear portion of the Puffer side, have had no upgrading or major repairs for many years and are starting to leak. The interiors on both floors have undergone some simple restoration to make them livable, with more done every time there is a change of owner. Due to the building's age, certain repairs and improvements are still needed on the exterior of the building, particularly at the rear of the Chung side, and the need for interior improvements seems never-ending. Generally speaking, this building is structurally sound and retains a high degree of original fabric and historic character both on the outside and the inside. * * * * * * * * PUFFER/CHUNG BLOCK 5010-5012 50 STREET 1911 Registered Historic Resource HS 10478 Following the fire of 1911, the Puffer/Chung Block was constructed as a single but divided building for two Lacombe businessmen. William Puffer and Hop Chung had both operated businesses, a butcher shop and a laundry respectively, adjacent to the Victoria Hotel, both of which were lost when the Hotel was destroyed by fire on New Years Day of 1911. Puffer and Chung decided to join together to construct a brick building that would properly house both of their businesses. Both William Puffer and Hop Chung were important, locally active men in the Lacombe community. Puffer, who became Lacombe's first MLA in 1905 and held the position until 1917, lobbied heavily to bring the Federal Research Station to the Town and was involved in many other local businesses and community organizations. Hop Chung was one of Lacombe's first Chinese residents and experienced the restrictions on Chinese immigration first-hand when he tried to send for his wife and daughter, who were still living in China. An imposed head tax of $500 per person made immigration of entire families almost impossible. However, illustrating the true nature of their friendship, William Puffer paid for Chung's wife and daughter to come to Lacombe. The arrival of the two women was a significant event as there were fewer than 100 Chinese women in the province at the time. The physical significance of the Puffer/Chung Block lies in its masonry construction, arched brick window openings, brick dentils and cornice and columns that flank the central entrance between the two separated main floor commercial spaces.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:

Register:	N/A

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places: