Vignettes
/ Exchange
District / Bannatyne
J.H. Ashdown Warehouse
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Built by Winnipeg’s “Merchant Prince” in
1895, the J.H. Ashdown Warehouse, remains a major urban
landmark in the Exchange District. When the first portion
of the massive warehouse was built, Ashdown was at the
mid-point of an illustrious career that had made him a
fortune. He had a major influence on the development of
Winnipeg from its incorporation until his death sixty years
later.
Starting out in a local tinsmith shop, Ashdown’s business
grew along with the settlement. In 1870 he purchased
two lots on the corner of Main Street and Bannatyne Avenue,
the location of the Ashdown retail store for over one hundred
years. Ashdown’s successful real estate speculation,
combined with his business acumen, made him a millionaire
by 1910.
