253 Main Street

A brief history of the building, the owners, and businesses over the past 116 yrs.

In 1906 it was the only solid stone business building in Cardston and today in 2022 it still carries that unique singular quality. Built in 1906 by Dick Brown and his partner Bert Cask, as Dick Brown and Cask Barber Shop.

Using proceeds from the sale of his rights to the first oil discovery in Alberta, Bill Aldridge purchased the barber shop building about 1907. He operated a pool hall in the building until he set up the picture show there in 1911. Those who recall the old Electron or Aldridge theaters of 1912 will visualize Bill sitting in a chair on the sidewalk in front, beating on a triangle or playing the fiddle to attract patrons half an hour before show time. The name was later changed to the Bill Aldridge’s Palace Theatre.

With the birth of the Hollywood film industry in 1911, the Palace Theatre would soon be outdated and undersized. In 1914 Aldridge bought the new theatre building on Main Street built by Mark Spencer which has remained a theatre to this day.

In 1915 C.W Burt opened the Farmer’s Exchange in this building. A year later he was joined by his younger brother William Burt and the business became Burt Brothers. They carried a big line of groceries, hardware, overalls, boots, and shoes. It was very successful and in 1926 they had the funds to purchase the two lots next to them and build. The dry good section became larger and the two brothers dissolve the partnership in 1928. C.W. Burt & Sons kept the dry goods store.

W.W. Burt established Burt’s Groceries in this building from 1928 to 1942. Bruce and Kent Burt owned and operated it from 1942 to 1952, Bruce Burt from 1952 to 1984, his son Gordon Burt ran the store in 1984. Dennis Barnes rented the building from Bruce Burt and bought the inventory opening Barnes Food Fare on Jan. 1, 1985 and operated it to Nov., 1988. Kevin Johnson bought the business in Dec. 1988 and operated through 1989. Gordon Burt came back to close up the store and sell off the inventory and machinery, closing the store the end of Sept 1991.

The building was then rented to Brad and Monique Flickinger the owners of the local newspaper The Globe.  In 1994 Bev Carlson bought the building and gave the front a face lift restoring it to its former windows type with the door in the center of the front, and operating as Sidney’s Jewelers from 1994 to 2000. She sold to Carolyn Cameron 2000 to 2003. Barb Nish purchased the business in 2003, renaming it Barb’s Glitter & Glitz. She also did hair dressing in the back. She closed her business early in 2022.

Resources:

Chief Mountain Country Vol 1 page 32, 265, 266

Chief Mountain Country Vol 11 page 24 -25

Chief Mountain Country Vol 111 page 111, 128, 158

Barb Nish as per phone call March 18, 2022

Gordon Burt as per phone call March 22, 2022