In 1907, Lithuanian immigrant Isaac Colish (1878-1977) came to West Kildonan and opened the municipality’s first grocery store in this two-storey brick building at the corner of Main Street and Newton Avenue. Colish and his family lived on the second floor. From 1990 to January 2022, it operated as “Blondie’s on Main” lunch counter.
Colish Block (May 2020)
Source: George Penner
Colish Block (October 2021)
Source: Nathan Kramer
Colish Block (September 2022)
Source: Nathan KramerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.94309, W97.11250
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Isaac Colish (1878-1977)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Colish Grocery (898 Westminster Avenue, Winnipeg)
1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Obituary [Isaac Colish], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 April 1977, page 62.
This page was prepared by George Penner, S. Goldsborough, Nathan Kramer, and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 2 January 2023
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