Bravo to Rexall Pharmacy, on Raglan Street, for their incorporation of Renfrew history into their new “look” unveiled several months ago.
The Raglan-facing windows are now taken up with an eye-popping graphic featuring four photographs taken on Raglan Street about 120 years ago. A couple of these I had seen before in various publications, but there were a couple of others that I wasn’t familiar with.
It’s cool to just look at them, mostly images of the main drag, waiting for or in the process of a parade of some sort. One photo even features Chief Constable Barney McDermitt on his patrol bike leading the parade down the dusty street.
Priceless.
The photos, taken roughly from the same perspective and location of the current Rexall store, offer viewers an opportunity to make “then” and “now” comparisons between storefronts then and now. It’s pretty cool.
I love seeing this kind of stuff. I’ve come across local historical photos at my local Metro store as well as at the Renfrew Eye Clinic. More examples are present at other Raglan businesses as well.
A trip out to Heritage Renfrew can be illustrating. They have one panoramic air shot of the major industrial undertaking that produced artillery shells during World War 1, located on the properties now taken up by No Frills, Walmart, and Canadian Tire. Mask Road and environs. And off in the distance rises the spire of what appears to be St. Francis Xavier Church.
It’s really cool to see what your town was up to those many years ago.
Anyways, well done Rexall for incorporating a slice of Renfrew into your makeover.
NEWSMAGRENFREW 
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