Transcribed tidbits of short stories, NL. history, courtesy of the Provincial Archives ENJOY! Wood's West End Candy Store Building 350-348 Water Street, St. John's The double building at 350-348 Water Street is of brickwork construction supported on stone basement walls with heavy wood and roof joists. The street level facade features a Georgian fanlight with cast iron columns at what was the main entrance, and rock-faced columns with carved capitals at the corners. Number 350 features a two storey bay window of simple, straightforward design, while #348 boasts the building's most visible architectural feature, its curved turret corner. Decoration is minimal with stone window sills, and with stone keystones above the front facade windows. The main entrance to #348 retains its original recessed shop front entrance, typical of downtown commercial establishments of its day. The interior of the building has seen significant changes over time, though there are some remaining details. Two original features are worth noting. In 350 there are several Victorian-style fireplaces of the type common in older buildings in St. John's, some with quite nice individually-designed mantels and surrounds. The other interesting feature is the pressed tin ceiling in the large front room on the second level. There used to be many around St. John's but most have been lost in recent years. About 10% of the ceiling has been lost, but it could be repaired easily, or the remaining pieces salvaged for reuse elsewhere. While no architect or builder is currently known, the opening date of the building can be traced with some accuracy. The Evening Telegram for January 11th, 1902, noted " Wood's new candy store ... is all but completed ... a credit to all concerned, especially to the person who did the frescoing and painting. The building will be opened at the end of the present month." The building was erected in part to house Wood's West End Candy Store. Adjacent in #350 was William Campbell Meats. A widely reproduced 1912 photograph of the building shows the building in its heyday, and advertises "Pure Fruit Soda All Flavours 5 Cents Per Glass, Ice Cream Soda 10 Cents Per Glass". Historian Paul O'Neill wrote, "On the ground floor there was a candy shop, a bake shop, and soda fountain. Upstairs, stiffly starched maids hovered concernedly over tables spread with white linen tablecloths or moved daintily past potted plants and lace-curtained windows. The Rotary Club first met here early in the 1900s. There were many who mourned the passing of this type of elegant Edwardian dining room." Local writer Fred Adams described Wood's establishment as "the most patronized and most popular restaurant in St. John's" and noted that it specialized in mutton pies. The Regatta Committee sometimes held its meetings here, and many rowing clubs held celebrations at Wood's. The Regatta Committee's meeting at 8:30 pm on July 27, 1903 to plan for Derby Day was probably typical, with Professor Power's Band engaged to supply the music. The Committee held their weekly meetings at Wood's from 1903 to 1913. In 1907, president John Harvey hosted a dinner and reception there, and in the same year the Sons of England rowing crew were honoured at the establishment. The 1915 City Directory lists the buildings as "Woods West End Candy and Fruit Store." Wood's store was the product of Frederick Barnes Wood, noted Newfoundland businessman and poet. Wood came to St. John's from Nova Scotia in the 1890s and opened a fruit, confectionary and flower shop. He began manufacturing candy in a factory on Henry Street, and by the early 1900s was specializing in the wholesale and retail sale of candy, syrups, jellies and marmalades. In addition to the Water Street premises, he operated a restaurant on Duckworth Street. When Grand Falls was started Wood was given permission to open a store in the company town. In 1917 he closed his Water Street store to concentrate on running his restaurant on Duckworth Street. He retired in 1923 and sold his company to W.R. Goobie, who transformed Wood's confectionary and soft drink business into what we now know as Purity Factories Ltd. The room above the candy shop, featuring the tin ceiling, was a restaurant renowned for its teas, probably the most prestigious place in town to be seen taking tea. Both of these contributed to the building being very fondly remembered by older St. John's residents, many of who cherish youthful memories of patronizing these establishments. The restaurant was owned by Rex Stirling, father of Geoff Stirling, a Newfoundland personality known to most Newfoundlanders. By a trick of fate, the Woods West End Candy Building falls outside of the Heritage Conservation area by a few metres. However, the building can really be seen as the cornerstone of the Water Street historic district. At one point, all the existing brick and masonry commercial premises on Water Street East were bracketed by two turreted buildings, the West End Candy Store and the now sadly demolished Mechanics' Institute Building, which stood east of the present Breakwater Books building. It is one of only a few brick turreted buildings left in the downtown core, indeed in the province as a whole. The building is a fairly well-known one in the province. It is featured in Fred Adam's collection of photos of old St. John's, and more recently, was featured as the cover photograph on the Fog City restaurant menu. The building was also used as a shooting location for the Andy Jones/Mary Walsh feature film "Extraordinary Visitor."