by ISABELLE EAGLESHAM, Soo Line Historical Museum Curator

Rumour has it that the brick building belonging to the late Jim Goote may be demolished. Before it goes under the wrecker's ball I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the history of the building at 128-3rd St. N.E.

I believe it was originally the Canada Cafe operated by Chan Kai, an early resident of Weyburn who owned and occupied it. Chan Kai, over the years, occupied three buildings as restaurants. We know he built one on Railway Ave. because we have the original copy of an agreement between Frank Moffet and Chan, allowing him to use one wall in the construction of a building. He also had a cafe in the area of SideSteps. Chan must have been an astute businessman since he managed to raise and educate a large family.

Two of Chan's children with whom I was well acquainted were May and Lily. In later years they owned and operated the M and M Confectionery.

One of my recollections was going down to the cafe (Side Steps location), by invitation from May or Lily, and helping ourselves to all the ice cream we wanted. We poured on all the marshmallow or chocolate that our hearts desired. Nobody bothered us. Mrs. Chan Kai always stayed upstairs in the living quarters in the cafe and never left there, as far as I know. We never saw her at any time. Was that a custom in their native country?

I don't know.

One of my favourite stories is when Chan Kai operated the cafe at Jim's building back in the 1920s. Dr. Hugh Eaglesham would drop in frequently for a cup of coffee. On one occasion he had been out on a country call. It was winter and he was freezing cold. Chan wanted to give him a drink of whiskey to warm him up. Just as he was about to bring it to him, in walked Police Chief Blakie. Chan used his ingenuity, put the whiskey in a soup bowl and brought it in to the doctor.

One interesting feature about this cafe was that it might have been built with bricks from Hunt's brick yard. I checked with Joe Weisgerber, whose father had worked on McKinnon's Store, formerly Co-op, when it was being built. These bricks came from Hunt's brick yard. I would presume that bricks from this cafe may also have been from Hunt's brick yard.

Some occupants of this building over the years were Persons and Booth (Meats), Cardwell Manufacturing (Oil and Gas Supplies), Radio Shack, Tollefson's Radio and TV, Country Treasures, Gateway to New Life, Simpsons, and more recently, Marv's Clip Shop, Rainbow Recyclers and Goote's Plumbing and Heating.

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