1135 Seymour Street
A couple of blocks of Seymour Street developed into the ultimate shopping desination (if you were popping out to buy a truck). Federal Motors, and GMC Trucks were on the next block to the south, and International Motor Trucks put their showroom here, on the 1100 block. Built in two phases, International moved here in 1927 when the expanded from their smaller premises at the north end of the same block, on Davie Street. The initial building 
was the northern (right hand) half, seen in this 1927 Vancouver Public Library image. According to the permit it was developed in 1926 by Mr. J. E. McAllister at a cost of $8,500.
Charles James McAllister was born in Wiarton, Bruce County Ontario in 1869. He became a blacksmith, and arrived in Vancouver around 1891, initially working for the CPR. He worked on East Hastings, initially we think for John McAllister, another blacksmith who had The Columbia Carriage Works there. It seems likely they were related, and Charles lodged with John when he first arrived.
Charles married Ellen Percival in 1898. She was born in Manitoba but lived in Vancouver from 1887. They had a daughter, Elva, in 1899, and a son, Clarence in 1903. In 1905 they were living on this site at 1145 Seymour in a house that Charles had built a year earlier (just visible on the edge of the 1927 image). In the 1911 census Charles was still a blacksmith. In 1921 E J McAllister got a permit to carry out repairs and raise the house. Charles J McAllister was still shown living here in the street directory, and in 1928 was president of McAllister Spring Co, (based in 1162 Seymour) and still living here, as was his son Clarence, who worked with him.
We’re not sure if there really was a J E McAllister who owned the premises, and almost certain there was no E J McAllister (at least, not in any street directories) but Charles J McAllister lived in this location for over 20 years before the garage was built. Whoever developed the garage probably hired Bedford Davidson to design and build it. If not, they copied the other garage designs Mr Davidson was resposible for in the area.
The house at 1145 Seymour had rooms to let between 1927 and 1931, which is when we think it must have been replaced by the extended showroom. By 1933 when our main image was taken, the building had been doubled to 100 feet wide. Charles McAllister died in 1956 at the age of 87. His obitiary noted that he owned McAllister Spring Co for 45 years, having set it up when he stopped working for the CPR.
International Harvester Co moved into the building at 1135 in 1927, and were listed until 1950. United Upholstery moved into the building in 1951, and were here until 1957. In 1958 a new bowling alley was announced; Norman Loomer was going to spend $15,000 on remodelling the premises and installing the equipment. He already had Seymour Recreations at 1105 Seymour, and when Loomer Lanes opened in August they allowed both 5 and 10 pin bowling in ‘the most modern lanes in Canada’. In 1964 they were the Holly Lanes, but by 1967 Budget Office Furniture had taken the space, and was here to the mid 1970s, but by 1975 Dorwell Office Equipment had taken over, and by the early 1980s it was the Furniture Division of Williams and Mackie.
Today it’s part of a twin tower strata project called Brava, designed by Hewitt and Kwasnicky, and developed by Onni and Amacon in the early 2000s, completed in 2005. On this part of the street there are townhouses, but the Vancouver International Film Centre run the theatre to the south that’s part of the complex.
Image sources; City of Vancouver Archives CVA 99-4547 and Vancouver Public Library
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