After the 1904 fire, the new Trites-Wood Building featured an impressive sandstone façade, and stocked the finest stoves, furnishings, clothing, homewares and more.
After the 1908 fire. The Trites-Wood store was lost but the business forged on.
A temporary wooden structure and a series of fireproof cellars provided service to the community during the winter of 1908 while a new store was constructed
Heritage buildings were not popular in the 1970’ s. The Sombrowski family added shingles for a modern look after they purchased the business. commercial building. J. F. Spalding, who went on to document Fernie through his photographs and later work as the Tourism Commissioner for the Tourist Association of Southern Alberta and Southeastern British Columbia, arrived in Fernie in March 1904 to take the position of bookkeeper at the company’ s Morrissey store. He purchased the A. W. Prest Photography studio in 1905.
In 1922, A. B. Trites and R. W. Wood left Fernie to pursue other business endeavours. Together, they became millionaires with an investment in the Premier Mine, and Trites also went on to become notable in the Dairy Industry with ranches across Western Canada. The store was left in the care of the Stewart family, who continued to run the business after the deaths of Mr Wood in 1935 and Mr Trites in 1943.
In 1970, Arthur and Ingrid Sombrowski purchased the 2nd Avenue location and it has remained within the family for the past 50 years. They have run their own store the entire time, leasing out other parts of the building which have over the years been occupied by furniture, general goods, hardware, décor and sporting goods stores, and a hair studio and art gallery, among others. On the second floor and at the rear of the building is the Fernie Academy.
Through fires, wars, the great depression and the boom years of the 50’ s and 70’ s, this building has not only been a constant business presence in Fernie, it has also been a consistent employer and locally owned retailer of many of life’ s essentials.
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