Kindersley Co-op has been serving customers since 1914

By Joan Janzen

Kindersley & District Co-op marked its 110th anniversary by sponsoring a free swim at the Aquatic Centre on April 13, 2024. A journey back in time helps us realize what circumstances existed in December 1914, when The Kindersley Co-op Association signed a charter. Their origins began during a year of drought, and the Board of Directors had yet to acquire a home for the organization.

The Co-op’s trade fair was held on April 16, 1974 and attracted a crowd of over 2,000 shoppers. In this photo a representative from Canadian General Electric was on hand to demonstrate the microwave to Penny Powers. Photo April, 1974 Clarion

The first Co-op store building was located across from the railway track in 1914, and was an 8 foot square shack. Photo Kindersley Memories

According to information from Kindersley Memories, board members began by ordering carloads of goods and notifying those interested, who in turn unloaded their portion. The Co-op did $750 worth of business during its first year when Kindersley had a population of 900 residents.

The first store building was an 8-square-foot shack across from the railway track. After WWI, a building was purchased on Railway Avenue West. The Co-op managed to survive the Dirty Thirties and purchased two lots on the corner of Main Street and 3rd Avenue. The building was remodelled, and a hardware and petroleum department was opened. By 1935, lumber and coal had been added, and they supplied farm equipment.

Despite having gone through the Second World War, the manager Bob Elmhurst forged ahead, and a new building opened in 1944 with a fully equipped hardware store. Petroleum and coal occupied the building on Main and 3rd, with a service station added a few years later.

In 1948, land was purchased, and a new lumber yard was built on 2nd Avenue and 2nd Street West, and Cecil Ditson became manager. Three years later, the old Rex Theatre building was rented and purchased, and a furniture store, hardware store, and warehouse were located. There was further expansion in 1953 when the warehouse was converted into an up-to-date grocery store.

In October 1957, property was purchased on Main Street to house several departments, including groceries, a meat department, a lunch centre, and a pharmacy. Around this time, land was purchased at the junction of highways 7 and 21, where the service station, lumber yard, feed and farm supplies, and petroleum departments were housed.

Since then, the Co-op has not only expanded but also played an important part in the lives of people who live in Kindersley and the surrounding area. It’s also interesting to note that many descendants of board members from years gone by are still active in the Co-op.