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Phone 166 - A Resilient Tradition, Cont.
With the departure of Moore came the arrival of W. Maynard Argue, himself a grocer who was eager on continuing the trade of both Moore and his predecessors. Like Moore, Argue would also maintain longevity, taking the helms of Argue's Food Market until 1964. His store was a popular spot during the 22 years, so much so that a poem was written in his honour:
As mentioned in the poem, Argue had long been involved in the grocery trade before his arrival at Keyes Block. Remarkably, at a time when large grocery franchise chains such as Dominion were ever-expanding, Argue elected to retain the traditions of the local community-centered grocer's market that had long been challenged.
Nonetheless, Argue still remained at the forefront of changing dynamics; with the growth of transnational transportation routes and mass production of agriculture, groceries could now stock non-seasonal produce and products from around the world continuously. Argue made sure of this, highlighting the "Choice Fruits and Vegetables" from all over the world now available at Keyes Block:
He would even go so far as to decorate his delivery truck:
Alas, by the mid-1960s the relentless growth of the supermarket may have proved too much for Argue's Food Market, and it would be a little while before another grocery establishment, the Granary, opened in 1977. Since then, it has continued to thrive as a community grocery market with special emphasis on local health foods, preserving a remarkable continuity of Keyes Block's grocery legacy.
Footwear and fashion, the initial industry of Keyes Block's namesake, would also retain a notable continuity in unit 109. After the closure of the Union Bank in 1914, Baird and Riddell's menswear would move into the unit, expanding the fashion catalogue into clothing. For 39 years it would remain, until it switched into Dorothy Burns' womenswear store, Mi Lady Dress Shop, in 1953, moving into 107 Bridge after Argue's departure. The focus would return chiefly to shoes after the Granary's arrival, with Charlie Jay's Shoes and Ken's Discount Shoes operating in unit 109 until 2015.
Keyes Block stands tall as a symbol of resilience - from the tribulations of George Keyes' shoe store that spawned its construction, to the preservation of local industry in the face of increasing pervasive large-scale conglomeration and socio-economic division, to the survival into its 123rd year of continuous service to Carleton Place. As such, it remains an extremely important building to Carleton Place's history and identity, providing a bridge between its citizens of old and of today in its steadfast service of its community.
