Written by Mikenna Richardson on behalf of the Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH)
Compared to 100 years ago, downtown Orillia has significantly changed, except for one store.
Located at 51 Mississaga St. E., the Town’s Jewellers storefront has never changed. The building that houses the store was built in 1878 by James Thomson and Joseph Dunn. It had been occupied by a jewelry store since the early 1900s by jeweller, optometrist and mayor William Sword Frost.
Frost opened his jewelry store sometime before 1906. It was known through the years as the Diamond Hall and also W.S. Frost and Co. The store is probably best known for its street appeal and is often the subject of photographs due to the beauty of the storefront. It was in 1906 that Frost had stained-glass windows installed across the front of the building, which is 11 feet wide. It was a considerable expense for an Orillia shop owner, as the glass was shipped in from the United States, and the lead was imported all the way from California.
He turned his store into a landmark on the street. At the time that the windows were installed, Mississaga Street was just a dirt road. Apparently, Frost was known to wipe down the windows every morning to rid them of the dust that rose from the street.
Frost wasn’t known for his store alone. On the contrary, at one point in Orillia’s history, he was practically a household name. He was a business owner, one of few optometrists here, and was known for his involvement in Orillia’s YMCA. The changes he made to his store were but a peek at his work ethic around town.
In 1935, having decided to retire, Frost made a call to Duncan Town, a former apprentice. Frost offered the business to Town, who gladly accepted ownership of the valuable store. Town soon changed the name of the store to Town’s Jewellers. Around that time, he had a sign painted above the windows, announcing the name of the store.
Not much has changed since then. The windows remain the same, and you may even be able to see the original safe near the rear of the showroom.
Next week, we will feature another object from the OMAH collection that showcases our local history.