Description of Historic Place

Gilbert Léger Store consists of a 2-storey American Foursquare duplex located on Principale Street in Saint Antoine.

Heritage Value

Gilbert Léger Store is designated a Local Historic Place for its association with the major fires of 1922 and 1938 and for serving as an example of an old general store (1920 to 1967) that contributed to the area’s commercial development following construction of the railway in Saint-Antoine.

On March 11, 1922, flames ravaged eleven buildings in the heart of the village’s business district, and in 1938, fire completely destroyed the Gilbert Léger and Dominic Léger stores for the second time, leading to the establishment of Saint-Antoine's first fire brigade. Despite the discouraging situation, the Gilbert Léger Store was rebuilt and served mainly as a general store until the 1960s, after which the arrival of supermarkets forced the closure of the village’s general stores, including the Langis, the Urbain Breau, and the Willie Cormier stores. The Gilbert Léger Store is the only one still housing a business and is now being used as a flower shop. Thanks to its strategic location in the village centre at the corner of Principal Street and de l’Église Avenue since before the 1922 fire, the Gilbert Léger Store serves as an example of a business that benefited from the construction of the railway and contributed to Saint Antoine’s economic and commercial development. The architecture of the store reflects a popular building trend in the 20th century. The American Foursquare duplex design allowed for both residential and commercial occupancy of the building.

Sources: Village of Saint-Antoine, File Number A10 – "Magasin Gilbert Léger"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe Gilbert Léger Store include:
- central location;
- continued use as a commercial establishment;
- original 1938 American Foursquare duplex architecture including: the storefront window and door placement, hipped roof, central hipped dormer and rectangular 2-storey massing.