Description of Historic Place

Breau's Barber Shop is a late 19th-century two-storey commercial building with a street level storefront. This Italianate building is located on Cunard Street in the Chatham Historic Water Street District in Miramichi East.

Heritage Value

Breau’s Barber Shop is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with the commercial district of the former Town of Chatham.

Breau’s Barber Shop is recognized for its architecture. It was probably constructed circa 1885 by its owner and Swedish immigrant, Francis O. Petterson, merchant tailor. The building is a good example of late 19th-century Italianate commercial architecture. The decorative roof cornice, the street-level storefront with large windows and cornice, as well as the placement of the two entrances are part of the original Italianate design of the building.

Breau's Barber Shop is also recognized for its association with the commercial district in the former Town of Chatham, now part of the City of Miramichi. This storefront operated as a barber shop under long term tenant Kenny Breau and is located in “Little Broadway”, a small mercantile block within this business district.

Source: City of Miramichi - Heritage Office - Beaverbrook House - Historic Places File # 06-73

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Italianate architecture of Breau’s Barber Shop include:
- rectangular two-storey massing;
- balanced window, bulkhead and door placement of the storefront;
- front façade storefront including a moulded cornice with brackets and pilasters;
- side storefront window placement within context of alley and view of pedestrians;
- low pitch shed roof;
- moulded roof-line cornice with brackets.

The character-defining elements relating to the location of the building include:
- placement of building alongside edge of sidewalk, in keeping with the rest of the streetscape;
- location of the building in “Little Broadway”, within the business district of the former Town of Chatham.