Description of Historic Place

The Poirier/Gallant Building, located on the north side of Main Street in Shediac, is a two-storey brick commercial structure built for Fidèle Poirier and his sister, Ombéline Poirier-Gallant, in 1903.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Poirier/Gallant Building as an important local historic place lies in its association with the commercial success of Fidèle Poirier (1826-1902), brother of Senator Pascal Poirier, and of his sister Ombéline Poirier (1842-1929), wife of shopkeeper Calixte Gallant. On this site, in 1856, Fidèle Poirier began one of the first, if not the first Acadian business in an urban setting in the Maritimes. His sister Ombéline, one of the very first Acadian businesswomen, is recognized as a fashion innovator in the Acadian community from the 1880s on. In 1887, Fidèle and Ombéline had the town's first brick building constructed, which was destroyed by fire in 1902. Since its construction in 1903, the current building has served many purposes, including that of grocery and convenience store on the ground floor, and office space on the upper floor.

Source: Shediac Town Hall, Historic Places file no. 20

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Poirier/Gallant building include:
- same location for more than a century;
- massing, footprint, and original walls of building;
- flat roof of main section;
- parapet wall on the main façade;
- brick siding;
- basement;
- two-storey rectangular façade;
- bay window over the main entrance door;
- arched windows;
- wide moulded cornice separating the ground floor from the upper floor.