Description of Historic Place

The Old Co-op Store is a Municipal Heritage Property located on two municipal lots in the village of Wishart. The designation applies to a wood-frame, stucco-clad, two-storey commercial building built in 1949.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Old Co-op Store lies in its association with the cooperative movement that flourished in Wishart in the 1940s. On July 31, 1939 six residents of the community signed a Memorandum of Association to form the Zhoda Cooperative Association Ltd. In 1944, the cooperative purchased the Capital General Stores building on Wishart’s main street and in 1949 began construction of a new grocery store on the site. The building was officially opened by Premier Tommy Douglas on June 21, 1950. By 1967, when the Zhoda Cooperative amalgamated with the Wynyard Co-op, the Wishart branch had a credit union, bulk fuel dealership, abattoir and lumber yard in addition to this grocery store. The store remained in operation until the 1990s.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its architecture. The old Co-op Store is built in the main street commercial style. This style exemplifies both a modest design that reflects the spirit of the cooperative movement, and traditional commercial elements, such as large windows on the front façade that contribute to the streetscape of Wishart’s commercial district.

Source:

Rural Municipality of Emerald No. 277 Bylaw No. 4/2008.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Old Co-op Store resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements associated with the cooperative movement in Saskatchewan, such as its existence on its original location;
-those architectural elements typical of the main street commercial style, such as the front façade with symmetrically placed large windows on the street level and smaller windows on the second level; stucco exterior and concrete pilasters; centred main entrance; and interior elements typical of a retail establishment, such as the open floor plan.