Description of Historic Place

The Landmark Cafe is located in a well preserved wood shingled commercial style building prominently situated on Main Street in the Village of Victoria. The registration includes the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Landmark Cafe is valued for its commercial influenced architectural style and for its role in the economic and social history of the Village of Victoria. It is believed the present building was constructed in approximately 1886, but it may have existed on the site as early as 1880. Meacham's Atlas of PEI shows a building on th site owned by Richard Lea.

The west elevation or front facade illustrates the typical commercial style with a central entrance and two large multi-paned storefront windows on either side of it. The cladding is wooden shingle and the upper storey features two - two over two - sash windows, topped by a steep gable roof. A transom light above the entrance remains along with decorative hood mouldings and pilasters.

Neil Penpraise (1851-1938) operated a general store on the site beginning in the 1890s. He also served as the village cobbler, repairing shoes from an addition at the back of the store. After 1945, Keith Boulter operated a meat market and general store from the property. In the 1960s, Annie and Ivan Craig ran a grocery store and post office on the site.

In 1989, it was purchased for use as a craft shop and later as a restaurant and named "The Landmark Cafe". Further additions have since been added to the back of the building to accommodate washrooms. A deck was also built on the front.

The Landmark Cafe remains a hub of social activity in the Village of Victoria. It contributes to the ambiance of Main Street as a visible reminder of the early economic history of the village.

Source: Culture and Heritage Division, PEI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
File #: 4310-20/V3

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements contribute to the commercial style heritage value of the Landmark Cafe:

- The simplistic design of the building with its single gable roof and one and one half storey wooden construction
- The decorative bracketed cornice above ground floor windows
- The wood shingled exterior
- The decorative lintels and hood mouldings over the windows and doors
- The glass and casements of the storefront windows that are original to the building
- The roof boards under the asphalt which are original
- The original wooden store shelving which is still on the walls inside this building

Other character-defining elements include:

- The building's prominent location on the corner of Main and Howard Streets, making it an important aspect of the overall Victoria streetscape