Description of Historic Place

Boutique Mode Elle is an imposing wooden commercial building constructed in the boomtown style that was popular in the early twentieth century. It is located on Principale Street in the very centre of the business sector of the Village of Rogersville.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Boutique Mode Elle as a Local Historic Place lies in its association with the economic growth of the Village of Rogersville in the early twentieth century. The nearby presence of the train station, the establishment of several religious communities and the colonization effort in the region all played a major role in the development of a number of businesses and stores in the village centre during that period, including this former general store. In addition, the founding of nearby villages and the growth of the agricultural and forestry industries helped to usher in a period of prosperity in Rogersville during the early part of that century.

The heritage value of Boutique Mode Elle as a Local Historic Place lies as well in the expression of the boomtown architectural style of this former general store. The rectangular, two-storey plan, the full use of the space with a business on the ground floor and housing on the upper floor, the false front serving as the storefront and the large windows are all features representative of that style, which was popularized in Western Canada and is often called “western.”

The heritage value of Boutique Mode Elle further lies in its use as a general store for several generations, starting in the early twentieth century. This former general store was built circa 1900-1910 by John Maloney, who, on his death, left it to his wife. She subsequently left it to her daughters.

Source: Village of Rogersville, Historic Places file "Boutique Mode Elle"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements associated with the boomtown-style architecture of Boutique Mode Elle include:
- rectangular, two-storey plan;
- exterior wooden shingle cladding;
- symmetry of the openings;
- moulded cornices on the storefront, roof and extension of the false front;
- corner boards;
- false wooden shingle front extending the façade above the roof line;
- curved shape of the false front;
- moderately pitched gable roof;
- wide central entrance flanked by large windows;
- decorative cornice above the windows on the main façade, supported by carved brackets.

The character-defining elements associated with the location of Boutique Mode Elle include:
- location along the street in the commercial sector of the village;
- proximity of the train station.