1005-1009 Broad Street

Downtown Victoria Tour

Broad Street – 1000 Block

1005-1009 Broad Street – the Weiler Building (a.k.a the Counting House)

This building at 1005-1009 Broad Street and 636 Broughton Street – at the corner of Broad Street and Broughton Street – was built in 1884 by architect Thomas Trounce for John Weiler, who used it as a warehouse, showroom and manufacturing facility for his furniture business. Substantial additions were made to the original building in 1891. This building was listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1994.

The Weiler Building at 1005-1009 Broad Street and 636 Broughton Street was built by architect Thomas Trounce as a furniture factory and warehouse for John Weiler in 1884.

Here’s a map showing the location of 1005-1009 Broad Street.

Here is a Google Street View image of 1005 Broad Street / Broughton Street:

The Weiler Building at 1005-1009 Broad Street and 636 Broughton Street was built as a furniture factory and warehouse for John Weiler in 1884.

Additional Information About the Weiler Building, 636 Broughton Street and 1005-1009 Broad Street

• Assessed Value (July 2019): $8,198,000; Land $4,855,000 Buildings $3,343,000
• Assessed Value (July 2018): $7,835,000; Land $4,384,000 Buildings $3,451,000
• Assessed Value (July 2017): $7,134,000; Land $3,432,000 Buildings $3,702,000
• Assessed Value (July 2016): $6,771,000; Land $2,818,000 Buildings $3,953,000
• Assessed Value (July 2015): $6,116,000; Land $2,048,000 Buildings $4,068,000
• Assessed Value (July 2014): $6,088,000; Land $1,894,000 Buildings $4,194,000
• Listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1994.

A Brief History of the Weiler Building, 636 Broughton Street and 1005-1009 Broad Street

This building at 636 Broughton Street and 1005-1009 Broad Street – at the corner of Broad Street and Broughton Street – was built in 1884 by architect Thomas Trounce (1813-1900) for John Weiler (1824-1899), who used it as a warehouse, showroom and manufacturing facility for his furniture business.

Substantial additions were made to the original building in 1891.

John Weiler retired in 1891 and left the business to his four sons, Otto, Charles, George and Joseph. The Weiler brothers expanded the business into Weiler Brothers, Victoria’s first department store.  In 1899, the Weiler Brothers firm built a new building at 921 Government Street, at the corner of Government Street and Broughton Street, one block west of this original Weiler Building, for its new department store operation.

The Weiler Brothers firm retained ownership of this building. In 1920, Otto Weiler retained architect Percy Fox to design an adjacent building immediately to the east, which is still standing at 680-690 Broughton Street and 1000-1012 Douglas Street.

In the 1930’s Weiler Brothers was taken over by B.C. department store chain David Spencer Ltd., which owned this building and the Weiler Brothers building at 921 Government Street until 1948, when David Spencer Ltd was taken over by the Toronto based T. Eaton & Co. department store chain.

In 1972, developer Sam Bawlf upgraded and rehabilitated this building, re-naming it as the “Counting House,” a name the building still retains.

This building was listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1994.

Here are some links to historic photos of the Weiler Building:

• BC Archives photo I-02489 – the Weiler Building in 1943. Photographer: Duncan Macphail
• City of Victoria Archives photo M01482 – 1960

The Weiler family also built two other historic buildings in downtown Victoria. Both are within two blocks of 1005-1009 Broad Street: the Weiler Building, 609 Broughton Street / 921 Government Street and 1000-1012 Douglas Street.

The Weiler Building, 921 Government Street was built in 1899 as the Weiler Brothers department store.

Would you like to leave a comment or question about anything on this page?

Error: Contact form not found.