Page 6 - Early Spring 2019 SWHS Newsletter

1916. Over the years it became home to a former Yeomen building completed
number of stores until it was demolished the Star Store. It constitutes the largest
in 1970. In 1994 it became the site of an general store in Langley today.
addition to the Star Store.
In 1922 Joseph Primavera purchased
a small bakery next to the Yeoman
Building and opened the first Star
Store on First Street. Named for a
brand of shoes, the Star Store initially
featured leather goods. Groceries and
The Pioneer Store household items were added later.
A small store (shown above on the left An addition in 1929, a remodel on the
lower side) was added to the large ho- original store in 1933, and construction
tel on the N.W. side of the intersection of another addition on the site of the
of Anthes Avenue and First Street. It Circa 1922
was owned by Arie Kuiper (pronounced
“Cooper”) and featured “Groceries,
Drugs and Hardware” as stated on its ex-
terior signage.
When the hotel burned in 1921, some
store contents were saved and taken to
a former livery stable on First Street
which was made into a mercantile.

Yeomen Building and Star Store
A two-story structure built by the
Brotherhood of Yeomen on the south
side of First Street housed the Hunziker
Brothers General Store from 1914 to

The Star Mercantile Store in 1923 with
Martina Primavera standing out front. u

The Star Mercantile Store in 1929
with Joseph Primavera, his wife
Martina, and son Vic standing out
front. The original store is shown
here on the right. In 1933 it was
extensively remodeled to match
the 1929 addition. u

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