A few months ago now we sat down at the Ashfield & District Historical Society rooms to do a bit of research into the history of our shop and the Penalt building. We didn't come up with much there but left with the idea that some of the shops in our building were once part of a chemist and/or doctors surgery.This is a great Article about the building from the Electricity Bulletin, published by The Electric Light and Power Supply Corporation Limited - Suppliers of electric service in the municipalities of Ashfield, Balmain, Leichardt, Newtown and Petersham dated January-March 1940, which is framed and hung in the foyer of the building.
The article details the opening of the "Modern all electric building, erected opposite the Railway Station at Summer Hill.... (with) the ground floor possessing seven attractive shops constructed with a very fine proportion of modern design and convenience." The building was erected by Jones Bros and was officially opened on November 28th 1939, by the Hon. Athol Richardson, M.L.A. who stated that "As State Parliamentary Representative he was particularly pleased to see such a fine building erected in such a locality. Because it was situated in the main shopping centre and in such close proximity to the Railway Station, he felt that the new block would be greatly appreciated by local residents. Experience had shown, Mr Richardson said, that shopping centres, as apart from isolated shops, met with the approval of shoppers. The tendency was to increase the size of a shopping centre in order that the convenience of residence might be met by having a great variety of shops concentrated in a small area."..... guess not a lot has changed then.....
