Repost 2020, new pics :

Ridiculously elaborate shop-top in #GreyStreetStKilda; don’t know much except it’s clearly a #landboom period thing probably 1888-1891. At the time, the only shops in the area clustered around the corner with Fitzroy Street, dominated by the George Hotel, and this one tries to stand out with a chamfered corner on a lane loaded with classical bits. I found FT Bower hay and feed and firewood in 1895-6, and the house above was for rent in 1894. Bower morphed into a real estate agent by 1901, and it was still one until recently – Whiting & Co had been there since at least the 80s until two years ago when they moved round the corner. There’s a great staircase on the side leading to the flat above, looks 1950s but might be 30s. Update : it was sold last year, empty for a while now, looks like work out back. Also St Kilda Historical Society tells me it’s likely 1886, for Bower, who was a land agent then, and remained a real estate office, with Whiting & Co there in the 70s. Long time !

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