Commercial Building

Statement of Significance

The place has historic significance as a former commercial building dating from the first decade of the twentieth century.
It is representative of the commercial development of this part of Northbridge.
The place has associations with Sam Rifici, a well-known Perth hairdresser, whose first salon was established here in 1946.
The building contributes to the streetscape in scale and form.

Physical Description

Two storey commercial building truncated at the corner with tiled hipped roof with no eaves and chimney with terracotta pots. Loss of detail to ground floor commercial street front and to first floor window above awning probably original.

History

The area to the north of Perth (now known as Northbridge) was valued by the Whadjuk Nyoongar for its low lying and swampy lakes system, which provided abundant resources. After colonisation, this land was not settled as quickly as drier areas on the ridge of Perth. In 1854 some of the swampy land to the north of Perth was drained producing fertile land for farming. As the population grew during the convict era of the 1850s the land was subdivided into allotments circa 1860 and taken up by discharged soldiers, artisans and small landholders. The area at this period was characterised by small cottages and businesses.
In 1881 the railway from Fremantle to Guildford was opened and became the main transport route. From that period commerce and trade tended to focus on smaller commercial enterprises and manufacturing to the north. It was less fashionable to live north of the railway line, however the area was close to the city and during the 1890s and early 1900s was substantially redeveloped with further subdivision of lots and mixed residential and commercial development. This was an immediate response to the tripling of the State’s population in the recent decade due to the gold boom, and a pressing demand for affordable accommodation.
A number of trade and community organisations had their origins in the area at this time.
Over the years the population of the area changed as people relocated to suburban areas of the city. As a result, Northbridge became the home for successive migrant communities. for example, communities including Greek, Italian, Chinese and more recently Vietnamese migrants have settled here as property remained relatively cheap and had the advantage of being close to the city. These communities have over the years given this area a distinctive character, generally recycling the existing buildings rather than redeveloping the area. Northbridge, named because it is just north of Perth across the railway bridge, was approved as a suburb name in 1982. Numbering on Lake Street changed to its current formation in 1908. The earlier number for the corner property was 73. The 1897 Perth Town Plan shows a smaller building on the corner, so it is likely to have been redeveloped from a small residence to the two-story corner shop that it is today. The first commercial occupant is Ah Own, laundry from 1908. It continued to be a Chinese laundry to c. 1937, then operated by Sam Yick. In 1940 the listed occupant is Peter Rifici, hairdresser. This is the beginning of the Sam Rifici business enterprise. According to the Sam Rifici website, he established his first men’s hairdressing business in Lake Street, Northbridge in January 1946 and opened a second salon in Wembley in 1950. His first ladies' salon was established in Hay Street, Perth in 1958. In 1959, Sam opened another ladies' hairdressing salon in Murray Street, the largest salon in Perth. From his humble beginnings he went on to establish a network of 23 salons throughout the Perth metropolitan area, Kalgoorlie and Singapore.
The Metropolitan Water Supply Survey plan dated 1949 shows a brick property with no street setback. No. 49 has a central re-entrant door, and No. 51 has a truncated corner. There is a brick garage at the rear, accessed off Francis Street. The rear of the building has a long staircase access, indicating two storeys. In 2009 the building was reroofed from tile to steel. The re-entrant door has been lost, but the corner entrance remains. The upstairs at the corner has been opened up into a balcony. The original verandahs are gone.

Integrity/Authenticity

High level of integrity.
Medium level of authenticity. Largely as originally constructed with detail intact.

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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