Commercial premises, 397 Hay Street, Subiaco

Parent Place or Precinct

26003 Rokeby Road & Hay St Conservation Area

Physical Description

397 Hay Street was designed a single shop, with a restrained application of the Federation Free Classical style. The parapet features a raised rectangular pediment, simple moulded cap, and end posts. A large recessed nameplate to the pediment retains a faint remnant of the words “Gaffney’s” which would have originally been in bas relief. A historical photograph dated 1952 shows that the pediment was originally capped by an acroterion, had curved stucco brackets on either side, and that the parapet posts were capped with smaller acroterion. At that time the verandah was still in-situ and had a raked roof, bevelled square timber posts, and the remnants of a curved timber valance, which was solid other than a small circular hole adjacent to each post. The traditional shopfront had a narrower recessed central entry than the current modern shopfront. The eastern portion of 397 Hay Street, Subiaco (Lot 6, DP 1088) is an open alfresco area. This has been assessed as making no contribution to the heritage values of the Rokeby Road and Hay Street Heritage Area (see separate record).

History

399-401 (now part 397) Hay Street was developed as a furniture store in 1908, when it was announced: Mr, J. J. Gaffney, who has conducted his business of furniture dealer, etc., in a small shop in Hay-street, Subiaco, has been so successful that he has found it necessary to build new and spacious premises, on the block next door. Mr. Gaffney has now, and his large ground floor space is conveniently laid out with a splendid assortment of new and second-hand furniture, and it will pay even city and suburban folk to visit his establishment. , Mr. Gaffney is a buyer and seller of completed house furniture and a large importer of new goods. The new address is 399-401 Hay-street, Subiaco. The readily available evidence indicates that the original store was located immediately east of the new premises, on Lot 6, DP 1088 (which for many years was the only part of the site known as #397). Over time, some of the occupants of the ‘new’ shop included:  1908 & 1910: John J Gaffney, Cash Furniture Warehouse In the Post Office Directories of 1909-1910 the address of this firm was given as 401 Hay Street. In 1911-1914 it was listed at 397-401 Hay Street.  1915: Scurry & Co, furniture dealers In 1915-1919 this firm was listed at 397-399 Hay Street  1920: Cheney Brothers and McGowan, auctioneers and furniture dealers In the Post Office Directory of 1920 this firm was listed at 397 Hay Street, but they advertised a furniture sale at the ‘mart’, 399 Hay Street, in May of that year.  1925: Samuel Cheney, auctioneer and furniture dealer In the Post Office Directory of 1925 this firm was listed at 399 Hay Street (with Henry Roberts, motor and cycle works, occupying #s 393-397).  1930; 1935, 1940, 1945 & 1949: Smith & Co, men’s and women’s outfitters, drapers and furniture dealers. Smith & Co was a large firm, which established stores in both the metropolitan and regional areas. In 1952 signs on the building described it as a ‘bulk store’ for ‘W Smith & Co, House Furnishers’.  2012: Ricarda, women’s clothing store  2022: Golden West, restaurant

Integrity/Authenticity

The parapet has a medium level of authenticity. The boxed awning and shopfront have a low level of authenticity.

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

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