ARCHITECTURE:
Prominent in the 600-block of Pembroke St is this two-storey, narrow, deep, flat-roofed commercial brick building with a central entrance and a window on each side of the entry. The upper storey of the front façade is recessed between brick pilasters with corbelling above. A pair of windows shares a full-width concrete sill. All windows and doors have segmentally-arched brick headers; the windows have concrete sills. Most windows are two-over-two double-hung sashes; windows on the right side have been bricked-in.
ORIGINAL OCCUPANTS:
The building was erected for John R. Saunders (b. Plymouth, ENG 1871-1959) in 1911. The architect and builder are unknown but the cost of the building was $5000 and it may have been attached to a stable, built in 1909.
Saunders, who came to Canada in 1892, was in real estate and insurance until he retired in 1942. It is not known whether he intended to use the building as an office.
OTHER OCCUPANTS:
It became a laundry in 1912, run by Sam Wo Lee who had another laundry at 720 Humboldt St. Lee stayed until the mid 1920s but the building was vacant from 1926 until 1929.
After a few short-term occupants, cabinet maker John Rodd moved into the Saunders building c.1939 and remained here until the early 1960s.
The building was vacant again until Smith Bros Foundry & Machine Works purchased the property in 1966. The building was renumbered 632 at that time. Almost 50 years later, Smith Bros are still the owners.