McCallum_proof2 Peter McCallum opened his dry goods store in 1831, shortly after arriving in Cobourg from his native Scotland. Peter was a tailor by trade and McCallum and Sons remained as a family run operation well into the twentieth century. In 1849, McCallum began to manufacture ready to wear clothing, which cost 25% less than was usually charged for shop-made articles. This made P. McCallum and Sons more than just a retail business, it was now also a manufacturing business. After a fire in 1871, Peter had 23-29 King Street West built, a building which still stands. When the McCallum Block opened it was impressive. The store was thoroughly described in the Cobourg Advertising World in September 1871. The goods rooms were beautifully decorated and Design provided by Quench Design & Communications Inc., Port Hope. www.quenchme.ca P. MCCALLUM AND SONS Design & layout by Quench Design & Communications Inc. | Port Hope | www.quenchme.ca DRY GOODS MANUFACTURE AND SALES "The walls lined with capacious shelving drawers, these shelves were surmounted by a beautiful cornice, ornamented with brackets, railings, and countless decorations rendering the effect quite complete". The second floor was designed for carpets, oil cloth and clothing and the third was storage. The basement had been "comfortably fitted up for the tailoresses" and there was also a room for millinery. The number of rooms and their variety in purpose presents an active thriving business.