318 11th Ave SE
Calgary, AB T2G 0Y2
Ribtor West · Property For Lease

One of several implement warehouses built in Calgary’s wholesale district, this 1912 warehouse was occupied by Massey Harris from the date of construction to 1979. The building was then occupied by Ribtor Manufacturing & Distributing Co., a popular sporting goods and hardware retailer for many years. An irregular plan, the Ribtor Building consumed four city lots and was four storeys. The brick facade design features elements of both warehousing and retail. The lower level has enlarged windows for display; however, the floor is set up at the height at which the railcars at the rear could be loaded/unloaded. Organization of the facade is in keeping with the Edwardian manner of an ordered classical format: pilasters, corbelled cornice, sandstone plinth, and a horizontal signband element typical of retail storefronts. The site is representative of Calgary’s economic development, and an important component of a highly visible grouping of prominent warehouse buildings.