H.R. Lash was established in 1914 under the ownership of Herbert Rosevear Lash. This answers the age old question of what the "R" stands for. It all started back in 1912 when Herb R. Lash was working in his father's establishment at C. J. Lash Groceries and Meats located on Cathcart Street here in Sault Ste. Marie. Herb would deliver groceries to the houses in the area. One day his deliveries took him to a home where a young Romanian woman named Vivian Keith was visiting her aunt. Vivian was only 16 years of age but spoke 6 languages. Needless to say he became smitten with her, but her visit was coming to a close and she had to return to Romania. A quick decision was made to start a new life together in the small Steelton community. Two years later they purchased the 308 John St. building from Mr. Stubbs that had been under construction and opened a small shoe store on the corner known as H.R. Lash. Herb rented out the other areas to different tenants housing barbers, bankers, (TRADERS BANK later known as THE ROYAL BANK) pharmacists, grocers, just to mention a few. Herbert and Vivian then resided for the rest of their days above the store in one of the apartments and had one son, William, born May 21, 1919. The other upstairs apartments were rented through the years to many, many family members and friends becoming a small community on its own. Since then there have been four generations that have carried on with the family business passing it from father to son. Each carrying on with the business ethics and wisdom passed on from generation to generation.
H. R. Lash Sault Ste Marie address and phone
