A pivotal piece of Charlottetown and its railway history, the Brass Shop was first constructed almost 150 years ago. What started as the Prince Edward Island Railway’s mechanical branch was transformed into a foundry for brass train components. While the island’s railway is long gone, the Brass Shop still stands and now serves coffee.

Initial departure

The Prince Edward Island Railway was constructed between 1871 and 1875. Intended to connect communities, facilitate travel and communication, encourage trade and boost the local economy, the project played a crucial role in provincial development. It was also key in P.E.I.’s decision to join Canada in 1873, since the federal government assumed all debt related to its construction. The Brass Shop (also known as the Brass House) was built in 1876 to support the province’s growing railway system.

Initially, the Shop was a mechanical branch for the railway; large windows on the east side of the building were once doors where railway cars could enter for upkeep and repair. Eventually, it became the Brass Shop, which specialized in creating, repairing and polishing brass components for railway cars.

Changing tracks

In 1905, the Brass Shop was damaged in a large fire that affected several railway buildings in the area. About half of the structure was salvageable and was quickly repaired. Throughout the 20th century, the Brass Shop foundry continued to manufacture locomotive brass components, and the building served as offices for railway foremen and supervisors.

However, given the increasing popularity of personal vehicles, the 1960s marked a significant decline in the railway. The Prince Edward Island Railway and the Brass Shop officially closed at the end of 1989. Many structures related to the railway were destroyed, but the Brass Shop is one of two that still stand.

The Brass Shop remained vacant for about six years before it was purchased by the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC), which restored the building to its former glory. The roof was repaired, historically accurate wooden-framed windows were replaced, a parking lot was added, and more. The building was a visitors’ information centre for about 10 years and later became offices for a handful of local businesses until Receiver Coffee took over the building in 2017.

Full steam ahead

Today, the Brass Shop is one of four Receiver Coffee locations. After first opening in June of 2014, the local coffee business was ready to expand to a second location in 2016, and the owners were immediately attracted to the beauty of the Brass Shop building. There were some renovations before reopening in July of 2016, but the work completed maintained the integrity of the historic site. The team also incorporated a piece of brass from the railway into the coffee shop’s decor, as a nod to what the space once was.

Commenting on the property, Colleen MacKay, owner of Receiver Coffee, said: “We wanted to make the building accessible to our community in a more significant way since it’s such a beautiful historic space.” She also credits the CADC for restoring the property in the ‘90s and maintaining a significant piece of the province’s history.

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