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The Building

The Tremont Hotel was built in Nelson BC, in 1891 as a working man's hotel, for miners and prospectors.

The hotel flourished until the first world war, when the majority of it's patrons went to war. Many businesses occupied the building over the next century - another hotel, a clothing store, 3 different chinese restaurants. The west wing of the hotel remains standing today and when we bought the building in 2014 the original character was hidden beneath 120 years of layered renovations - wood panelling, dropped ceilings, flourescent lights, garish carpets and general neglect - it was a disheartening sight!

Over the course of the next 2 years thousands of pounds of material was removed carefully, turning back the calendar to arrive at the original surfaces that the building's architects had spec'd in 1891. The jaw droppingly beautiful pressed tin ceiling was uncovered. Original fir floors, brick walls, original doors and old shop fixtures revealed themselves daily.

Today, the main floor features the Cartolina store and also the Cartolina wholesale business. 

We were delighted to receive the Heritage Building of the year award from the City of Nelson in 2015!
In the Fall of 2019 we passed the building on to new owners who are continuing the restoration.