The Crown Bookstore and Protocol Giftware officially re-opens at 514 Government St. in the James Bay area of Victoria, in a beautiful heritage house commissioned in 1885 by John Robson, B.C.'s ninth premier.

To celebrate the new storefront location, the Crown Bookstore and Protocol Giftware hosts an open house and afternoon taste-sampling today at 514 Government St. in Victoria from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a raffle draw, archival photograph show, tour and the display of hundreds of B.C. books and specialty giftware.

Quick Facts:

• 506 Government St. was home of John and Susan Robson. Robson was B.C.'s ninth premier, serving from 1889-1892.
• Robson's son-in-law Joseph Hunter was an engineer by trade and conducted surveys for the CN Railroad and the Dominion of B.C., and was responsible for surveying the Alaska-B.C. boarder. He later became a Member of the Legislative Assembly and was the last-surviving member of the first House of Assembly of B.C. following B.C.'s entry into confederation in 1871.
• Robson and his wife wanted to keep their newlywed daughter Fannie close by, so Robson and Hunter commissioned architect John Teague in 1885, who also designed Victoria's City Hall, to design two houses for them, side by side.

Learn more:

Learn more about the Crown Bookstore and Protocol Giftware: http://www.crownpub.bc.ca/bookstore.aspx

Find Crown Books on Facebook (facebook.com)

Contact:

Melody Wey
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government
250 508-5030