'A well-loved piece': Historic carousel display from Hudson’s Bay Company store lands at Winnipeg shop

They were a common sight in department store windows in Winnipeg during the 20th century; displays, often animatronic, beckoning people into the store.

Both Eaton’s and the Hudson Bay Company had displays in their windows, especially around the holidays. While the stores in downtown Winnipeg have long closed, the memories of the displays live on.

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Which is why when a carousel setup from the Hudson’s Bay Company's downtown Winnipeg store became available during an auction, a local business owner had to have it.

Dan Mitchell, who owns Farmer's Son Co. on Wellington Avenue, saw the carousel up for auction shortly after Christmas in 2023, and placed a $1 bid on it, just to see the response.

As the auction went on, he decided the store needed to have it.

“We really look at our space as like a clubhouse for our clientele and community,” Mitchell said. “It's a comfortable, safe space to just invite people in. And when we started talking about the carousel and what it could be in the shop, there was that idea of the holiday season, and you look at how the holidays are different for everybody.”

Mitchell ended up with the winning bid and was able to pick up the carousel in the Interlake region.

The carousel, according to Mitchell, was part of a holiday window display at The Hudson’s Bay Company store in Winnipeg, and later became part of the decorations inside the shop when children went to see Santa. It eventually ended up at a small shop in the Interlake, and had been in storage for several decades when he won it.

“It's definitely a well-loved piece that you can tell has lived a life of its own,” Mitchell said.

The carousel is now on display in the shop and runs almost like it did years ago.

Mitchell said the carousel brings back nostalgia for some people when they see it.

“We have some of our seniors that have come in where they remember it from when they were kids, going downtown with their folks and seeing it,” he said. “We've had a number of folks come in and they're bringing their grandparents in to come see it, and they’re asking them, ‘Hey, do you remember this?’”

The carousel will get some small renovations to ensure it stays operational, Mitchell said. It can be seen at 1079 Wellington Ave. – Unit 115, during store hours.