Wiss Emporium

Architectural Description (for the history buffs out there!)

This store is located on a corner site fronting George Street, the main street of Kalbar.  The rectangular chamferboard building, sits on timber stumps, and has a corrugated iron gabled roof with a skillion awning over the footpath.  Four decorative metal ventilators are located along the ridge of the roof. 

The street facade is a virtuoso assemblage of sheet metal in imitation of sheet metal in imitation of classical masonry detail.  It has three arched windows above the awning, the central one being the largest and crowned by a pediment with the inscription WISS BROS.  Pilasters feature to either side of the pediment, with the dates 1890 and 1909, and to the corners of the facade, and are surmounted by finials.

The building is embellished by the use of decorative pressed metal sheets, depicting a brickwork pattern to the front facade and floral and geometric patterns to the verandah awning, window display ceiling and sections of the store ceiling.  The shopfront has three glass display bays with cast-iron columns at each corner of the central bay.  There are french doors with fanlights, between each of the bays and high level, centrally pivoting hopper windows to both sides and rear.  The rear has a corrugated iron skillion roofed verandah with two entry doors and sash windows.

Internally, the building has exposed timber trusses with diagonally boarded raked ceilings with a central flat pressed metal ceiling.  The trusses are supported by central timber columns with timber arch brackets and some of the original timber partitioning, with turned timber balustrade capping, remains.

To the south of the store is the original residence, consisting of two small timber and iron dwellings connected by an enclosed verandah.  A bulk store, constructed of timber with twin hipped corrugated iron roofs and lean-to awnings was formerly located at the rear of the store as was a large horse stables building but these are no longer standing.