Boans

The store was founded by Harry Boan and his brother Benjamin who both came to Perth in 1895 from Broken Hill in western New South Wales.

[1] Harry and another brother, Ernest, had previously established a successful drapery known as "Boan Bros. Ltd." in that town.

Harry purchased adjoining land that spanned the block between Wellington and Murray Streets, near Forrest Place.

Like similar businesses, Boans had a mail order catalogue issued from the late 1930s that continued into the 1950s.

After World War II, the factory would also house a bakery and butchery, where smallgoods were manufactured.

After the Perth store closed, the building fell into disrepair for some years, but in 1996 was assessed by the Heritage Council of Western Australia as having historic, aesthetic and social value.

[9] The site is bounded by Brown, Glyde and Saunders Streets and the building retains the name of Boans painted on its exterior.

However, Myer management changed their mind in 1988 when the Forrest Chase building was nearing completion so that they could centralise all advertising and eliminate cost duplication.

The Boans Building in Wellington Street, shown here in 1936, was built in 1912 and demolished in 1987. Padbury Buildings and Forrest Place just visible in lower and mid right portion of picture
Boans c. 1938 . Includes brass band playing in street with crowd gathered to listen and The Grand Central Shaftesbury Hotel in the background.
Boans Limited, Wellington Street, Perth, c. 1900–1910 .