Historic Victoria Advertisements
Buildings
As part of our series on Historic Victoria Advertisements, Buildings, here are two 1913 advertisements for The Kaiserhof, whose building is still standing at 1320-1324 Blanshard Street.
The Kaiserhof was built in 1913 by architect Thomas Hooper for Max Leiser (of Pither & Leiser), who intended it to be a German themed hotel. Given the intended German theme, it is not surprising that The Kaiserhof would be advertising German beer, as shown in the first advertisement below. Since Max Leiser was also in the beer and liquor distribution business (he was the Leiser in Pither & Leiser, 1019 Wharf Street) he would have been able to maintain a supply of German beer for The Kaiserhof.
1913 advertisement for The Kaiserhof “Home of German Hospitality”, 1320-1324 Blanshard Street. (Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours collection)
The second advertisement is interesting for its depiction of the clientele The Kaiserhof was seeking to attract. Note the references to a “bachelors’ refuge” and “Winter residence”. It would appear The Kaiserhof was seeking its winter season clientele among men who worked in industries like logging and fisheries, who would have been laid off for the winter season and, in many cases, were spending their winter months in Victoria.
1913 advertisement for The Kaiserhof, 1320-1324 Blanshard Street. Notice the “bachelors’ refuge”, indicating the market The Kaiserhof was trying to attract. (Victoria Online Sightseeing Tours collection)
The Kaiserhof hotel building is still standing at 1322-1324 Blanshard Street.
1320-1324 Blanshard Street, originally built in 1912 by architect Thomas Hooper for Max Leiser, who used it for his Kaiserhof Hotel.
The Kaiserhof changed its name in 1915 following anti-German riots in Victoria sparked by the sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat on 7 May 1915. Rioters attacked any business which they considered to have a German name and The Kaiserhof was an obvious target. The Kaiserhof was attacked and damaged by a mob in May 1915.
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