In 1894, Calgary was officially incorporated as a city, and in the 132 years since, nearly everything about it has changed: its skyline, population, and pace. With all that change, it’s hard not to wonder: what has remained?

Curious, and as a transplant to Calgary, I asked a handful of born-and-raised Calgarians: what are your ‘known-forever’ spots? Places woven so deeply into your memory that it’s easy to assume they’ve always been there.

A few of the same names came up again and again; and while none stretch quite as far back as the late 1800s, these are three establishments many locals consider true Calgary OGs.

 

Chinook Optical

This Calgary staple began as Consolidated Optical, founded by Dr. E.S. Tharp, who immigrated from England after World War I as an optometrist.  What started as one man’s craft has grown into a four-generation family legacy, now carried on by Anna Niemczewski, passed down from great-grandfather to grandfather, to her mother, and finally to her.

The family’s first location opened in the Leeson & Lineham Block before moving to Chinook Centre in 1963, where it remained for more than 60 years. Today, it thrives in Britannia, maintaining its place as Calgary’s oldest independent optical shop.

Service has always been at the heart of the Tharp family business, where Anna can now be found guiding clients and maintaining the family’s high standard of service, where clients aren’t treated like transactions; they’re treated like family.

Each year, Anna travels overseas to scout standout designs and emerging brands, compiling a selection of 25 to 30 carefully curated eyewear lines, bold collections, and exclusive frames into her shop; some found nowhere else in Canada. When it comes to lenses, every detail is handled in-house. From cutting to custom adjustments, as well as the selection of elevated care accessories, all part of the boutique experience.

Now celebrating 110 years as a four-generation family lineage, Chinook Optical stands as a rare constant in a rapidly changing city. A testament that style and expert care never go out of fashion.

 

La Brezza

For nearly 40 years, La Brezza has been a cornerstone of Calgary’s Bridgeland community, carrying forward a legacy rooted in family, food, and hospitality. Marco Abdi, Somali-born and raised in Rome, immigrated to Calgary in 1980, settling in Bridgeland in 1981. At that time, the neighbourhood was known as Little Italy and was a place Marco could feel at home speaking Italian. During the same time, he also took his first job, across the street, as a janitor at the Bridgeland Professional Centre.

In 1987, after saving carefully, Marco toyed with opening a sandwich shop and began transforming the main floor of his home to accommodate his dream. Mid-renovation, he changed course and launched La Brezza, a restaurant bringing authentic Italian cuisine to the neighbourhood, all while living in the basement and continuing to work across the street.

The restaurant quickly became a local favourite, known for its warm, family-style atmosphere.

Over the years, it drew sports stars like Wayne Gretzky and Lanny McDonald, as well as actors and TV personalities including Leslie Nielsen, Richard Harris, and Pat Sajak, who left signed photographs on the walls.

After Marco’s passing, his wife, Filomena, continued ownership, preserving recipes from her mother, who originated from Napoli. Today, the family legacy continues with their son, Maurizio, who carries the torch, honouring La Brezza’s history while welcoming a new era of development in Bridgeland.

La Brezza is more than a meal; it’s an experience. Staff know your name, guests are treated like family, and food is served sharing style, perfect for celebrations, quiet dinners, or simply cherishing a moment together.

 

Fairplay Pet Supplies

For more than a century, Fairplay has been a quiet cornerstone of Calgary’s retail landscape. Founded in 1919 as Fair Play Flour & Feed, the small independent business served the practical needs of a growing city.

By the late 1950s, Fairplay evolved with its community, expanding to include pet food and supplies as well as gardening products; an early sign of the adaptability that would define its future.

Under Milt and Svana Campbell, the business entered a new chapter in 1967 when Svana’s brother, George Bjarnason, joined the team. In 1973, Bjarnason purchased Fairplay and, together with his wife Anne and their four children, built a family-run operation rooted in service, hard work, and a deep connection to customers.

In 1980, after more than 60 years at the corner of 10th Street and Memorial Drive, Fairplay relocated to its current home on Kensington Road N.W. and expanded into its sister shop, The Horse Store, just two doors away.

By the late 1990s, George Bjarnason passed the reins to his daughter, Christine Nurse. Having grown up helping in the store as a child, Nurse officially took ownership in 1995 and has led the business with a deep respect for its legacy, often feeling the responsibility that she would not become the generation that failed to carry Fairplay forward.

Today, she continues to guide the business with the same resilience that has sustained the store for more than 100 years.

Ryan Massel