Several generations ago, there were only two stores in Anguilla which sold a full range of commodities and were heavily patronised by residents throughout the island.
One was The Anguillian, a large two-storey concrete and wooden building in The Valley, and the other was The Factory at Wallblake, a mostly wooden building where, apart from merchandise, there was a separate a cotton ginnery.
Both buildings stood up well over the years despite some structural deterioration. But when Hurricane Irma struck Anguilla on September 6, 2017, The Anguillian was completely destroyed – with the top floor collapsing over the rest of the building – unfortunately changing an historic landmark to an eyesore.
All of the destroyed and suspending parts of the building were removed on Saturday, June 23, by a group of civic-minded young men from The Valley and North Side areas. The team was led by Mr. Basil Brooks, of the Original Barbers, who has recently been removing debris left by the hurricane in some parts of The Valley. Later in the day, heavy equipment was used to further clear the congested area.
According to Basil Brooks, permission was granted by representatives of the Anguillian family in New York, owners of the building, for the cleaning up work to be carried out. The badly damaged building, with loose components hanging from its superstructure, posed a dangerous threat of flying debris to the area in the event of another hurricane. All the debris has now been removed leaving only the solid concrete structure of the building intact thus providing a more pleasing spectacle for passers-by.
Meanwhile, the old and remodelled Factory, which is believed to have changed hands over the years, remains in operation providing real estate, furniture, restaurant, insurance and fishery services provided by several business persons.
