The historic Army & Navy building on Whyte Avenue” was originally opened in 1928 and was part of a retail chain that operated in Canada for over 1o0 years. The current Whyte Avenue building was built in 1950 and became the cornerstone of the retail business district in the area. The Whyte Avenue location continued to operate until March 2020 when the pandemic forced its closure, then in May the CEO announced that none of the stores would reopen. The store remained empty since then but for the occasional use as art gallery and/or Christmas market.

It is not known who purchased the property or what the purchaser's intent is. It is hoped whatever replaces the empty building will bring some vibrancy to the area and that whoever takes over this iconic building pays tribute to its history.