For 150 years, customers have found staples like produce, meat and fish at the Saint John City Market.

But in the 1950s and 60s, you could buy a more unusual product: insurance!

In December 1953, Angus-Miller Ltd moved its offices from Canterbury St. to the specially-renovated fourth floor of the Market tower.

This well-known company was founded in 1919 by Colonel John R. Miller of the St. John Fusiliers. In 1945, the Colonel sold his company to C. Douglas Kirby and moved to Victoria, BC.

In 1949, Mr. Kirby amalgamated his firm with that of William M. Angus, giving the company its current name.

The new City Market offices boasted "all modern improvements", including a new "automatic elevator", sound-proofed ceilings, fluorescent lights, linoleum tiles, an intercom and electrical outlets for each desk.

In 1966, Angus-Miller moved to the new Courtenay Place on Crown St. However, under the leadership of John Kimball, in 1985 it moved back next door at 37 Charlotte.

Mr. Kimball also had a recent ownership stake in the freshly-renovated building. From his new office, he could look across North Market St. into the same City Market premises where he first joined the company. He remarked to the Times Globe, "We've come full circle in a way".

Mr. Kimball considered calling it the "United Insurance Building" in tribute to the "United Five and Dime" that originally occupied the structure. While the name didn't stick, it was featured in an advertisement (third picture), which exaggerated the building's height for effect.

Since then, Angus-Miller Ltd. has moved to Germain St., and stayed Uptown ever since.