The Providence Church Goods store was founded by Jacob Maydanyk on the advice of Ukrainian Catholic bishop Mykyta Budka in 1914 in Winnipeg, MB. Jacob Maydanyk was a sole proprietor of the store from 1914 to 1979. The store relocated several times until its permanent location at 710 Main Street, Winnipeg. Maydanyk was operating the store with the help of several employees.
The store goods were supplied both domestically and internationally. The biggest domestic suppliers were located in Montreal, QC. Most international goods were imported from the USA. Specialty goods such as reproductions of fine art, textiles, books, etc. were imported from France, Italy, Germany, Czeck Republic, Ukraine and Japan. The Providence Church Goods store had a wide assortment of merchandise ranging from candles and incense to church bells. The store was selling ready-to-buy items as well as custom made goods. Ready-to-buy small and popular items such as coal, frankincense, etc. were typically available at the store, while bigger and specialty items such as chandeliers or silk had to be ordered from the store’s suppliers. The custom made goods such as tabernacles, icons, banners, iconostasis, ecclasiastical vestments, etc. were made either by Maydanyk and his employees or outsourced to local craftsmen and artists.
As part of the store's specialty services, Maydanyk painted more than a dozen churches. Here is a list of some of them:
● Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church in Winnipeg, MB;
● St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in the Rural Municipality of Fisher, MB;
● Blessed Assumption Ukrainian Catholic Church in Meleb, RM of Armstrong;
● Holy Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ Ukrainian Catholic Church in Winnipegosis, RM of
Mossey River;
● Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church in Winnipegosis, RM of Mossey River;
● Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Toutes Aides, RM of Lakeshore;
● St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Dolyny, Municipality of Harrison Park;
● St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Olha, MB;
● Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in Sandy Lake, MB;
● Elijah the Prophet Romanian Orthodox Church in Lennard, MB.
The typical store's clients were parish priests and members of Parish Councils from various Eastern Christian denominations within predominantly Ukrainian communities as well as Romanian and Russian. The majority of clients were located in Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and other Canadian provinces. There were also some international orders from the USA.
The fond consists of predominantly textual materials regarding Jacob Maydanyk and the Providence Church Goods store, which are arranged into nine series. These series include: biographical information found in publications, illustrations and newspapers; business correspondences and other business documentation involving suppliers, partners and clients; store catalogs, price lists and sample products; religious art and sketches, photographs, and other objects.
