Built in 1916 by Coe & Bolton, from Oudtshoorn, on land once owned by Stuttaford & Co. Cape Town. It was designed by architects Simpson & Bridgman, also of Oudtshoorn.
It was a General Dealer’s shop for Olaf Ferdinand Franzsen, a gentleman who also traded in timber, furniture and wagon parts.
Note the circular loft ventilators, dentil moldings and rusticated corners, with a local ironstone plinth. Additions were made to the rear of the building in 2008.
Downstairs, numerous shops have come and gone over the years. Upstairs has often hosted clubs (Tin Roof Blues Bar, Upstairs on Main, Davanna Wine Bar etc.).
Information provided courtesy of the Knysna Historical Society. Let’s preserve the history of Knysna whilst living in the joy of the present. You can contact Philip Caveney through caveney1@telkomsa.net. 
