This block was built in 1891 as the new offices of the Brandon Times, a weekly newspaper published from 1886 to 1913. From 1907 to 1917, the building housed the Ione Cigar Factory, which was owned by Barney Isman. The building was also the first home of the Bank of Montreal in Brandon.
Originally built in the Italianate / Renaissance Revival style, the ground level has been dramatically altered, yet the upper storey retains many of its original features. Detailing includes Romanesque windows, patterned brickwork, and an elaborate cornice and pediment.