The Walker Arcade buildings date back to the late 1600s, according to managing director of the Walker Arcade, Mr. Jordy Walker. Approximately 300 years ago, the Walkers came to Bermuda from the Turks and Caicos Islands as salt traders.

They settled in Bermuda and opened B.W. Walker and Company, a business involved in the trading of wholesale goods and foodstuffs. Located on Front Street, B.W. Walker and Company bordered two Reid Street businesses, the Goodie Shop Bakery and an animal feed store. But in the 1920s, the bakery, which held two lots of property, and the animal feed store went out of business. By the turn of the century, B.W. Walker and Company had come under the direction of Benjamin William Walker and cousin, Evelyn Eugene Walker.

They acquired the three Reid Street lots. And together with the Front Street lot, these properties formed the Walker Arcade. "After World War I, my father, Bernard Watlington Walker, a graduate of McGill University and a lawyer, had joined the Company. And it was he who consolidated the purchase of the Reid Street properties,'' said Mr. Walker. The family then arranged for contractor, Mr. George Hutchings and architect, Mr. Nat Hutchings to design the Arcade. Its construction linked the old existing buildings on Reid Street together. "Nat Hutchings took the existing buildings and created the Arcade around them,'' said Mr. Walker. "And with that he created something very European in character. The style is Ro manesque by traditional standards.

"The Walker Arcade was designed and built in 1926,'' he added. "It was completed in 1928. And the big crash of 1929 soon followed.

"This caused a lot of distress. And the Walkers had to sell some other property in Hamilton in order to retain the Arcade. But they hung on to their Front Street Arcade.

"By 1932, business picked up and the Arcade had full tenancy,'' he said.

Shops in the Arcade in 1932 included a tobacconist, two tearooms, a souvenir shop, a lingerie shop and a barber shop.

"Debts were paid off and ever since, it's been a successful real estate venture,'' added Mr. Walker.

Today 33 rental spaces are occupied by 21 tenants.

The Walker Arcade's courtyard was first used as an eating area in the 1930's.

"An ice cream parlour lasted there from 1932 until 1936,'' said Mr. Walker.

"And it wasn't until 1990 when it was decided to use the courtyard as an eating area again,'' he said.

When B.W. Walker and Company was a wholesale business, general merchandise like fruit, vegetables and lumber was stored in the basement.

As well, auctioneers used the cellar as a place for receiving auction goods, said Mr. Walker.

"Auctions were held once a month at the Number One dock across the street,'' he said. "And this continued until the 1950s.'' But the general wholesale business disappeared with the Second World War. And the company operated as a real estate and auctioneering business.

Arcade refurbishment cost close to $1 million which was very lucrative,'' said Mr. Walker, adding the idea was that of Mr.

William Smith, who designed the Old Cellar in Old Cellar Lane. The Arcade was renovated in the mid 1950s. "But this is the building's first major facelift since then,'' said Mr. Walker. In 1992, the Arcade was suffering structural difficulties and something had to be done, he said. "We had to either tear it down and create a new building or renovate. Since the market was uncertain at the time we started to negotiate, we de cided to wait and invest in upgrading.

"We wanted to add prestige to the building as well as ambience and character.

"It's also a way of giving something back to our tenants,'' he said, adding that Jewel of the East, now known as Tolaram's, is one of the Arcade's first and only original tenants.

Owner of Tolaram's, Mr. Doulat Tolaram said he has seen many trends in the Arcade throughout the years.

"I've seen so many changes. There's been a lot of different restaurants and cafes. The train ticket office used to be in the Arcade and of course, Mr.

Walker had his auctioneering business.'' He added: "We've had a happy relationship with the Walkers all the way through. It's a pleasure to be here and we intend to be here for many moons to come.

"The renovations are absolutely delightful,'' he said. "And they were completed with the least bit of discomfort to the tenants.'' The $1-million Arcade refurbishment, which included upgrading the electrics and plumbing as well as general renovation work, took eight months to complete.

Minor works on the Front Street entrance and basement renovations will be completed in early 1995.

WALKER ARCADE BUILDINGS -- This site on Front Street in the late 1800s later became the Walker Arcade. Pictured here, merchants are selling fruits and vegetables from carts outside the Walker Arcade buildings. The Walker family was involved with wholesale goods and foodstuffs during this period.

THE WALKER FAMILY TREE -- B.W. Walker and Company, which has been passed on through many generations, purchased three Reid Street lots in the 1920's.

Together with the company's Front Street lot, these properties formed the Walker Arcade. It was built in 1926 and completed in 1928.

FRONT STREET VIEW -- The Walker Arcade has changed considerably since the 1930's, when it first became a popular shopping area. WORDLY CHARM -- Owner, Mr. Jordy Walker and designer, Mrs. Sue Kemp show off the recently revamped Walker Arcade's Spanish-style architecture.

THOROUGHFARE -- The mall's Reid Street entrance (pictured here), which links up with Front Street, allows public access between the two streets.