What Makes Amherstburg Great: 70 Murray Street

  • February 5, 2026

Guest Content Creator: River Bookshop

Today Amherstburg is one of Ontario’s great small towns, but greatness doesn’t happen on its own. Nature, history, and human actions always play a part. Amherstburg’s location right beside the Detroit River originally made it an important place and adds to its beauty to this day. From the War of 1812, to Freedom seekers escaping slavery in the United States, and Rum Running – history has left its mark! But so have the creativity, hard work, and enthusiasm of its residents.

During 2026 we are going to shine a light on what we think makes Amherstburg great. Our hope is that this new series helps you get to know the town better, support its many businesses and attractions, and become a strong, positive champion of the town. Look for our first story in our next Buzz.

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What Makes Amherstburg Great with an image of 70 Murray Street building pre-renovations

A Beautiful Build: Originally Built in 1879

In 1875, a massive fire burned down 14 businesses on Murray Street. As a result, the new replacement structures on the block, west of Ramsay, were constructed in fire-resistant brick. Today, that small block is rich in heritage buildings made of Amherstburg’s typical red brick, waiting to be beautifully restored.

And when much of that is done, Amherstburg needs to copy a best practice from towns and cities around the world: ‘retire’ the block and make it exclusively pedestrian! Montreal, Detroit, Huntsville, and too many European cities to mention have done this to make their downtowns more walkable.

Lauri, John, Taelor, and Kaine Brouyette have started the ball rolling on Murray with the restoration of the building at 70-74 Murray. Built in 1879, the building’s past occupants have included a bank, hardware store, furniture store and, just prior to its sale and restoration, 2-Way Automotive.

Hotel STRY at 70 Murray street featuring the hotel, spa and restaurant

As you can see, 70-74 is now one of the very best heritage restorations in Amherstburg. The building now houses Hotel STRY, which offers a boutique experience with 6 unique loft-style
rooms; The O restaurant, with a new chef and one of the best outdoor patios in town; Tellers Cafe, where you can enjoy the authentic taste of Montaneros coffee; and the unparalleled luxury of the Pure Day Spa.

For visitors to play – and importantly, stay -in Amherstburg, 70-74 Murray definitely offers the full package.