German native George Herman Hauschild (1839-1911) came to Victoria shortly after his marriage to Adele Luder in 1866. A prominent pioneer businessman, Hauschild opened an opera house here in 1894. The theatre, which occupied the top two floors, featured Vaudeville shows, plays, and silent movies. The lower floor of the building was occupied by Hauschild's Music Store, established in 1891 by H.J. Hauschild (b. 1870), who succeeded his father as manager of the opera house. The theatre closed during the 1930s due to the increasing popularity of "talking pictures". 1984