kˈʌnɪŋˌæmz wʌz ɪstˈæblɪʃt ɪn fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ɪlˈɛvən wɛn nˈuː wˈɛstmɪnstɚ nˈeɪɾɪv dʒˈɔːɹdʒ tˈiː. kˈʌnɪŋˌæm, ɐ dɹˈʌɡɪst fˈɔːɹmɚli ɛmplˈɔɪd baɪ ðə wˈʊdwɚdz dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt stˈoːɹ tʃˈeɪn, ˈoʊpənd hɪz fˈɜːst stˈoːɹ ɪn væŋkˈuːvɚ, æt ðə kˈɔːɹnɚɹ ʌv dˈɛnmən ænd nˈɛlsən stɹˈiːts.
Cunningham's was established in February 1911 when New Westminster native George T. Cunningham, a druggist formerly employed by the Woodwards department store chain, opened his first store in Vancouver, at the corner of Denman and Nelson Streets.