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Department Stores then and now

DaninToronto

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View attachment 21440With the pending takeover of most Zellers by Target, it got me thinking about other changes in major stores (department and grocery) over the last few decades.

I've been working on figuring out former stores in and around Toronto and what they are now, but having a hard time, so if anyone can contribute what they know or photos it would be great! Also if there are any mistakes please let me know

So far from my memory or through what I discovered:

TORONTO

Eaton Centre

Simpsons - Converted to The Bay
photo-toronto-queen-street-just-e-of-bay-looking-e-eatons-simpsons-witt-tourist-pcc-double-decker-tourist-1975.jpg

Source: http://chuckmantorontonostalgia.wordpress.com/

Eatons converted to eatons then Sears soon to be Nordstrom
Moskos-Eaton.jpg

3067561125_7bc61e070f_z.jpg


Yorkdale Mall

Simpsons – Converted to The Bay
2011520-simpsons-yorkdale-1-mr.jpg

1957961_769588619720620_2110090598_n.jpg

Source: Toronto Star
5691521451_df88d374fc.jpg

1939979_769588429720639_1685638820_n.jpg

Source: Toronto Star Archives

Eatons – Converted to mall space and food court
2012_02_25_f0217_s0249_fl0199_it0001_640.jpg

10177914_656226967780624_3600811004008739841_n.jpg

Source: Toronto Life
5691521463_db5e903726_z.jpg


The Bay - converted to Sears
Top Left Corner
1920243_769588463053969_816779675_n.jpg

Source: Toronto Star
Dominion - converted to Holt Renfrew

Fairview Mall

Simpsons - Converted to Sears
4965523053_5b22b32761.jpg

547652_477747515628571_2003155538_n.jpg

fairview.jpg


Sherway Gardens

Simpsons - Converted to the Bay
4965915182_38aeb668a4.jpg

7967939046_5780abc995.jpg


Eatons - Converted to Sears
10603243_306470299538030_127792377801586498_n.jpg

Source: Eaton's The Trans Canada Store
05_Eatons.png


Brettons - Converted to Sporting Life soon to be demolished for Nordstrom

Cedarbrae Mall

Simpsons converted to Zellers now Walmart
Cedarbrae2.jpg


Steinberg's - converted to Miracle Food Mart then Dominion then Loblaws now No Frills
2849987631_0a7e0669c7_z.jpg


Scarborough Town Centre

Miracle Food Mart - Converted to mall space

Miracle Mart - Converted to mall space

Eatons - Converted to Sears
attachment.php

165240804-people-line-up-in-front-of-eatons-store-at-gettyimages.jpg

Source: gettyimages.ca
STCwomImage4web049.jpg

Source: Scarborough Town Centre website

Simpsons - Converted to The Bay
321592_480718588664797_1280141943_n.jpg

7130241775_7bac079659_z.jpg

1524986_606826306054024_456609136_n.jpg

STCwomImage4web013.jpg

Source: Scarborough Town Centre website

The Bay - Converted to Sears now a Wal-Mart
STCwomImage4web06.jpg

Source: Scarborough Town Centre website

Agincourt Mall

Woolco - Converted to Walmart
20110225-AV8.jpg


Loblaws - Converted to No Frills

Jane & Finch Mall

K-mart - Converted to Price Chopper
499318325-mart-gettyimages.jpg

Source: Toronto Star

Towers - converted to mall space

Food City - converted to mall space

Centerpoint Mall (Towne and Countrye Square)

Miracle Mart - Converted to Canadian Tire

Loblaws - converted to Towers then Zellers now a Target

Sayvette - Converted to Woolco then Super Centre, later Loblaws and now No Frills
20090725sayvettecity.jpg


Woodbine Town Centre

Zellers - Vacant

Simpsons - Converted to Sears

Don Mills Centre

Eatons - partially converted to Sears Outlet Store then National Sports now demolished
attachment.php

515124917-canada-ontario-toronto-buildings-eatons-gettyimages.jpg

Source: gettyimages.ca

Zellers - demolished

Dominion - converted to Metro
800px-Don_Mills_Centre_04.JPG


Dufferin Mall

Zellers - Converted to mall space

Horizons - Converted to Eatons now a No Frills

Woolco - Converted to Wal-Mart
499319333-problems-grafton-which-runs-such-stores-as-gettyimages.jpg

Source: Gettyimages.ca

Biway - Converted to mall space

Consumers Distributing - Converted to Winners

No Frills - Converted to Toys R' Us

Cloverdale Mall

Morgans - Converted to The Bay, then Zellers now Target

Zellers - former location now Winners and Kitchen Stuff Plus

East York Town Centre (Thorncliffe Market Place)

Sayvette - Converted to Woolco then Zellers now Target
383314_10151015944510389_1744470197_n.jpg


Steinberg's - converted to Miracle Food Mart then Food Basics
404181_277890085614316_943054440_n.jpg


Bayview Village

K-mart - Demolished, replaced with Chapters and mall space

Bridlewood Mall

K-mart - Converted to Zellers now vacant

Towers - Converted to Zellers now mall space (Shoppers Drug Mart & Home Hardware)

Food City - Converted to Price Chopper

A&P - converted to Dominion now a Metro

Honeydale Mall

Woolco - converted to Walmart now vacant

Eglinton Square

Morgans - Converted to The Bay

Manulife Centre

Brettons - Converted to Indigo

Shoppers World Danforth

Eatons - converted to Zellers now Target
10534652_302818093236584_2572928328536899363_n.jpg

Source: Eaton's: The Trans Canada Store
418446_286623854740939_546143404_n.jpg


Zellers - converted to mall space

Dominion - converted to Metro

Warden Woods Mall

Simpson's - demolished
Dominion - converted to Hy & Zel's now demolished
984124_822690824410399_7809891896047688065_n.jpg

Source: https://www.facebook.com/TorontoSta...2852058727612/822690824410399/?type=1&theater

College Park

Eatons - Converted to Foodcourt, Winners and Metro
2011225-eaton's-college-f0124_fl0003_id0062.jpg

Source: City of Toronto Archives

Yonge-Eglinton Centre

Eatons - Converted to Toys R' Us, Goodlife and mall uses

Gerrard Square

Sears - First floor converted to Home Depot, second floor converted to Winners and mall space

Zellers - converted to Walmart

Kipling-Queensway Mall

Towers - converted to Zellers
Food City - converted to Sobeys

BRAMPTON

Shoppers World Brampton

K-mart – Converted to Zellers
515117679-canada-ontario-brampton-apartments-and-gettyimages.jpg

Source: Toronto Star

Simpsons – Converted to The Bay (demolished 2010) now Winners and mall space
484463_10150951133812153_1227145455_n.jpg


IGA - Converted to Price Chopper now Ocean's Fresh Food

A&P - Converted to Winners soon to be Medix School

Pascal - Converted to Winners now Staples

Bramalea City Centre

Eatons – converted to Zellers soon to be Target
10584101_306470592871334_1586047999626849442_n.jpg

Source: Eaton's: The Trans Canada Store

Miracle Mart - Converted to A&P and now a Metro

Food City - Converted to Price Chopper now demolished

Bramrose Square

K-mart - Converted to Sears Outlet

Loblaws - Converted to No Frills

GEORGETOWN

Georgetown Marketplace

Woolco – converted to Wal-Mart (soon to be mall space)

Zellers - Converting to Walmart

Loblaws - Converted to Homes Sense/Winners
ehs00681.jpg


Other:

Miracle Food Mart - Converted to Food Basics
photo-industrial-commercial-05.jpg

Source: www.barabco.com

Consumers Distributing - Converted to Sears (small store format)

RICHMOND HILL

Hillcrest Mall

Sears - Converted to The Bay Men's Store

Simpsons - Converted to The Bay Fashion Store

K-mart - Converted to Zellers (soon to be Target)

Loblaws - ?

NEWMARKET

Upper Canada Mall - Newmarket

Eatons – converted to The Bay

Zellers - converted to Target

Yorktown Square

K-mart - converted to Home Outfitters

404 Town Centre

Dominion - converted to Metro
York_Region_Transit_404_Town_Centre.jpg

Source: cptdb.ca

Zellers - converted to Walmart

other

Loblaws - converted to Good Will

Woolco - converted to Walmart then Bed & Bath Warehouse now vacant

ORANGEVILLE

Orangeville Mall

Dominion - converted to A&P now Metro

K-mart - converted to Zellers now vacant
orangeville-mall-dominion-kmart.jpg


MARKHAM

B]Markville Mall[/B]

Miracle Food Mart - Converted to Best Buy

Eatons - Upper level converted to Toys R' Us and Old Navy (Old Navy moved to lower level leaving upper portion vacant); lower portion converted to Shoppers Drug Mar, La Vie En Rose (now Old Navy), Atmosphere (now a Sportscheck)

Woolco - Converted to Walmart, now lower level is a larger Walmart, with upper level a Winners/HomeSense and Pickel Barrel

Simpsons - Converted to Sears

MISSISSAUGA

Square One Shopping Centre

Woolco - Converted to Walmart
8150647598_8145a76847_m.jpg

BWFSF8DCQAAfyas.jpg


Eatons - converted to Zellers now Target

Brettons - converted to mall space

Dominion - converted to mall space

Erin Mills Town Centre

Eatons - converted to Zellers soon to be Target

Simpsons - converted to Sears

Sheridan Centre

Eatons - Converted to office space

K-mart - Converted to Zellers now vacant

BURLINGTON

Mapleview Mall

Simpsons - Converted to Sears

Burlington Mall

Eatons - Converted to mall space (including Old Navy and Good Life Fitness)

Sears - Converted to The Bay (Sears moved to Mapleview Mall)

Robinsons - Converted to Zellers
527189_418036354927015_773609711_n.jpg


K-mart/A&P - Converted to Canadian Tire

THORNHILL

Promenade Mall

Eatons - First floor converted to T&T Supermarket, top floor converted to Old Navy, Urban Outfitters
164998625-eaton-store-in-promanade-mall-gettyimages.jpg

Source: gettyimages.ca

GUELPH

Stone Road Mall

K-mart - Converted to Zellers

Miracle Food Mart - Converted to Chapters
823342_516868245065921_1227008233_o.jpg

Source Guelph Public Library

Consumers Distributing - Converted to mall space

Guelph Eaton Centre

Eaton's - Converted to Sleeman Centre
71447_412143998871680_718450427_n.jpg


BARRIE

Georgian Mall

K-mart - converted to The Bay

Eatons - converted to Sports Check and Home Sense

Dominion

KITCHENER

Fairview Park Mall

Simpsons - Converted to The Bay

Woolco - Converted to Wal-Mart
1044022_473276312757983_2052528474_n.jpg


Simpsons-Sears - Converted to Sears
1545188_572783199473960_1876413542_n.jpg


Market Square

Eatons
3272817625_6f3428946e.jpg

3273635614_08a378ff52.jpg


WATERLOO

Conestoga Mall

K-mart - Converted to Zellers

Robinsons- Converted to The Bay

Dominion - Converted to Zehrs now Winners and Sport Chek

Waterloo Square

K-mart -
983972_463434013742213_1106490271_n.jpg


PICKERING

Pickering Town Centre

Eatons - converted to The Bay

K-mart - converted to Zellers soon to be Target

Dominion - converted to mall space

Bi-Way - converted to mall space

SAULT STE MARIE

K-mart Plaza Sault Ste. Marie

K-mart - converted to Zellers now vacant
Dominion - Converted to A&P now Metro
card00642_fr.jpg


KINGSTON

Cataraqui Town Centre

Zellers - converted to Target
Simpsons - converted to the Bay
Loblaws - converted to mall space

HAMILTON

Eastgate Square

Robinson's - converted to the Bay now Sears
Eaton's - demolished, replaced with Fortinos
10646907_306932889491771_8785205082883962835_n.jpg

Source: Eaton's: The Trans Canada Store
Woolco - converted to Walmart now Winners, Urban planet and Sportschek
Forinos's (former location) - converted to HomeSense

Lime Ridge Mall

K-mart - converted to Home Outfitters and The Bay Home Store
Eaton's - converted to the Bay
Robinson's - converted to mall space

Centre Mall

Morgan's - converted to the Bay then Robinson's then Zellers now demolished
226078_479275292090769_431252315_n.jpg


Zellers (new store) - converted to Target
K-mart
Simpsons-Sears
I0005655.jpg


WELLAND

Seaway Mall

Woolco - converted to Walmart, then Zellers now soon to be Target
424257_10150569384139479_549047290_n.jpg

409424_10150569399769479_164936617_n.jpg

K-mart - converted to Zellers then mall space
Miracle Food Mart - converted to mall space

NIAGARA FALLS

Niagara Square Shopping Centre

Robinson's - converted to the Bay now Liquidation World, Michael's, Mandarin and JYSK
K-mart - converted to Zellers now demolished

OSHAWA

Oshawa Centre

Eaton's - converted to Old Navy with lower level part of Staples
oshawa.jpg

Source: http://www3.sympatico.ca/waldon.house/Architect/oshawa.jpg
View attachment 21440

Zellers - demolished 2014. To be replaced by Target

PICKERING

Pen Centre

Eaton's - converted to mall space
10702008_306933116158415_7168512715318342302_n.jpg

Source: Eaton's: The Trans Canada Store

Zellers - converted to Target

Miracle Mart - converted to Robinson's now Hudson's Bay

Simpsons-Sears - converted to Sears

K-mart Plaza

K-mart - converted to Zellers now vacant
kcanada.jpg


Stores

Eaton's

1. Eaton Centre (Toronto)
2. Yorkdale Mall (Toronto)
3. Scarborough Town Centre (Scarborough)
4. Sherway Gardens (Etobicoke)
5. Square One Shopping Centre (Mississauga)
6. Upper Canada Mall (Newmarket)
7. Promenade Mall (Thornhill)
8. Dufferin Mall (Toronto)
9. Bramalea City Centre (Brampton)
10. Oshawa Centre (Oshawa)
11. Georgian Mall (Barrie)
12. Erin Mills Town Centre (Mississauga)
13. Sheridan Centre (Mississauga)
14. Markville Mall (Markham)
15. Pickering Town Centre (Pickering)
16. Shoppers World Danforth (Toronto)
17. Eastgate Square (Hamilton)
18. Lime Ridge Mall (Hamilton)
19. Market Square (Kitchener)
20. Eaton Centre (Guelph)

Simpsons

1. Yorkdale Mall (Toronto)
2. Eaton Centre (Toronto)
3. Fairview Mall (Toronto)
4. Sherway Gardens (Etobicoke)
5. Shoppers World (Brampton)
6. Scarborough Town Centre (Scarborough)
7. Cedarbrae Mall (Scarborough)
8. Hillcrest Mall (Richmond Hill)
9. Markville Mall (Markham)
10. Woodbine Town Centre (Etobicoke)
11. Fairview Park Mall (Kitchener)

Robinsons

1. Burlington Mall (Burlington)
2. Conestoga Mall (Waterloo)

Woolco

1. Square One Shopping Centre (Mississauga)
2. Dufferin Mall (Toronto)
3. Agincourt Mall (Scarborough)
4. Markville Mall (Markham)
5. Honeydale Mall (Etobicoke)
6. Georgetown Marketplace (Georgetown)
7. East York Town Centre (East York)
8. Centrepoint Mall (North York)
9. Harwood Place (Ajax)
10. 16635 Yonge Street (Newmarket)

K-mart

1. Shoppers World (Brampton)
2. Bramrose Square (Brampton)
3. Parkway Plaza (Scarborough)
4. Lynden Park Mall (Brantford)
5. Georgian Mall (Barrie)
6. Bridlewood Mall (Scarborough)
7. Orillia Square Mall (Orillia)
8. Orangevile Mall (Orangeville)
9. Hillcrest Mall (Richmond Hill)
10. Stone Road Mall (Guelph)
11. Sheridan Centre (Mississauga)
12. Thunder Bay Mall (Thunder Bay)
13. Seaway Mall (Welland)
14. Yorktown Square (Newmarket)
15. Pickering Town Centre (Pickering)
16. Conestoga Mall (Waterloo)
17. Waterloo Square (Waterloo)
18. K-mart Plaza (Oshawa)
19. Tecumseh Mall (Windsor)
20. K-mart Plaza (Trenton)
21. Centre Mall (Hamilton)
22. Limeridge Mall (Hamilton)
23. Jane and Finch Mall (Toronto)
24. Meadowland Centre (Ancaster)
25. Burlington Mall (Burlington)
26. Quinte Mall (Belleville)
27. South Shopping Centre (Cambridge)
28. Thames-Lea Plaza (Chatham)
29. Seaway Centre (Cornwall)
30. Huron Heights Plaza (London)
31. K-mart Plaza (Kingston)
32. Town & Country Centre (Lindsay)
33. K-mart Plaza (London)
34. Mountainview Mall (Midland)
35. Rockwood Mall (Mississauga)
36. K-mart Plaza (Nepean)
37. Temiskaning Square (New Liskeard)
38. North Bay Mall (North Bay)
39. Hopedale Plaza (Oakville)
40. K-mart Plaza (Ottawa)
41. K-mart Plaza St. Laurent (Ottawa)
42. K-mart Plaza Bank Street (Ottawa)
43. West End Mall (Pembroke)
44. Westgate Plaza (Peterborough)
45. Westside Place (Port Colborne)
46. Shoppers World Albion (Etobicoke)
47. K-mart Plaza (St. Catherines)
48. K-mart Plaza (Sarnia)
49. K-mart Plaza (Sault Ste. Marie)
50. Markington Square (Scarborough)
51. Simcoe Town Shopping Centre (Simcoe)
52. Stratford Mall (Stratford)
53. Elgin Mall (St. Thomas)
54. Sudbury Super Mall (Sudbury)
55. Southridge Shopping Mall (Sudbury)
56. Timmins Square Shopping Centre
57. Black Creek Plaza (Toronto)
58. Bayview Village Shopping Centre (Toronto)
59. Ambassador Plaza (Windsor)
60. 1801 Dundas Street (Whitby)
 
Last edited:
Let's see....

Thorncliffe Market Place (now East York Town Center):

Sayvette --->>> to Woolco to >>>>> Zellers >>>> to Target

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayvette

****

Eglinton Square

Morgan's to >>>> The Bay

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan's

****

Manulife Centre ( Bretton's) >>>> to Indigo

****

Shopper's World Danforth

Eaton's -->>> to Zeller's (former Zellers to multiple stores), Zellers to >>> Target

*****

College Park

All Eaton's, to >>> multiple stores, including food court, Winners, and Metro


*****

There's a start
 
Thanks Generation. I guessed on that one. Anyone know what happened to the Eatons? Never went to Fairview much as a kid

Thanks Norhern. For the others. I'll add them in at the top soon. Hard to find photos of the stores from back then
 
The College Park Eatons store vacated when the Toronto Eaton Centre opened, I think (this was before I was born). It's now many different stores (Winners, Metro, etc...), and the upper levels is Carlu. I've been to many events that have used it as a venue.
 
They're not exactly department stores, but the K-Mart, which had been at Bayview Village for decades, was converted into ... something else ... in 1998, and the Knob Hill Farms at Riverdale Plaza ( forget what it was before it was converted to Knob Hill in the early '90s ) became the present No Thrills about 15 years later.
 
Yonge-Eglinton Centre
The Eatons store here shut down after the first bankruptcy, and was later converted to Toys R Us, the Goodlife and other mall uses

Sherway Gardens
Brettons became Sporting Life

Square One
Brettons became general mall space

Dufferin Mall
Horizon (Eaton's discount banner) became Eatons, and then converted to No Frills

In Burlington, the Simpsons at Mapleview and the Sears at Burlington Mall did a swap (moving staff, etc) -- Sears opened at Fairview in the Simpsons space, and The Bay opened in the old Sears space, with the ex-Simpsons staff. The Eatons at Burlington Mall was carved up into mall space (including Old Navy, etc).
 
They're not exactly department stores, but the K-Mart, which had been at Bayview Village for decades, was converted into ... something else ... in 1998, and the Knob Hill Farms at Riverdale Plaza ( forget what it was before it was converted to Knob Hill in the early '90s ) became the present No Thrills about 15 years later.

Turned into an extension of the mall. Now Gap, LCBO, Chapters/Indigo (unless that was a parking lot), etc...

Newsguy: There was an Eaton's at the Yonge-Eglinton Centre? I'm 32 and don't remember it.
 
The Zellers in Dufferin Mall became general mall space.

Consumers Distributing (a Canadian retailer with significant American presence) became No Frills in Dufferin Mall and the old location of No Frills became Toys 'R' Us I believe.

In North Park Plaza (at Keele and Lawrence), Woolco became Wal-Mart (in fact, the faded out signs indicate that it was Woolco there).
 
Last edited:
Turned into an extension of the mall. Now Gap, LCBO, Chapters/Indigo (unless that was a parking lot), etc...

Newsguy: There was an Eaton's at the Yonge-Eglinton Centre? I'm 32 and don't remember it.

Yes ... it was pretty small. I lived up there as a student in '95, but the Eaton's store didn't last much beyond than that.
 
Vintage Canadian Malls / Department Stores:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrellinyvr/sets/72157624952216717/with/4965316063/

4965316063_4e0857f104.jpg

Simpsons, Sherway Gardens

5046371296_cf83e16252.jpg

Eaton's, Yorkdale

5043017711_87d87495fb.jpg

Yorkdale, Simpson's Court

5043028957_8c69bacc9b.jpg

Yorkdale, Simpson's Court

4965523053_5b22b32761.jpg

Simpson's, Fairview Mall

4965323371_99fdace06d.jpg
6773588330_99702318f9.jpg

HBC, Fairview Mall - nice logo signage!

4965318849_89368b7eb8.jpg

Fairview Mall phone booths

Trivia:

5046325836_27f8f156b7.jpg

Morgans was a Montreal based department store aquired by the Hudson's Bay Company
It operated on Quebec and Southern Ontario until being folded into "the Bay" in 1972 The Stylized M was adapted to a B for the Bay nationwide in 1968
 
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The Eaton's at Yonge Eglinton Centre was originally a Horizons - the short-lived Eaton's discount banner - it was converted to an Eaton's when they mothballed the Horizon's brand. It was TINY.

It's amazing how much bastardization has been done architecturally to most of those photos.
 
They're not exactly department stores, but the K-Mart, which had been at Bayview Village for decades, was converted into ... something else ... in 1998, and the Knob Hill Farms at Riverdale Plaza ( forget what it was before it was converted to Knob Hill in the early '90s ) became the present No Thrills about 15 years later.

Thanks for this. I'm actually interested in finding out more about even the discount department stores like Kmart and Woolco, Zellers etc.
 

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