a little variety, please ...

[collations]

i think that some of the most disconsolate storefronts are to be found in the northwest of the city. the landscape is awash in dismal dreary little strip plazas that date back to the 50's-60's. i suppose a lot of this development was originally related to the opening of the 401 in the early 1950's. now of course these are some of the most blighted parts of the city. its a whole other Toronto out there! these were taken on Keele street just south of Sheppard.

Where are you finding these?! Obviously, as you say, you've found them in the north-west of the city. Nice finds ... these are great! I especially like the first image ... and the fourth ... blank, over-written signage and all. In the fifth image, what, exactly is a "gastation"? Re: the 6th image, Daisy Mart ... I've seen that here and there. Re: the 8th image ... looks like a former Coke button storefront, maybe.

 

[LowPolygon]

A lot of what we identify today as undifferentiated sprawl actually had de facto "company town" roots.

This is certainly true. The shops, restaurants and services of Mount Dennis on Weston Road adjacent to the Kodak plant on Eglinton is a very good example of that i think. Its a very empty feeling area now.

 

[adma]

This is certainly true. The shops, restaurants and services of Mount Dennis on Weston Road adjacent to the Kodak plant on Eglinton is a very good example of that i think. Its a very empty feeling area now.

In which case, I wonder whether the 401 did more to "destroy" Downsview strip retail than to "enable" it, i.e. by providing access to/an alibi for malls like Yorkdale, prototypical big-box retail like Canadian Tire, et al.

And when it comes to the present, another thing which the tiredness of Downsview and Mount Dennis have in common is that it's not only post-prosperity, but pre-ethnoburban-renewal (cf. something like the Lawrence/Warden zone)

 

[west_end_kid]

Lee's Variety taken from Runnymede Collegiate during an economics class in 1978. (Jane & Bradley Sts)

Similar Google Street view - 2010

 

[adma]

Isn't/wasn't there some kind of Collations-worthy Pepsi-signed dead variety store on the E side of Jane close to St John's?

 

[LowPolygon]

In which case, I wonder whether the 401 did more to "destroy" Downsview strip retail than to "enable" it, i.e. by providing access to/an alibi for malls like Yorkdale, prototypical big-box retail like Canadian Tire, et al.

And when it comes to the present, another thing which the tiredness of Downsview and Mount Dennis have in common is that it's not only post-prosperity, but pre-ethnoburban-renewal (cf. something like the Lawrence/Warden zone)

Jane and Woolner is an interesting area as far as "ethnoburban-renewal" goes. its as bleak as it comes up there, but is a thriving working class community all the same, full of Somalis, Punjabis, Vietnamese etc,....

when i am up in these areas, i find myself amazed at how unique a city Toronto is...

 

[collations]

Isn't/wasn't there some kind of Collations-worthy Pepsi-signed dead variety store on the E side of Jane close to St John's?

This MUST be what you're referring to. 515 Jane St, east side, two doors north of St John's Road. Photographed April 5, 1999, before it closed for business.

 

[collations]

Lee's Variety taken from Runnymede Collegiate during an economics class in 1978. (Jane & Bradley Sts)

Similar Google Street view - 2010

Nice one! Are those bubble gum machines outside the front door of Lee's? For the school across the street, no doubt. Nice big Export "A" sign on the side wall ...who's that aimed at, I wonder?! I see that the building was for sale in 1978. That looks like an A.E. LePage sign on it. Oddly interesting house that popped up in the adjacent empty lot ... fronted by a porch, fronted by a front yard, fronted by a fence ... very odd, but very interesting.

 

[LowPolygon]

This MUST be what you're referring to. 515 Jane St, east side, two doors north of St John's Road. Photographed April 5, 1999, before it closed for business.

not much has changed, except posters and ads have been removed. looks like someone might be living in there now. this is of course very common all over areas like York. "Parkers Discount Variety" sign is more faded, but the "Pepsi Lottery Centre Smoke Shop" sign lives on! Not much going on next door either at All-Seasons Home Improvements. it looks like they have the same window samples on display in the window...

 

[collations]

not much has changed, except posters and ads have been removed. looks like someone might be living in there now. this is of course very common all over areas like York. "Parkers Discount Variety" sign is more faded, but the "Pepsi Lottery Centre Smoke Shop" sign lives on! Not much going on next door either at All-Seasons Home Improvements. it looks like they have the same window samples on display in the window...

Interestingly, the street number sign migrated from its angled position, by the north edge of the building, to a level position front and centre.

By the way, how many times was playing the lottery advertised on signage in the 1999 photo? I count nine times.

 

[west_end_kid]

Parker's Variety was very tiny inside. The store was only the width of the window and door. You you couldn't get more than 3 or 4 people in the store at any one time! It was a great little place. I can only hope that the person living there is Mr. Parker who retired after many, many years of long work days.

Just north on Jane at Pritchard is store from my childhood called U-Save. It looks pretty much the same way it did 40 plus years ago. The Trident signs are newer but the great "Dairy Supertte" has been there as long as I can remember.

If anyone has more vintage picture from this area I'd love to see them. In the late 60's there was Pine's Drug store on the SW corner of Jane & St. Clair. At Jane & Homeview were Kewan's Fish & Chps and next door was a great variety store. The wife ran the fish & chip shop and the husband ran the variety store. The best one was Jenning's Carload at the corner of Florence & Eilene Ave. It was a like a small town general store with a real butcher shop in the back.

Wow... I think I oficially sound like an old man

Image from Google Street view.

 

[west_end_kid]

This commerical block at jane & Woolner sure has changed. When it was first built in the late 60's or very early 70's fronting Jane Street (as see in the first image) was a Mac's Milk (or was it Beckers?), The Burger Bar and a One Hour Martenizing dry cleaner. Around the side was another non-chain variety store and Fred's Barber shop (he was quite a guy).

 

[LowPolygon]

This commerical block at jane & Woolner sure has changed. When it was first built in the late 60's or very early 70's fronting Jane Street (as see in the first image) was a Mac's Milk (or was it Beckers?), The Burger Bar and a One Hour Martenizing dry cleaner. Around the side was another non-chain variety store and Fred's Barber shop (he was quite a guy).

i'm pretty sure it was a Beckers, and yes, its quite ramshackle now. that glazed brick rarely aged well...

 

[Long Island Mike]

Everyone: This is an interesting topic showing mostly older small "Mom and Pop" stores in older neighborhoods - it reminds me of the counterparts in NYC and Philadelphia which I am most familiar with...
Thanks to Flar I noticed stores of this type in his Hamilton pics...
LI MIKE

 

[Maco in the 6]

This old building used to be a variety store, its on Maria St in the Junction area:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&q=...YgZxEdqbJAUY_Ms9Ruo2bg&cbp=12,196.85,,0,-2.99


One more, on Henrietta and Runnymede:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour...=mPPMEz8sQwao20FwENkn3g&cbp=12,21.05,,0,-1.81