Store Fronts!

[Fred136]

Yes I have lived in this area(Bathust & Wilson) for over 50 yrs. This drugstore was privately owned for many years after selling out to Shoppers. I have seen so many changes in this area over the years.
Brooklyn Furniture has been there since the 1950's, I remember going there as kid with my parents. Also Sea-Hi restaurant used to be a bowling alley before then, I could tell you so many more stories.

Fred136

 

[west_end_kid]

Here are some more that I took a few years ago during a visit to the Junction. In the 60s & 70s when I was a kid it was the local shopping district and you could get most of what you needed without having to go downtown. S. S. Kresge, Woolworth, Mikey Finns Dept Store...

Sadly, although some of the buildings are still there none of the store fronts below exist anymore.

The Handyman Shop - 3077 Dundas St. West. Not sure of the status today but Google street view shows the windows covered in paper.

Baker & Linton Real Estate & Insurance - 3106 Dundas St. West - The lettering was there for years after Baker & Linton left but today it is gone. I guess the current owner/tennant thought it looked better without.

Phillip's Shoes - 2928 Dundas St. West
I remember going in here in the 60s with my mom. The smell of leather... the pink walls, the hundreds of boxes of shoes on the east wall... the feeling of wanting to get out of there as soon as I could!!

3108 Dundas St. West - I don't recall what this was but when I walked by that day I knew I needed take photo because it wasn't going to be there long.

 

[adHominem]

The Handyman Shop was great. It's gone now - the building was so thoroughly rebuilt as to be unrecognizable. It's a Starbucks now, and almost entirely devoid of charm.

EVCco - part of the fun of watching old KITH skits is playing spot the location!

 

[wwwebster]

The 'Heartbreak Hotel' ... at Queen and Palmerston; does anyone know the history of the hotel itself?

All I’ve been able to find out so far is that a “Pine Tree Hotel†appears to have established itself on that corner circa 1875, and the current structure operated as the Pine Tree Hotel at least into the 1940s.

 

[thecharioteer]

925 Eglinton West:

 

[west_end_kid]

China House is a great place on the inside as well. I've only been a couple of times but I always feel like I've walked into 1955. For those interested in Toronto history, I would suggest a visit. The food isn't half bad

 

[Fred136]

Menswear Store

Here are some more that I took a few years ago during a visit to the Junction. In the 60s & 70s when I was a kid it was the local shopping district and you could get most of what you needed without having to go downtown. S. S. Kresge, Woolworth, Mikey Finns Dept Store...

Sadly, although some of the buildings are still there none of the store fronts below exist anymore.

The Handyman Shop - 3077 Dundas St. West. Not sure of the status today but Google street view shows the windows covered in paper.

Baker & Linton Real Estate & Insurance - 3106 Dundas St. West - The lettering was there for years after Baker & Linton left but today it is gone. I guess the current owner/tennant thought it looked better without.

Phillip's Shoes - 2928 Dundas St. West
I remember going in here in the 60s with my mom. The smell of leather... the pink walls, the hundreds of boxes of shoes on the east wall... the feeling of wanting to get out of there as soon as I could!!

3108 Dundas St. West - I don't recall what this was but when I walked by that day I knew I needed take photo because it wasn't going to be there long.

I believe this was a menswear store during the 1950's, 60' & 70's, called Mister Jax owned by a gentleman by the name of Mac who owned it for many years and believe he closed it down in the 1970's.

 

[thecharioteer]

 

[Goldie]

This one has my vote for the GREATEST STOREFRONT in the history of Toronto!

 

[Mustapha]

All I’ve been able to find out so far is that a “Pine Tree Hotel†appears to have established itself on that corner circa 1875, and the current structure operated as the Pine Tree Hotel at least into the 1940s.

Thanks wwwebster, I'd forgotten that Queen St. was the 'gateway' into Toronto before the Gardiner and before even the Lakeshore Blvd. and these hotels looked after the needs of travellers. EVCco, thanks for giving me an excuse to post this pic I took awhile back. I still think someone had a sense of humour back in the day to name a hotel business in this fashion. Names can make or break a business and this was certainly a risk. I'm reminded that when I travelled on business I booked myself into the Vagabond Inn in Sacramento CA much to the chagrin of my manager who asked why I hadn't picked the usual Hilton or Days Inn.

 

[Mustapha]

China House is a great place on the inside as well. I've only been a couple of times but I always feel like I've walked into 1955. For those interested in Toronto history, I would suggest a visit. The food isn't half bad

For those interested,... hustle, they're closing on Sunday.

 

[EVCco]

This one has my vote for the GREATEST STOREFRONT in the history of Toronto!

Surely the most massive! At least in terms of one single sign. Even bigger than the current Las Vegas / Circus Circus style signage:
http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=photo_compilation&id=h1eds-toronto-canada&aid=8&lng=3



Some industrial area signage:

Suburban signage:

the 'N' on this place has been crooked for as long as I can remember...

Not sure if this was ever an official part of the storefront, or just some street art that went up after the place was deserted, but I always liked this mouth-door:

 

[west_end_kid]

A few more from the Junction circa 2005

I can't remember where this was (or is) exactly and I'm sure I've seen a similar photo in one of the other forums here. If you look carefully you can see Paragon Press High Quality Printing over the door.

3358 Dundas Street West - This used to be a drug store.

2950 Dundas Street West - Open Window Bakery is long gone

This was a Bank of Montreal in the 60/70s (I think) and then a CIBC?

2890 Dundas Street West - This Blockbuster is either closed or closing like the rest. If you look above the awning you can still see where the S.S. Kresge sign was. This site has a great picture of what it used to look like.

 

[Edward Skira]

I see many of these and think Queens New York for some reason.

 

[EVCco]

a couple recent examples from the west end...