Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Mustapha]

Two comments:

1. The arrival of main street modernism in Toronto, a building now crying out to be put out of its misery.

2. Why can't you find chop suey on menus anymore (much less advertised on neon signs)?

Blovertis: On your point 1...
When that building housed Sai Woo restaurant, it was the place to go to eat. Dating couples and families alike jammed the stairwell waiting for a table. Not just for regular Canadians, but the immigrant Chinese in Toronto considered it as the place for wedding dinners and those strange banquets thrown for month old Chinese newborns. [A time to celebrate because the baby hadn't died during the first month mortality period; aren't 'old country' traditions wonderful?]

The building at the time was a new gem in a block of grimy brick. Now the roles are reversed. I'm not just typin' this; I remember it that way.

On your point 2...
I do believe its an old school thing that is now passe in sooo-sophisticated Toronto. Like spaghetti and meat balls. Or ham sandwiches on white. Chop Suey - something your dad or gramps would have ordered with no irony. Click on link to see neon signs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chop_Suey

 

[adma]

Is there still that old-school chop suey joint (complete with neon sign!) on Kingston in the North Beach?

And as much as it's begging to be put out of its misery, I love that building, curtain wall, green brick, patina and all.

 

[Edward]

IIRC the developers of One City Hall tried to buy that building but the owner held out.

 

[Mustapha]

IIRC the developers of One City Hall tried to buy that building but the owner held out.

Interesting. Pure conjection here but probably one of the descendants of the Sai Woo partners. There were a number of partners and some of them became property owners in the area.

 

[Mustapha]

June 2 addition.

St Clair E looking toward Vaughan.

 

[adma]

Interesting. Pure conjection here but probably one of the descendants of the Sai Woo partners. There were a number of partners and some of them became property owners in the area.

And judging from your "before" photo, it's older than I might have guessed (circa 1955, or even earlier? did its glazed brick predate Dickinson's at 111 Richmond?)

 

[adma]

June 2 addition.

St Clair E looking toward Vaughan.

The (extraordinary) Vaughan cinema lasted as recently as 1986 or so--in its latter years, it was something of a "Festival chain" repertory/filmfest wannabe.


As far as the replacement goes, that XXX-Tra video always amuses me for its "American Gothic" spoofery (not visible in photo)

 

[jade_lee]

Is there still that old-school chop suey joint (complete with neon sign!) on Kingston in the North Beach?

And as much as it's begging to be put out of its misery, I love that building, curtain wall, green brick, patina and all.

The sign that reads "goof' that once said good food? Near fox theater?

 

[adma]

No, on Kingston Road

 

[Blovertis]

That sign is fantastic! I'm going to check that place out first chance I get.

 

[Mustapha]

And judging from your "before" photo, it's older than I might have guessed (circa 1955, or even earlier? did its glazed brick predate Dickinson's at 111 Richmond?)

111 Richmond opened for business in 1954. My 'before' Dundas photo - sorry but I've forgotten the search term I used to find it (and its associated notation). So I can't date it. Can any UTers help?

The sign that reads "goof' that once said good food? Near fox theater?

There are lots of pics online of this Beaches icon. I'll go down tonite (in the nabe with my son) and take one for you.






June 3 addition. Thanks be to Swamp Thing and Skeezix for id'ing this location for me

 

[Anna]

111 Richmond opened for business in 1954. My 'before' Dundas photo - sorry but I've forgotten the search term I used to find it (and its associated notation). So I can't date it. Can any UTers help?

Dec 4, 1954
Street views of Traffic - part of the Yonge St Subway construction views Series.

You can get the Series and File numbers from the bottom of the picture and use them to search


p.s. your Kenwood & Vaughan theatre pictures also came from Series 381 File 319 so I guess they are all from the same date.

 

[Mustapha]

Dec 4, 1954
Street views of Traffic - part of the Yonge St Subway construction views Series.

You can get the Series and File numbers from the bottom of the picture and use them to search


p.s. your Kenwood & Vaughan theatre pictures also came from Series 381 File 319 so I guess they are all from the same date.

Anna, Thanks. I tried the file number in the 'advance' search before I posted my message of helplessness, but sometimes these things still defy me.

adma, I wonder if there is any connection between 111 Richmond and the constructors here - since they were both built in the same year.

UTers keen of eye might also note in the old Dundas street picture the sign that says "China Hall". If so, this would be the precursor in time and spirit of Pacific Mall. The 'old school' Chinese gift shop extant on the lower level dates back to my earliest memories (around 1960ish) of this area. The shop has a very San Francisco Chinatown Grant street vibe about it.

 

[Edward Skira]

From our twitter feed

Any more old pics of the St Clair/Bathurst area? This is very cool - spent a lot of my youth near this!

 

[Mustapha]

That sign is fantastic! I'm going to check that place out first chance I get.

I've never seen this sign lit. It might work; I'm just saying.

The sign that reads "goof' that once said good food? Near fox theater?

They fixed it ages ago. This last night around 8:45.

Here's another blast from the past - this one is on Wilson Av W of Dufferin.