Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

[Mustapha]

The old car to the left of the 'muscle car'. It had a white roof. I came across something like it on Saint Patrick Street last month.

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

"housing an auto glass business before demolition"

First pic, SPEEDY AUTO GLASS and a 1971/2 Cadillac.
and 3rd pic, 1978/9 or later Cadillac.

Regards,
J T

 

[Mustapha]

First in my series called: 'Right Under Our Noses'.

Who remembers photobooths? That this terribly old school amusement, because amusement is all that it is, still exists right under our noses boggles my mind. [Copy editor job open. Please apply Mustapha.]

Who remembers squeezing a date into one of those and waiting. Anticipating.. the strip of photos. Which back in the day was suffused with the odour of developer.

With the awkward individuality of Gypsy Caravans, these amusements still thrill, or perhaps merely amuse,
succeeding generations.

I found these 3 photobooths at: Yonge Eglinton Centre, Dufferin Mall and Dixie Outlet Mall.

 

[Goldie]

Mustapha, we may need a "then" photo to accompany your wonderful modern images. This is the first patented Canadian booth (1925). The "Phototeria" was invented by David McCowan of the well-known Scarborough pioneer family.
An original Phototeria had been stored in a family barn for many years before it was removed in 2006 for my photo-session.
It produced small, circular images mounted in metal frames. The one shown here is of the inventor after he sold his invention to an American Co.
The Phototeria was installed in arcades on Yonge St., Sunnyside and at Crystal Beach. It's now in the Ryerson University photographic collection.

 

[adma]

Then. Looking SW at the SW corner of Simcoe and Richmond. c1970-ish? Not much in the Then picture. The building looks like one of those mid 19th century upper class homes that dotted this area along with small industry up until the 80s. I do remember that building housing an auto glass business before demolition. The two cars in the picture were the attractant for me. 60/70s Muscle Cars were affordably priced up until about 15 years ago. Then Boomers inheriting wealth from the Greatest Generation chasing even the commoner models have put prices waa-y up.


'Dairy Barn'? What the heck was that? Don't look at the logo. Don't.

View attachment 122059

The signage looks new(ish) for 1970; was Dairy Barn some kind of abortive chain?

I think something like the second edition of Lost Toronto had some quick history behind the building; maybe it's the B&W photography, but it actually looks more recognizably "vintage" here than in its battleship-grey last days--even if the sawed-off roofline and misguidedly modernized ground floor was already in effect...

 

[Mustapha]

Thanks Goldie for the above post. Having the forethought to document the instruction plates was cool.

 

[Mustapha]

Second in my series called: 'Right Under Our Noses'.

Today. Foyer to the Bank of Nova Scotia on the SW corner of Queen and Church.

History, great craftsmanship, durability, preservation.. all in plain sight. What a combination.

As beautiful as some of the mosaic tile you'll see uncovered in places like Ephesus or Rome itself. I know; I've been to both at not inconsiderable expense.

 

[Mustapha]

Then. Looking SSW across Dundas to the SE corner of Dundas and Yonge. This would have been about 1998. Expropriation and demolition of this block would start just about after the pic was taken. That's the famous Rockwell Jeans store. It relocated a couple blocks east and still trades.

Now. Today.

 

[Goldie]

Mustapha, I love your idea of "Right under our noses."
That beautiful mosaic on the floor of the Scotia bank reminded me that I've been hoarding a floor-mounted image for a long time with the intention of scouting the location (Bloor-Dundas) to see what's there now. I wonder if this historical plaque was "under ... noses" in 1962.
I expect there must have been a Towers store in 1962 at that location -- probably long-gone. Does the capsule remain? Will it be left untouched until 2062? Does anyone know where it's located?
I love mysteries and questions like these.

 

[Mustapha]

Goldie. Your 1962 plaque. Did you photograph it in 1962 or shortly thereafter?

I vaguely remember a Towers store on Dundas West. Below Bloor. Above Roncesvalles. It MIGHT have been where the Loblaws is now. In the plaza now known as 'High Park Plaza'. I could be wrong on all of these 'recollections'.

 

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

"I vaguely remember a Towers store on Dundas West. Below Bloor. Above Roncesvalles. It MIGHT have been where the Loblaws is now."
Mustapha.

MIGHT'S Toronto City Directory - 1970:
2290 Dundas St W - just below Bloor.

Regards.

 

[Mustapha]

"I vaguely remember a Towers store on Dundas West. Below Bloor. Above Roncesvalles. It MIGHT have been where the Loblaws is now."
Mustapha.

MIGHT'S Toronto City Directory - 1970:
2290 Dundas St W - just below Bloor.

Regards.

Bingo JT. Now. Is the original building still there? And the plaque too? Or covered over? Or is Goldies image just a ghost from the past?

 

[adma]

Towers was perpendicular to Loblaws. It became Zellers. Building still there; so *might* be the capsule plaque, close to where Towers & Loblaws meet...

 

[Mustapha]

Towers was perpendicular to Loblaws. It became Zellers. Building still there; so *might* be the capsule plaque, close to where Towers & Loblaws meet...

This is worth going for a look. The green terrazzo floor surrounding the plaque would be easy to look for, if it is still intact.

 

[thecharioteer]

Second in my series called: 'Right Under Our Noses'.

Today. Foyer to the Bank of Nova Scotia on the SW corner of Queen and Church.

History, great craftsmanship, durability, preservation.. all in plain sight. What a combination.

As beautiful as some of the mosaic tile you'll see uncovered in places like Ephesus or Rome itself. I know; I've been to both at not inconsiderable expense.

View attachment 122250

Banks used to do that a lot. Inside the 1905 Bank of Commerce Building at 197 Yonge (part of Massey Tower):