AlbertC
Superstar
A Circle K convenience store is opening at the SE corner of Pape & Danforth, former location of Nando's.
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Riverdale
- Thread starter Urban Shocker
- Start date
Northern Light
Superstar
Nando's failed so hard.
Chicken was good; and some decent sauce, but there were real issues with concept here.
I haven't been to any of their non-Canadian outlets so I don't know if they just copy/pasted the concept, but it didn't make sense to me.
The last place to try something similar in the Toronto market (go to a cash to order food, have wait staff deliver to table) also flunked out.
To me that was its single biggest problem; but they also had some other issues.
I can't say Circle K is a good addition, especially to a prominent corner; but I don't think Nandos ended up being a big loss.
GKW
Active Member
This might be reaching into East York, but Florida's Really Greek Tavern on Pape (just north of Mortimer) has closed after at least 40 years in that location. A generic looking burger place is going in it's place.
Towered
Superstar
It failed hard on West Queen West too.
christiesplits
Senior Member
I also think Nando's was late to the game. Most people, especially in the west end, already have their favourite Portuguese chicken joint.
Ex-Montreal Girl
Active Member
I love Portuguese chicken. That place sucked. So greasy. I wish we had one of those west side spots here.
christiesplits
Senior Member
Brief history of the Odeon Theatre-turned-Goodlife. On the other side of Pape was the Palladium, which shuttered sometime in the early 90s.
www.blogto.com
The history of the Odeon Danforth Theatre in Toronto before it became a GoodLife
The Odeon Danforth is another of the movie theatres on the Danforth that I remember well, but never attended. However, I viewed it many times from th…
www.blogto.com
Ex-Montreal Girl
Active Member
Brief history of the Odeon Theatre-turned-Goodlife. On the other side of Pape was the Palladium, which shuttered sometime in the early 90s.
The history of the Odeon Danforth Theatre in Toronto before it became a GoodLife
The Odeon Danforth is another of the movie theatres on the Danforth that I remember well, but never attended. However, I viewed it many times from th…
Thanks for the link! I love this stuff.
When the Odeon became Oxygen Fitness c. 2000 (?) it was very clearly a theatre. I joined in 2005 and used to do a ball workout on the former stage. I remember that it was owned by four brothers (two families, two and two) who were suddenly kicked out one day by the property owner who shall remain nameless because, cough cough, who then handed it over (it may have been sold, not sure) to a chain. Not GoodLife, something that preceded it. When they started doing major renovations without any visible signs of permits, I quit. Something did not smell right to me.
The former Oxygen owners went on to establish Pure Fitness in Leaside.
As for the Palladium, we moved into the hood in 1985 and I really can't recall that at all.
The Palace, on the other hand, on the NE corner of Pape and Danforth, was turned into a medical building by 1995, at the latest, maybe sooner. I started going to a doctor there around that time. It's very obviously a former cinema when you go inside and see the atrium.
I do not remember any movie theatres existing in the area in 1985, except myabe for the old Allen which might have been a rep house. I also believe Panama Joe's which became the Globe Bistro was also a cinema.
Jeez, I'm old.
christiesplits
Senior Member
The Allen at Greenwood was the longest to survive. It was still operating until around 2000, including short stints as an Indian theatre and porn theatre. Let's not mention it's current tenant
There was also the old Donlands Theatre near O'Connor, which was turned turned into a film and TV studio in 2002, after remaining vacant for some time. It was John Candy's local cinema: https://www.piestudios.ca/donlands-theatre
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Northern Light
Superstar
Neither do I
That seems peculiar to me as I'm quite sure the old cinema was completely demolished.
It was still standing and a cinema into the 80s when I was little kid. I believe it was demo'ed in '87; I know that's when the theatre closed.
That was one of the old ones I never did get to experience personally.
I did get to enjoy the Uptown, Hyland, Hollywood, Capitol, Humber, Eglinton, and Runnymede, among others.
But also missed out on the University, the Allen/Roxy, and the Bayview during my time.
Allen/Roxy did spend some time in second-run. There were probably still 2 cinemas in operation on Gerrard back then.
You aren't; you're merely experienced.
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Northern Light
Superstar
To add to the above: This (below) was at one time the Granada theatre.
This was once the Eastwood Cinema on Gerrard (the photo isn't current, it was demo'd for condos)....closed 1985:
This is a fairly comprehensive resource on which theatres exist and used to, in Toronto:
There's also one at Wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
This was once the Eastwood Cinema on Gerrard (the photo isn't current, it was demo'd for condos)....closed 1985:
This is a fairly comprehensive resource on which theatres exist and used to, in Toronto:
Movie Theaters in Toronto, ON - Cinema Treasures
List of movie theaters located in Toronto, ON
www.cinematreasures.org
There's also one at Wikipedia.org
List of cinemas in Toronto - Wikipedia
christiesplits
Senior Member
Interesting tidbit of history: The India Centre Cinema on Gerrard was the site of a thwarted 1991 terrorist plot.
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/canada/2010/08/31/forgotten_islamist_terror_plot_targeted_toronto/glen_nevilleford.jpeg)
www.thestar.com
Forgotten Islamist terror plot targeted Toronto
A forgotten 1991 Islamist terror plot targeting 4,500 people in Toronto can in retrospect be viewed as part of a pattern.
Ex-Montreal Girl
Active Member
Hah. Thanks. I guess. I even saw Jimi Hendrix live on April 2, 1968 in Montreal! So I am "experienced."
As for the Palace, the bones of the place are still there. It's very obvious when you go to to an upper floor and look at the atrium. . The med building has incorporated the building next door, now an A&W on the ground floor. The windows on the Pape side are pretty much there. (My doc's office is located there.)
https://tayloronhistory.com/2013/12/01/torontos-old-movie-housethe-palace-theatre-on-the-danforth/
That Gerrard theatre was gorgeous. Too bad Toronto tears so much down. As for the Roxy, I love it. So art deco.
Northern Light
Superstar
Hah. Thanks. I guess. I even saw Jimi Hendrix live on April 2, 1968 in Montreal! So I am "experienced."
As for the Palace, the bones of the place are still there. It's very obvious when you go to to an upper floor and look at the atrium. . The med building has incorporated the building next door, now an A&W on the ground floor. The windows on the Pape side are pretty much there. (My doc's office is located there.)
https://tayloronhistory.com/2013/12/01/torontos-old-movie-housethe-palace-theatre-on-the-danforth/
That Gerrard theatre was gorgeous. Too bad Toronto tears so much down. As for the Roxy, I love it. So art deco.
Hmmm; I can't seem to track down any pictures of the demolition/construction of the cinema/medical building.
The medical building is clearly taller.
I have a book about Toronto movie theatres called 'Nabes' by John Sebert which says it was torn down......but no details/pictures.
****
I too wish more of old cinemas had been kept.
That some had to go was a given as times changed.
But another 4 or 5 retained would have been wonderful.
Perhaps a few others might have been more thoughtfully repurposed as well.
GKW
Active Member
The Palladium was also a nightclub/concert venue in the early 90s