Toronto’s Ghost Signs

January 26, 2020 – The Reliance Engravers ghost sign was once located at 104 Bond St, north of Dundas St E in Toronto's Garden District. The sign says, “Reliance Engravers Limited – Artists Commercial Photographers – Photo Engravers – Electrotypers Stereotypers”

Reliance Engravers Limited Ghost Sign (former)

The Reliance Engravers Limited ghost sign was once located at 104 Bond St (just north of Dundas St E) in the Garden District of Toronto.
September 22, 2025 - A close-up of the Noden, Hallitt & Johnson ghost sign on the rear west-facing wall of 2844 Dundas St W in The Junction neighbourhood of Toronto. The sign is visible from a laneway behind the building, off Keele St. Notice that it also features the words "Cash & Carry," an image of an old-fashioned stove, and the name "E.L. Ruddy," the company that painted the sign

Noden, Hallitt & Johnson Ghost Sign

September 22, 2025 - A close-up of the Adams Furniture ghost sign on the west-facing wall of 2844 Dundas St W, just east of Keele St, in The Junction neighbourhood of Toronto. Adams Furniture, which had stores throughout the city and in Oshawa, operated from this building from 1932 through 1936

Adams Furniture Co. Ghost Sign

August 2, 2025 - The west-facing wall of 534 Annette St in the Runnymede neighbourhood features two ghost signs – one for Dobs Super Market and the other for Buckingham Cigarettes

Dobs Super Market & Buckingham Cigarettes Ghost Signs

June 23, 2024 - The north-facing wall of 1254 Jane St in the Weston neighbourhood features a red and white “Coca-Cola” ghost sign

Coca-Cola Ghost Sign at 1254 Jane St

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May 1953 - Islington House was once located at 4922 Dundas St W and Burnhamthorpe Rd in the Islington neighbourhood of Toronto. The tavern is shown here in the archive photo at the northeast corner; however, after the realignment of Burnhamthorpe Rd in 1956, it was at the northwest corner. Parts of the building date back to the late 1830s, when it served as a grocery store. By the 1870s, it had been converted into Brownridge's Hotel. In 1933, a fire swept through the building. By this time, it was known as the Islington Hotel, leading to its reconstruction. In the early 1980s, the establishment was serving 250,000 litres of beer annually in its 350-seat tavern, but by the mid-1980s, business had declined due to other establishments opening in the area. In 1986, the historic tavern closed. While the building's heritage value was assessed, an architect's report stated that after renovations and rebuilding, very little of the original structure remained. The tavern was demolished and replaced with an office and retail building, which has since also been torn down

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