Toronto History - Discover Its Past & Present

August 24, 2024 – The north-facing wall of the building located at 260 Spadina Ave in the Kensington-Chinatown neighbourhood features a ghost sign for “M. Wintrob & Sons Ltd” and the words “Welgroom combs, hair curlers, Sun-Rite sunglasses, housewares, Wave-Set”

M. Wintrob & Sons Ltd. Ghost Sign

The M. Wintrob & Sons Ltd. ghost sign is located at at 260 Spadina Ave (at Grange Ave, south of Dundas St W) in the Chinatown neighbourhood of Toronto.

Logan Grill & Lumberking Home Improvement Centre Ghost Signs

Noden, Hallitt & Johnson Ghost Sign

June 15, 2024 – The north facade of the two-storey brick warehouse at 80 Lynn Williams St in Liberty Village displays a ghost sign with the words “The A. R. Williams Machinery Co. Liberty St. Plant.” The warehouse was designed by the architectural firm Kaplan & Sprachman

A. R. Williams Machinery Company Ghost Signs

Wm. H. Leishman & Co. Ltd. Ghost Sign

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Toronto’s Terrazzo & Mosaic Tile Entryways

May 25, 2024 – The terrazzo floor entryway at 2 Toronto St in the St Lawrence neighbourhood features a arrows and diamond pattern

2 Toronto St Terrazzo Entryway

The arrows and diamond-patterned terrazzo entryway is located at 2 Toronto St (at King St E, at the northwest corner) in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto.

May 25, 2024 – The Rex Hotel, Jazz & Blues Bar terrazzo floor entryway is located at 196 Queen St W in Toronto’s Entertainment District

The Rex Hotel, Jazz & Blues Bar Terrazzo Entryway

July 4, 2021 – The "DANFORTH RADIO" terrazzo floor entryway is located at 581 Danforth Ave, today home to Treasure Island Toys, in Toronto's Riverdale neighbourhood

Danforth Radio Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

May 12, 2024 – The Rubinoff’s terrazzo floor entryway is located at 508-510 Queen St W in Toronto’s Fashion District. The building was home to the Velvet Underground, which closed in October 2025

Rubinoff’s Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

July 3, 2021 – The “IDEAL-TILE” terrazzo floor entryway is located at 183 King St E in Toronto’s Old Town, St Lawrence neighbourhood

Ideal-Tile Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

August 24, 2024 - The terrazzo floor entryway at 1438 Dundas St W in Toronto's Little Portugal neighbourhood features a four-pointed star

1438 Dundas St W Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

May 28, 2023 - The “CRAFTED BY HAND AND HEART” mosaic tile floor entryway is located at 765 Yonge St in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood

Crafted by Hand and Heart Mosaic Tile Storefront Entryway

May 12, 2024 – The storefront entrance of Harlots Hair Salon at 660 Queen St W in the West Queen West neighbourhood, features the shop’s name stylishly embedded into the floor

Harlots Metal Inlay Storefront Entryway

June 30, 2024 – The "ELKS" terrazzo floor entryway is located 1957 Weston Rd in Toronto’s Weston neighbourhood

ELKS Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

Toronto Time Tunnel - Then & Now

1952 – Looking northeast from Queen St W and Gladstone Ave towards the Gladstone Hotel. Notice the hotel's tower no longer has the cupola, the entrance has an overhang and the Melody Room sign on the building's southeast corner

Past & Present – Part 35

Explore the then and now of what Toronto looked like once upon a time through archival photographs and current photos at TorontoJourney416.com

March 1959 – Looking northeast from a parking lot on Court St, between Toronto St and Church St, towards the former Police Station No. 1, once located at 6-10 Court St. Designed in the Second Empire style by architects Harper & Son and constructed in the mid-1870s, it was originally the Police Court and Fire Hall Building. It was demolished approximately one year after this photo was taken

Past & Present – Part 93

July 9, 1938 – Looking towards the northeast corner of Gerrard St and Yonge St in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. Along with the many signs, notice the Coca-Cola advertisement for a six-bottle carton priced at 27¢

Past & Present – Part 76

1970s – The Biltmore Theatre and Tops Restaurant was once located at 319/317 Yonge St, north of Dundas St E on the east side in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto

Past & Present – Part 15

April 1970 - The Spadina Hotel was once located at 460 King St W, at the northwest corner of Spadina Ave, in the Fashion District and Wellington Place neighbourhood of Toronto. The hotel, originally known as the Richardson House, was constructed in several phases beginning in 1875, with the initial 3-storey building located at the corner. Later alterations included a 4-storey brick extension added to the north side in 1890. The hotel changed hands and names a few times, including being called the Hotel Falconer and later Zeigler's Hotel. After facing some violations, the owner had to transfer the hotel's liquor license. Eventually, the hotel regained its liquor license and by 1918 was known as the Hotel Spadina. In the late 1940s, the hotel, which also featured a dining room, opened the Cabana Room on the second floor of the original building. Advertisements in newspapers described the "Cabana Room - A Little Bit of Mexico. Food of the highest quality. Restful atmosphere. Television." Initially, the Cabana Room showcased Latin-American and Continental music, but it later featured jazz, R&B, rock, and folk musicians, including the famous Leonard Cohen. After being owned by one family for 70 years, the Spadina Hotel went into receivership in 1995. Two years later, it was transformed into the Global Village Backpackers Hostel. In 2014, Allied Properties purchased the old hotel, and the hostel was closed. Today, the heritage-designated building is used for retail, office, and commercial space

Past & Present – Part 91

June 22, 1955 – The Saphire Tavern was once located at 30 King St W, on the north side between Yonge St and Bay St, in the Financial District of Toronto. The Saphire Tavern moved from its original location at 89 Yonge St to its new spot on King St W in the early 1950s. It remained there until 1958, when it relocated to a corner storefront in the Confederation Life Building, situated at the northwest corner of Richmond St E and Victoria St

Past & Present – Part 103

1892 - George Gooderham's mansion at the northeast corner of Bloor St W and St George St. Since approximately 1910, it has been home to The York Club

Past & Present – Part 36

Circa 1941 - On the marquee at the Bayview Theatre, "They Met in Bombay," starring Clark Gable, Rosalind Russell, and Peter Lorre, along with "Knockout," featuring Arthur Kennedy and Olympe Bradna, were showing, both released in 1941. Since 2011, the former theatre building at 1605 Bayview Ave has been home to Shoppers Drug Mart

Past & Present – Part 92

1960s - Looking southwest towards Sunnyside Pool

Past & Present – Part 52

Toronto Music & Venues - Past & Present

November 20, 2021 - The Palais Royale at 1601 Lake Shore Blvd W, looking southeast

Palais Royale – Toronto’s Historic & Elegant Lakeside Ballroom

Palais Royale, the historic lakeside ballroom, was Toronto's most popular dance hall. In the big band era, it attracted top swing and jazz...

December 6, 2019 – Club Matador's iconic sign

Club Matador – Toronto’s Historic Live Music Venue

May 13, 1977 - Looking west towards the intersection of Dundas St E and Sherbourne St with George's Spaghetti House on the right. Doug Cole, known as the founder of Toronto’s jazz movement, opened the live jazz club in 1956. In 1983, he sold the restaurant, and a year later, the jazz club moved upstairs

George’s Spaghetti House – Canada’s Premier Live Jazz Club

2020 - One of the two 22-storey Yonge Street music murals by Adrian Hayles, located on the north side of the building at 423 Yonge St

Yonge Street Music History Murals – Part I

June 23, 1971 – Looking northeast towards the Brown Derby Tavern once at the corner of Yonge St and Dundas St E

Brown Derby Tavern – Hats Off to the Landmark Once at...

Mid-1970s - Looking southeast towards the former Friar's Tavern at the corner of Yonge St and Dundas Sq. Nickelodeon also shared the building's second floor. In December 1975, an entertainment listing in the Globe and Mail shows that Dublin Corporation was performing at Friar's, while Mike Lewis was performing in the Drawing Room

Friar’s Tavern – Playing Its Part in Creating the Yonge Street...

2022 - One of the two 22-storey Yonge Street music murals by Adrian Hayles, located on the south side of the building at 423 Yonge St

Yonge Street Music History Murals – Part II

2021 – The canopy and entrance of Meridian Hall at 1 Front St E in Toronto’s St Lawrence neighbourhood. In the background, notice the Dominion Public Building and the CN Tower

Meridian Hall – Toronto’s Sophisticated Venue, Once the O’Keefe Centre

December 4, 2021 - The neon Massey Hall sign on the front of Toronto's iconic entertainment venue at Victoria St and Shuter St

Massey Hall – The Historic and Internationally Famous Venue

Toronto Theatres - Past & Present

Circa 1950 - The Royal Theatre was located at the southeast corner of Dundas St W and Dufferin St in the Little Portugal neighbourhood of Toronto. It operated from 1925 until the mid-1950s, although the building had housed various named theatres since 1911. More recently, it was occupied by Hakim Optical, which has since closed

Royal Theatre – Once at Dundas St W & Dufferin St

The Royal Theatre was once located at the southeast corner of Dundas St W and Dufferin St in Toronto. The building served as a theatre from 1911 through the 1950s.

TorontoJourney416Toronto... past and present

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