Toronto History - Discover Its Past & Present

December 27, 2019 – Looking west towards the Tip Top Tailors Building, today home to Bell Media, at 260 Richmond St W in downtown Toronto. Constructed in 1914/15, this historic industrial building from the World War I era originally served as a warehouse for Tip Top Tailors. One of the west-facing ghost signs advertises, “Home of Tip Top Tailors – Suits & O’Coats Always One Price – To Measure.” The men's clothing company was established in 1909 by David Dunkelman, a Polish-Jewish immigrant

Tip Top Tailors Ghost Signs

The Tip Top Tailors ghost signs are located at 260 Richmond St W (just west of John St) in the Entertainment District of Toronto.

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

December 20, 2019 – The Coca-Cola Coady Sweets ghost sign was once located on the east-facing wall of 1146 Queen St E and Coady Ave in the Leslieville neighbourhood of Toronto. If you look closely, in the lower left corner of the ghost sign, one of the very old blue street signs is on the wall but painted over

Coady Sweets Ghost Sign (former)

H. J. Lavelle Ghost Sign

February 1, 2020 – On the north-facing wall of the three-storey warehouse building located at 425-441 Cherry St and Front St E in the Canary District, there is a ghost sign that reads “Thos. Davidson Mfg. Co. Ltd.” The tin and enamelware company is listed at this address in the 1925 to 1928 Toronto City Directory

Thos. Davidson Mfg. Co. Ltd. Ghost Sign

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Toronto’s Terrazzo & Mosaic Tile Entryways

July 16, 2020 – The "EARL SELKIRK" mosaic tile floor entryway is located at 2928 Dundas St W in The Junction neighbourhood of Toronto. Along with the name in blue, the vintage floor features a black and white diamond checkerboard pattern

Earl Selkirk Mosaic Tile Storefront Entryway

The Earl Selkirk mosaic tile storefront entryway is located at 2928 Dundas St W (west of Keele St) in The Junction neighbourhood of Toronto.

May 12, 2024 – The “WESLEY BUILDINGS” mosaic tile floor entryway is located at 299 Queen St W in Toronto's Entertainment District

Wesley Buildings Mosaic Tile Entryway

September 20, 2024 – The terrazzo floor entryway at 411 Roncesvalles Ave in Toronto’s Roncesvalles Village neighbourhood features a five-pointed star along with the street number

411 Roncesvalles Ave Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

July 4, 2021 – The terrazzo floor entryway at 576-580 Danforth Ave in Toronto’s Playter Estates-Danforth neighbourhood features various rectangles and lines along with the street numbers

576-580 Danforth Ave Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

July 3, 2021 – The entryway of Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema at 506 Bloor St W in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood is adorned with a scalloped pattern on its terrazzo floor

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema Terrazzo Entryway

June 14, 2024 – The terrazzo floor entryway at 1252 Bloor St W in Toronto’s Bloordale Village neighbourhood features a checkerboard pattern

1252 Bloor St W Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

2021 – The “TAMBLYN” mosaic tile floor entryway was once located at 1426 Danforth Ave in Toronto's East Danforth neighbourhood

Tamblyn Mosaic Tile Storefront Entryway on Danforth Ave (former)

July 4, 2021 – The “Lady Ellis Shops Limited” terrazzo floor entryway is located at 187 Roncesvalles Ave, today home to Scooter Girl Toys, in Toronto’s Parkdale and Roncesvalles neighbourhoods

Lady Ellis Shops Limited Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

June 8, 2024 – The terrazzo floor entryway at 519 Parliament St in Toronto's Cabbagetown neighbourhood features a burst pattern

519 Parliament St Terrazzo Storefront Entryway

Toronto Time Tunnel - Then & Now

November 20, 2021 – Looking northwest towards the former Lombard Street Fire Hall, today home to the College of Makeup Art & Design. The building was designed by architect David Roberts Jr in the Romanesque Revival style and was initially known as the Central Fire Hall. It served as a fire station from 1887 until 1970

Past & Present – Part 60

Step back in time and witness the evolution of Toronto through an assortment of vintage and contemporary photos on TorontoJourney416.com.

October 3, 1928 – The grocery store, once at the southeast corner of Bay St and Edward St, featured several advertisements on the building, including Coca-Cola, Sellers Gough Fur Company, Christie's Sultanas cookies and Red Rose Tea. The tall building in the right background was the Hotel Ford

Past & Present – Part 75

March 6, 1955 - Firefighters on a fire truck just outside the doors of the Lombard Street station. Notice the "T. F. D. High Pressure Monitor No. 2" on the side of the truck

Past & Present – Part 57

August 26, 1956 – Looking northeast from Queens Park towards the Church of the Redeemer at 162 Bloor St W. Notice the house that was once next to the church. Constructed circa 1910, before it was torn down in the early 1960s, it housed various doctors' offices

Past & Present – Part 102

1972 - Looking northeast towards the corner of Victoria St and Lombard St in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto. You can see the Coca-Cola advertisement storefront sign on Leon's Restaurant, along with a hanging Coca-Cola sign to the right at Maxie's Smoke Shop. A Pepsi-Cola truck is parked on Lombard St

Past & Present – Part 112

August 22, 2026 – The Flyer sign at the CNE

Past & Present – Part 110

Circa 1934 - Looking northeast towards Maple Leaf Gardens and its massive dome with a lantern on Carlton St

Past & Present – Part 7

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

Date unknown – Stratenger's Saloon occupied the former theatre building located at 1130 Queen St E

Past & Present – Part 84

Toronto Music & Venues - Past & Present

June 23, 1971 – The Brown Derby Tavern was once located at 311-313 Yonge St, at the northeast corner of Dundas St E, in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. Opened in 1949, the Brown Derby became a popular tavern known for its live jazz, swing entertainment, and a small restaurant. In the centre of the main floor bar, there was a revolving stage. To keep up with changing trends, the tavern later introduced rooms that featured different music genres, including rock 'n' roll, country, jazz, and more. In 1969, The Derby's exterior got a whole new look, adding a bit of fun to the already lively intersection. Above the barnboard siding were large signs showing Ben Turpin, Laurel and Hardy, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Roscoe Arbuckle (possibly), and Charlie Chaplin, all donning derbies. On April 20, 1974, an all-day wake was held at the Derby on its closing day. The building was torn down in the late 1990s

Taverns in Toronto – More Than Just a Place to Drink

A look at several Toronto taverns, featuring both bygone establishments and those that are still in operation today.

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...

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

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

Palais Royale – Toronto’s Historic & Elegant Lakeside Ballroom

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

2019 - The main entrance to The Opera House at 735 Queen St E

Opera House – Preserved its Vaudeville Theatre Architecture Charm

July 1973 – Looking northeast towards The Colonial Tavern during the Yonge Street Mall (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1118, Series 377, Item 782)

Colonial Tavern – The Historic Venue’s Part in Toronto’s Music Heritage

December 6, 2019 - Sam the Record Man's twin neon spinning record signs are located atop a building at 277 Victoria St, overlooking Yonge-Dundas Square (as of December 14, 2023, known as Sankofa Square)

Sam the Record Man – Once Yonge Street’s Music Store Mecca

June 23, 1971 – Looking east from Elm St towards A & A Books & Records at 351 Yonge St in downtown Toronto

A & A Books, Records & Tapes – A Piece of...

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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