Looking northwest towards the corner at King St E and Toronto St, in the St Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto.
The archive photo features the Letros Tavern, which moved to this location in 1948 and later became one of the city’s first prominent gay, lesbian, and queer bars. Letros Tavern closed its doors in the early 1970s. Additionally, the Letros family opened the first Greek restaurant in Toronto around 1907, near Yonge St and Shuter St.
The five-storey commercial building dates back to the mid-1880s and was originally home to the Quebec Bank. There are plans for a new development at the site that will preserve the heritage-designated building.
Then and Now
SOURCE
- City of Toronto Heritage Register
- Heritage Toronto
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Mar 4, 1947, pg 7
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: May 13, 1948, pg 11
- The Toronto Star Newspaper Archives: Jun 20, 2002, pg L7
- Photo: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photo: City of Toronto Archives
- Vintage Photo: Toronto Public Library
- City of Toronto: Maps
- Toronto City Directory, courtesy of Toronto Public Library
