Parkdale Dairy/Harris and Sons

A bottle from the old Harris & Sons Dairy in Parkdale with the old phone exchange.

Another Old Corner Store

This one's on Maria Street in the Junction.

Toronto Star Comics 1942

Shake a Puddin'

My mom used to pack these in my lunch for school.

Nothing to Do with Toronto

Sean Connery sells bourbon circa 1967.

Half Beat Harold's

Half Beat Harold's Record Store. Does anyone know where this was?

Somewhere in Toronto I'm sure.
Thanks to Mark Moore for this photo.
Located at 2 Granby.

 Thanks to William Mewes for this scan from the 1967 Yellow Pages.

 This photo from Mark Moore.

This would appear to be it today. Note the brick detail around the windows.

 Harold was Harold Fagan (see comment below).

From Toronto Crimes Discussion boards.

On Monday, March 6th, 1978, Harold and Florence Fagan, 63 and 62 respectively, were found shot to death in their home on Dewbourne Ave., near Bathurst St. and Eglinton Ave. W. Their chauffeur found their bodies when he came to pick up Mr. Fagan at 8:30 a.m. They are believed to have been killed late Sunday, the 5th. They were last known to be alive at 8 p.m. Sunday when their daughter telephoned.
Harold was a well-known, well-liked entrepreneur and concession stand owner at the Canadian National Exhibition, and police believed the killer’s motive was robbery and that he was familiar to the victims. The Fagans were reported to have kept $500 in their house, and police theorized the killer thought he would find more cash.
A year and a half later, the triple murder of the Airst family (see case #1 above) brought renewed interest to the murder of the Fagans because of the superficial similarities between the two crimes. Both sets of victims lived in the same area (about 1.5 km apart), were well-off, and were prominent members of Toronto’s Jewish community.

Toronto Vintage Bicycle Show

We now have a date for the Toronto Vintage Bicycle Show. Sunday July 29th, in  Trinity Bellwoods Park.Details will be posted here and at:
http://torvbs.wordpress.com/
http://torvbs.wordpress.com/
The show is open to all makes and models and there is no admission.
Community Bicycle Network on Queen are the sponsors.

Old Sorauren Store Update/Going, Going, Gone

This old corner store on Sorauren finally closed down recently after 40 years of business.

The old Ukranian lady that ran the place made most of her money from cigarettes and bootlegging beer out the back door. The interior is virtually untouched as the exterior signage.
The day it sold someone came in a and stripped all of the vintage displays and pushbars .

The store has recently re-opened as an organic plant store.
Sadly the interior of the store was ripped out last week....

The final days....

 The bin arrived last week so I knew the store's days were numbered..

I came home last night after work to find the entire facade of the store ripped out.

I had a look in the bin for anything salvageable but the workers had gone at it like rottweilers at a cat show.

And so it goes.

Cool Cars Around Town

 A 1936 Ford with right hand drive...

Parkdale House Restoration

This Parkdale house is currently receiving a very tasteful restoration of the front porch and facade. Including some expensive copper work.

Yonge and Davenport/Then and Now

 Yonge and Davenport 1959 with the old Canadian Tire main store to the left and a British Austin Car Dealership on the south east corner.

2010.

The Russell Williams Family Restaurant

You can't make this stuff up...

More Vintage Dairy Queen

 These two are both in Hamilton Ontario.

The former site of the Mt. Dennis DQ as mentioned by Rick M below.

This one's at St. Clair and Pharmacy.

The Ray Belmonte Duo

 I found a sealed copy of this LP at the Goodwill.

A quick internet search reveals this:

The Ray Belmonte duo was a classic lounge comedy from the mid-60's with great one liners, song standards, and general buffoonery.

They were an early sixties Canadian lounge act.  With bad jokes and  musical parodies (Hello Dolly, Shanty In Shanty Town, etc.) the Duo were seen as up-and-comers.

A link to the MP3 can be found here.

Sadly there is more to the story...
I'm sure that this sealed copy actually belonged to Ray Belmonte who passed away late last year. I also bought a book on old bicycles at the same Goodwill in Etobicoke and inside found a change of address card addressed to... Mr. Ray Belmonte. His remaining possessions were obviously donated. In any case have a listen to his act, although dated there are some choice moments...

The address card and the
obituary below.

Ramon “Ray” Belmont

Suddenly, at home, on Wednesday, November 23, 2011, at the age of 79. Beloved companion of Barbara. Dear brother of Eileen Infuso, the late Verna Giunta, the late Corinne Mackie and the late James Belmont. Ray will be missed by his many nieces, nephews, family and friends. A celebration of Ray’s life will be held at 11 o’clock on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at the Mimico Cruising Club, 200 Humber Bay Park Rd. W., Toronto, 416-252-7737. For those who wish, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Society of Canada or the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

Vintage Dairy Queen