![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9H_y5EAPBlknsIZveM7_o_WFgT81T_2zgzN5WQtF_5TsMmyjNWtIKvP9C9JaBhxIsNB7RaPBs6jL6NRmZn_naww29hF205RHOEG3l3mVqCgUmp4ROwOQG-s_SD-0xlWC6fQiyDqZ_F8/s400/MATCHBOOK%252B-%252BTORONTO%252B-%252BBASSAL%252527S%252BRESTAURANT%252B-%252BCALLED%252BLUNCH%252B-%252BYONGE%252BAT%252BGERRARD.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir15nSppcoRy5ujGo6JEDuDYnfccfaKOAR3TSSFL-UlOUddD3TiWPasfh3BsESOLUIuIaAFw2TxZbUpyILCZBZmS8ZprN0s2PDYv3tXPYjQjhP9z6X78NOUbFJ9h_WsAIqXmLUqR5_fd4/s400/TORONTO%252B-%252BRESTAURANT%252B-%252BBASSEL%2527S%252B-%252BYONGE%252BAND%252BGERRARD%252B-%252BMATCHBOOK.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6hTRkMZ-4JZVzDqld1IPeQewRUBL8QsmDI2QTpL4SdyxfsBitbm0uZyHT96eLw0kVj2eRw5GswCpaFKbNh9gs4kilnggpclYg7_9LWwAMzEZL10mcVpP2acvFfUAn_Z2ecH7wHe_Cbk/s400/TORONTO%252B-%252BRESTAURANT%252B-%252BBASSEL%2527S%252B-%252BYONGE%252BAT%252BGERRARD%252B-%252BMATCHBOOK%252BINSIDE.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2rDnaAB-oVJvQrnx9udxlbrQPsy9NvwqIJG0n2UH0enxEUULrIAvPl1Fyws8OO1nxDa-h4zYXFwdayBVebBkl8eIyrkgvDi4eboeEPIjxN-dotfmqM2QJgkrBDlS4mo060mhrVF2PtU/s400/TORONTO%252B-%252BRESTAURANT%252B-%252BBASSEL%2527S%252B-%252BYONGE%252BAT%252BGERRARD%252B-%252BMATCHBOOK.jpg)
Bassel's matchbooks courtesy of
the Chuckman Collection. The sort of thing most people would throw away but thankfully someone cares enough to collect this ephemera.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4YSgFfHzq5MTTqyq3ot2lAJCWg2ArMtm71-NdfXbI5VjbCwKFNCQ-tQTuZ1kUo-reJ_JDhuNi7DUkbB_ffyoHEVOtoDTXrUNxbH0PCuXcP8364NiAyyKsnzduZOX098DpsV9hMLAmAG-m/s400/Yonge+and+Gerrard+SE+corner+2.jpg)
Like the
Silver Rail at Yonge and Shuter, Bassel's was another bar on the strip that is sadly missed. Here's a collection of photos over the years. Originally Bassel's Lunch it evolved into Bassel's Restaurant and Tavern and lasted until at least 1977 (the first time I visited).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfzhmsjNRYJmbwi7OXll7j-vrh56qIXQVRGroHTfsP_hfKtuh9LxvOrBJY1PhMR9K00Rc_xWiXv-9tlQoBvrn1F06cOE8BEfOASorYDCs79b8ErbFWWKach2ixDapZlQ5C8KNSZ-4gDd0/s400/2007-09-05-2120-22.jpg)
A postcard from the early 1960's