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.

Queen and MacDonnell/Then and Now

The north side of Queen east of Macdonnell in 1898.
1988 courtesy of Patrick Cummins.

2010.

1988. I was living in the apartment above BB Shoes when Patrick Cummins took this shot.

2010.

Sorauren and Fern/Then and Now

Another listing from May 1979. A corner store on the N/W corner of Sorauren and Fern listed for $53,000 with taxes of $708. What do you think this property would cost today?
The Inflation Calculator says that it SHOULD cost $166,414.51 to buy in 2012.
It's actually closer to $900,00.00 in today's market.

In 2010 the store is gone and the ground floor is an apartment.
This clip from the 1912 City Directory has George Boadway, barber, listed and I know from talking to long time neighbours that there was a barbershop at the back for years.

Queen and Jameson / Then and Now

Queen and Jameson looking south in the late 1930's, when it was a quiet tree lined street.

Again, a few years later in 1950. Some of the trees have disappeared and the street has been widened to accommodate the increased post-war traffic. The house on the right is slowly

being incorporated into the Toronto Dominion Bank building.
Today the intersection is an absolute mess. Thanks to our city planners this is now one of the most confusing intersections in the city for both drivers and pedestrians alike.
All of the houses on Jameson have been replaced by apartment buildings and as an access point to the Gardiner Expressway it's a heavily travelled route.
The apartment building to the left, The Connaught with the portico removed.

West Lodge/Then and Now

Looking north up West Lodge in the summer of 1946 towards the Gutta Percha Rubber Factory.
2010 and the factory/warehouses are long gone.
Another view of the Gutta Percha factory.
An online version of their catalogue from 1905 can be viewed here.
The building at the bottom of the page was the head office located at 47 yonge Street and it would appear that although altered the building remains.
47 Yonge in 2010.

Old Wood Frame House

This wood and insulbrick house on Huron is one of very few non brick homes remaining in the city.
This Victorian house on Garden Avenue in Parkdale was torn down recently.

Fuller Ave/Then and Now

The east side of Fuller north of Queen in 1935. These houses probably had work orders issued against them for improvements.
The same row in 2010.

Roncesvalles and Howard Park/Then and Now

Looking south down Roncesvalles from south of Howard Park in 1919.
2010.

Dowling Ave/Then and Now

Dowling Ave. 1910. Postcard courtesy of Chuckman. Note the absence of cars.
Again, this one is difficult to place exactly but here's a modern shot of Dowling looking south towards the lake.

Howard Park/Then and Now

Another vintage postcard from Chuckman's. Howard Park looking west from Roncesvalles circa 1912.
A current view.

Roncesvalles and Ritchie /Then and Now

Another postcard from Chuckman's. I can't seen to place this church on Roncesvalles...
This could be the now shot looking south down Roncesvalles past Ritchie Street in 2010.
This photo dated 2000 is from the OMDC site and could be the demolished church.
There's a good series of the Church (St. Judes Anglican Church and Parish Hall) as it was being demolished here. Thanks to Mark and Mike for their help.
The corner stone......

Roncesvalles and Grenadier/Then and Now

An early postcard of the S/E corner of Roncesvalles and Grenadier.

2010 and the construction continues to this day!!

Dunn and Springhurst/Then and Now

Another interesting photo from the archives. This is Dunn Ave in Parkdale just south of Springhurst in 1912 or so before the train tracks were lowered below grade.

This photo was taken 100 years later (2011) and surprisingly the little corner store is still a corner store. My grandparent's house was just south of the tracks and was demolished to make way for the Gardiner Expressway in the mid 50's.
An aerial shot with the demolished houses. The corner store is outlined in red.