The James Bond Connection

Sean Connery as James Bond.
Bond creator Ian Fleming lived in Toronto for a while during World War 2 while he was here setting up the spy training camp known as Camp X.
The commonly told story is that he was inspired to name his new character after the author of a book on tropical birds, James Bond.
However, while in Toronto he lived in an apartment on Avenue Road across the street from.....
Saint James Bond United Church.

Sadly the Church was recently demolished to make way for a new condominium.

I just finished reading ¨The Spy Who Loved Me¨and was surprised to learn that in the novel James Bond is returning from a mission in... Toronto.

Old Signs- Toronto

Sorauren Store

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....

King and Dufferin/Then and Now

King Street West looking east across Dufferin circa 1910.
A similar view today.

The N/E corner of King and Dufferin.The Metallic Roofing Company of Canada began it's operation in 1884 and was the first such company in Canada. It was located at 1190-1192 King Street West. Tin ceiling tiles held enormous appeal as they were affordable, fireproof and could be decorated with custom designs. Sadly, the building fell into disrepair, but unlike many Toronto gems, it was dismantled and is presently in storage with the Ontario Heritage Trust. The façade is on display at the Ontario Heritage Trust building on Adelaide if you want to get a rare peak at a pressed metal building façade.
The facade in it's final days before it was taken apart for storage.
This sat at the corner of Liberty and Jefferson for several years.

Bloor and Royal York PT. 2/Then and Now

Looking at the N/W corner in 1958.
The Kresge's store actually wraps around behind the TD bank.
In this later photo from the 1960's the Krege's has been replaced by a dominion store.

In 2010 Shoppers Drug Mart occupies the space. In the 70's it was a Dominion. Surprisingly the TD Bank remains virtually unchanged., except that it's now a Second Cup.
An early interior of a Kresge's in the States circa 1929.
A little further north on Royal York Road, just past Dundas,
a view of Humbertown Plaza in the early 1960's.

Roncesvalles North of Queen/ Then and Now

Looking north from Queen up the west side of Roncesvalles in 1924.

The Building on the left hand side is supposed to be one of the oldest in the neighbourhood and
may have been built as an inn when this was a artery into the city. It would have been a good place to spend the night before the final leg downtown.
The same view in 2010, the old inn remains and the Dominion tire store/garage has been replaced with a medical services building.

Bloor and Royal York/Then and Now

The N/W corner of Bloor looking west across Royal York Road in the late 1950's
The F.W. Woolworth store occupied the entire corner. I remember this one well as my
mother would take me there and we'd sit at the lunch counter at the back.

The same corner in 2010, at least the Kingsway is still there and still in business.Back in the late 60's and early 70's I could see a double bill matinee (with cartoons) for 50 cents.
The reason that they stopped selling popcorn in boxes and switched to tubs is because the kids would flatten the boxes and throw them at the screen like Frisbees.
The Woolworth lunch counter looked very much like this one in New York City.

Werewolves of Hamilton 1

Just for fun.

Pantages/Imperial/Imperial Six/Pantages/Canon Theatre

Built in 1920 and originally called The Pantages this was Canada's largest theatre, able to seat 3372. In 1930 the name was changed to the Imperial and it continued to operate until 1972 closing after a nine month long engagement of the Godfather.

On June 21, 1973 the redesigned theatre was re-opened as the Imperial Six and lasted until 1986 when a complicated leasing agreement split the theatre between two different owners.
It opened again briefly as the Pantages before closing for a complete restoration.
You can read the complete story here.
In July 2001 it was renamed the Canon Theatre.
Images courtesy of John Chuckman and Eric Viellette.