Yonge Street in the 1960's. Postcard courtesy of Chuckman's.
There was a time not that long ago, when buying records (vinyl) at Sam's was a Saturday ritual.
You'd take the subway downtown and walk the strip up to Yonge and Gould.
This is of course before the young shoe shine boy,
Emanuel Jaques was cruelly tortured and murdered prompting a sweeping "clean-up" of the Yonge Street strip.
Back then a record cost anywhere between $1.98-$4.98 and were visually very impressive.
There was a big wall display with new releases and sale items covered in hand made signs.
Riding
home on the subway, you'd review your purchases and be tempted to
unseal the albums in search of the extras inside (posters, lyric
sheets,booklets, stickers etc) or just to look at the
gatefold
inner cover. Over time the actual records were getting so thin that
even the new ones were warped and would skip when you finally got them
home.
An early shot of the Sam's facade.
Looking south on Yonge with A&A Records as well as Sam's. The Empress Hotel is also visible.
Sadly it's all gone in 2010 and the Empress Hotel faces demolition as well.
Before Sam's in 1949.
This is all that's left and soon to be demolished as well.
Here's link to a vintage Sam's commercial on Youtube.
Here's another former customer's reflections on the store.
Does
anyone remember the short lived "Sam the Chinese Food Man" restaurant
that was located a few doors north in the early 1970's?
Sadly Sam (the Record Man) Sniderman passed away yesterday at the age of 92.
Funeral held for Toronto’s Sam Sniderman | CTV Toronto News
Looking east along Adelaide (then Duke Street) at Sherbourne in 1933.
2010. The building to the right, the Paul Bishop House, built in 1848 on the foundations of a previous house, has recently undergone a successful restoration.
Looking North up Sherbourne across Adelaide.
2010.
Looking south in 1933 with the Hawes Foor Wax Company on the left.
2010.
Hawes Wax tin.
Some correspondence.
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