Old Shoe Stores have a certain charm about them. As more and more of our local businesses fall to international corporations and online shopping, it is nice to remember the aesthetic of a homegrown retail shop.
One of my favourite galleries of photos that I have previously put together and posted was the one on historic Toronto storefronts. Since posting it, I have often looked for follow-up ideas that single out a specific type of business. So, during my latest trip to the Toronto Archives, I discovered a ton of pics of old shoe stores and gathered them together for this latest curated collection.
The first photo is actually from Goderich, Ontario but I included it anyway as it is the oldest image of a shoe store I found and a very interesting one as well. Enjoy!
1897 – A souvenir from Goderich, Ontario 1897 – the healthiest and prettiest town in Canada.1900? – Window display of high-buttoned boots and shoes at Slater Shoe Store, 448 Yonge Street1913 – Window display of ladies and gentlemen’s shoes, with leaded upper windows and Humphrey arc gas light, J. C. Buidreo, 1344 Queen Street West1915 – Eaton Battery shoe repairs, CNE camp1922 – Exterior view of store fronts at 1498 Queen Street West, Parkdale, with Humphrey gas arc lighting, Sutherland tobacco, A. Grapple shoes, F. G. Martin, grocer1924 – june 12 – South window – women’s shoes1926 – Jr Vocation School for boys, boy working shoe machine
1930 – sept 30 – New York Shoe Company [sale], crowd outside 248 Yonge1930 – sept 30 – New York Shoe Company [sale], crowd outside 248 Yonge copy1930 – sept 30 – New York Shoe Company [sale], crowd outside 248 Yonge
1930? – Yonge Street and Dundas Street West1950? – Shoe repair shop at corner of River Street and Labatt Avenue1953 – Orpen Properties, Dufferin Display Ltd., neon sign manufacturers, 918 Dufferin Street, west side, and Everett and Barron of Canada Ltd., and Cinderella Shoe Dressings, 914 Dufferin Street, west side1955 – Dufferin Motors, Ascot Shoe Repair, unoccupied store front, 2863-2867 Dufferin Street, southeast view toward Glencairn Avenue1956 – Leaside Shoe Service1956 – Mewhort Fine Footwear1975 – april 22 – View of Fransman’s shoes on the west side of Yonge Street at Irwin Avenue1975 – June 4 – View of shoe store window display on the west side of Yonge Street, north of Wellesly1975 – june 4 – View of shoe store window display on the west side of Yonge Street, north of Wellesly copy1989 – nov 24 – Daniel Flynn Boot and Shoe Shop, Dominion Carriage Works, Pioneer Village2009 – May 24 – Former East York Shoe Repair, 232 Sammon Avenue, at Marlowe Avenue, north-west corner
If you are interested in buying prints of old photographs or are just interested in browsing them, please visit the Toronto Archives.
![1930 - sept 30 - New York Shoe Company [sale], crowd outside 248 Yonge](https://torontoguardian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1930-sept-30-New-York-Shoe-Company-sale-crowd-outside-248-Yonge.jpg)
![1930 - sept 30 - New York Shoe Company [sale], crowd outside 248 Yonge copy](https://torontoguardian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1930-sept-30-New-York-Shoe-Company-sale-crowd-outside-248-Yonge-copy.jpg)
![1930 - sept 30 - New York Shoe Company [sale], crowd outside 248 Yonge copy 2](https://torontoguardian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1930-sept-30-New-York-Shoe-Company-sale-crowd-outside-248-Yonge-copy-2.jpg)
