City

What malls used to look like in Toronto

Posted by Derek Flack / May 19, 2011

78 Comments

Toronto Malls Vintage Old Since we've been taking an extended look at Toronto malls that could use something of an aesthetic update, it seems only natural that my latest dive into the archives explores what these places looked like when they were shiny and new. Inspired by both space age design and a love of the bucolic (think indoor gardens and fountains), few places are as evocative when it comes to nostalgia.

For the sake of context, I've added a few photos that pre-date the rise of mall culture in North America to show how much (and how quickly) things changed in the post-War period. These pre-1950s photos generally depict downtown department stores that, while big, are well integrated with their immediate surroundings in some capacity.

The obvious change that takes place when the true malls arrive is that they become vehicular destinations. One doesn't tend to walk by the mall on his or her way to somewhere else. Located on the outskirts of the city, these outlets are designed to service the growing suburban population who now travel almost exclusively by car to attend to their shopping needs.

The shift from what one might call the proto-malls of the 1940s and 1950s to those of the 1960s and beyond is the degree to which things move indoors. Rather than big plazas, shopping centres tend to become enclosed spaces where customers can presumably find everything under one roof.

1920s

Yonge Street Arcade
Toronto Arcade Yonge Street

Simpson's
Simpson's Building Toronto

The Eaton's Complex
Eaton Centre Toronto

1950s

Cloverdale Mall

Cloverdale Mall men's shop

Cloverdale Mall

1960s

Unidentified Mall Etobicoke (suggestions?)

Humbertown Mall
Humbertown Mall Toronto

Humbertown Mall

Yorkdale (Simpsons)
Yorkdale Mall

Yorkdale
Yorkdale Mall

1970s

Yorkdale postcard
Yorkdale Mall Ad

Fairview Mall postcard
Fairview Mall Ad

Sherway Gardens grand opening (1972)

The Eaton Centre

1980s

The Eaton Centre

Don Mills Shopping Centre

See also:

Marked images from the Toronto Archives (series and fonds information at bottom).

Discussion

78 Comments

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mike in parkdale / May 19, 2011 at 03:10 pm

amazing photos.

The Humbertown one with the strollers and the shovel is classic. The shovel really makes it work.

Speedy / May 19, 2011 at 03:17 pm

Yorkville & Fairview "ads" are actually postcards

Les / May 19, 2011 at 03:18 pm

I'm suprised how radically different Fairview is from that ad.

The old Cloverdale and Humbertown mall photos makes me wish we had more open air shopping places in the city. Yeah I know, we're in Canaada and they suck in winter but it just looks more pleasant than dealing with the enclosed spaces of the Yorkdales and the Eaton Centers.

Brandon / May 19, 2011 at 03:19 pm

Oh wow, seeing those pictures of Yorkdale brings back memories of growing up in the 90s when the mall still looked like that, but with Eaton's in place of Simpson's.

Marko / May 19, 2011 at 03:24 pm

Unidentified Etobicoke mall is Humbertown.
The Loblaws is still there.

dude / May 19, 2011 at 03:27 pm

check out the beetlejuice bootyshorts on the chick at humbertown

Michael / May 19, 2011 at 03:27 pm

I think the unidentified Etobicoke Mall is now Rexdale plaza, home to a giant Walmart.

The buildings in the back look very similar to the low rise complexes that still surround the site.

Lisa / May 19, 2011 at 03:33 pm

That unidentified mall isn't Rexdale plaza but Stonegate plaza located near Park Lawn and Barrie Road!

Rebecca Green / May 19, 2011 at 03:46 pm

I love that they had a postcard for Yorkdale.

Hamish Grant / May 19, 2011 at 03:53 pm

The unidentified one is Humbertown for sure.

http://goo.gl/maps/HAhG

Melodie / May 19, 2011 at 03:55 pm

I think the unidentified Etobicoke mall might actually be the one at the corner of Browns Line and Evans.

Torontonian / May 19, 2011 at 04:35 pm

I believe the unidentified mall is Humbertown. Try a Google street view of the street behind the mall. The buildings are remarkably like those in your photo.

Ryan / May 19, 2011 at 04:44 pm

I think Lisa is right. I believe that the unidentified mall is actually Stonegate Mall (at Berry and Stephen Rd) in Etobicoke.

There used to be a Loblaws there (which is now a ValuMart)

steve c / May 19, 2011 at 04:56 pm

I think the Eaton Centres west side looked better before it was bricked in. I know it was done to bring the mall to the street, but it doesn't work for me. Walking up Yonge on either side I still look at the east side and avoid whats on the west, it just does not feel lke a street level shopping. Then they went and screwed up the malls best feature the Dundas street entrance. Decidely suburban would look better in parking lot.

I remeber Cloverdale. it was my favourite mall my Mother would take me to. Then they enclosed it, boring!

Chris / May 19, 2011 at 06:09 pm

wow...everyone was white.

Fig / May 19, 2011 at 07:12 pm

Remember when Bayview Village Mall was not so "haute"? It had a big K-Mart - not attached to the rest of the mall and a seafood restaurant that I think was called "Neptunes" on a lower level. It also featured a fairly jolly Santa each year - I nostalgically remember as being more "authentic" than at other malls. I'd love to see some old pics of this mall.

Scott Snider / May 19, 2011 at 07:25 pm

I love the look of the Yonge Street Arcade!

Tanya replying to a comment from Fig / May 19, 2011 at 07:57 pm

Yes! You had to walk outside to get from K-Mart! And the GAP sign was an old lowercase logo that was outdated that no one bothered updating.

richard / May 19, 2011 at 08:01 pm

Wow! That Yonge St. arcade from the 1920s is gorgeous! Shades of Chicago! Could I ask where you got the pic?

Ryan L. replying to a comment from Marko / May 19, 2011 at 08:22 pm

Agreed. Definitely Humbertown. A friend of mine lived in one of the apartment buildings in the background (that are still there)

Dave K / May 19, 2011 at 08:22 pm

Love the old pics; brings back great childhood memories, especially the Yorkdale ones.

Got any more vintage pics of Fairview?

jules / May 19, 2011 at 08:48 pm

I think Melodie has it right: the mall @ brown's line and Evans.

infernalmachine / May 19, 2011 at 10:31 pm

the unidentified mall is 101% humbertown. i live across the street from it.

that being said, holy CRAP those photos are gnarly. dunno if it's because of the strange polychrome shades or what, but it's surreal.

bob / May 19, 2011 at 10:39 pm

Beautiful, modernist outdoor malls!

What a shame. Even Eaton Centre used to be beautiful.

ct / May 19, 2011 at 10:57 pm

The mall at Browns Line & Evans is called Alderwood Plaza but unsure if that is the "unidentfied" mall in that photo...almost looks like the strip mall near Mimico & Lakeshore area?

isaidit / May 19, 2011 at 11:49 pm

wow, even Toronto managed to ruin Toronto. So Sad.

Old Fart / May 20, 2011 at 01:12 am

Oh my, I haven't seen a Hunts Bakery sign in a long, long time. Before Tim Horton's that was the place to get chocolate glazed doughnuts.

the lemur replying to a comment from Les / May 20, 2011 at 01:14 am

I was struck by the open-air places too. There are some recent planned developments that are partly outdoor and some people have been criticizing that aspect of it, but these photos are a reminder that there was a time when we weren't so soft about the weather and didn't expect everything to be climate-controlled (read: overheated in winter) and connected by tunnels.

Ryan L. replying to a comment from infernalmachine / May 20, 2011 at 06:15 am

Even look at the Toronto Archives label on it. It's part of the same series that the confirmed Humbertown mall pictures are.

gadfly / May 20, 2011 at 08:16 am

Fantastic to see those old pics of Yorkdale! She was a grand lady when built. Repeated renovations/additions have made her look like an old whore, unfortunately.
I used to work as a bus boy at the buffet-style restaurant in Eaton's, eons ago. Knew that Mall well. The Eaton Center was awesome in its day. My friends and I went there the week it opened (back when the 'shooting fountain' was the end of the line - it was all plywood walls south of that and the original Eaton store was still being torn down.) Those were heady days for Toronto - back when things actually got built. The Spadina line opened around the same time. We used to ride it for fun.

W-Hat / May 20, 2011 at 08:23 am

That can't be Yorkdale - I see open parking spaces in the lot.

For people looking for outdoor shopping check out the shops at Don Mills on a nice day - it's pretty decent, aside from being in Don Mills.

Les replying to a comment from W-Hat / May 20, 2011 at 08:49 am

Shops on Don Mills is cool and I'm glad they went with the outdoor concept. However it's a little too ritzy for me, not that I mind that but more because I can't afford it.

David L replying to a comment from Les / May 20, 2011 at 10:09 am

I was hoping this article would have pics of the original Don Mills Centre that was originally and outdoor mall. It's interesting how it went full-circle from outdoor to indoor and back to out.

David L / May 20, 2011 at 10:11 am

That K-Mart at Bayview Village was a dump! The place I really miss from there was Bo-Peeps... they made good hamburgers and even better milkshakes. I also miss Sunshine's; my first job as a 13 year old busboy. I have no idea why they hired me when I was that young, but they did.

Michael D. Harvie / May 20, 2011 at 10:23 am

It's interesting how much the Yonge Street Arcade is echoed by the Eaton Centre today. The glass ceiling, the seeming mix of office & retail, courtyard area.
I've looked @ this photo of the arcade many times but only noticed this now.

Jason / May 20, 2011 at 10:51 am

Does anyone else but me miss the old Hazleton Lanes before Whole Foods? Remember the Classical Record Shop and the skating rink? Remember how there was always an OCAD art installation? The place has lost all of its charm.

bonnie sheppard / May 20, 2011 at 11:29 am

the unidentified mall may be six-points

Ann / May 25, 2011 at 08:21 pm

The mall that was not named, is Humbertown Shopping Center on The Kingsway in Islington, now Etobicoke. The Loblaws has been there forever and is still there. Just down from Loblaws was a large store called S.S. Kresge Co.,which was a store that had everything in it, even pets, our Turtles came from there. The Apartment buildings behind the Mall are still there to this day.

denise kalda / May 26, 2011 at 06:44 pm

I love the old pics of Cloverdale Mall. I won a bicycle there at one of the 'carnivals' that they had back in the late 50s. I was so happy because my parents had said I couldn't have one - too dangerous!

tom lester / May 31, 2011 at 11:41 pm

I just had a knee replacement on my left leg, a result of falling off my bike as a kid. maybe your parents were right. but I never got hurt on any of my motorcycles, still have one today.

Buck McKenzie / June 3, 2011 at 10:35 pm

The mall in question is Humbertown Plaza, I actually worked in the Kresges and I do believe that Stonegate Mall had a Dominion not a Loblaws

Betty (Queenbee) / June 4, 2011 at 02:58 pm

I emigrated to Canada in '66 and was overwhelmed with Yorkdale. Never seen an indoor Mall before. Everything in Canada was so huge and shopping made so easy. New Cloverdale and Humbertown where my husband lived in those apartments to the side. Lived very close to Fairview Mall and a bus ride away from the Don Mills Centre. Brings many smiles to remember these places. Thank you

Liz / June 6, 2011 at 04:42 pm

As Ann and Buck have mentioned, I'd like to agree that Humbertown was always referred to as a 'plaza' or 'shopping centre', not a mall. And I believe that officially it was and is called a 'shopping centre'. At the time I think 'mall' tended to denote at least two facing rows of shops (or larger massing) with a walking 'mall' in between, and plazas were just single strips of shops. I guess somewhere along the way the term 'strip mall' became a synonym for 'plaza' but I've never heard Humbertown referred to as a mall of any kind. As a kid, we'd either go to Thorncrest Plaza or Humbertown, mainly for our every day shopping needs. (Also, there were great independent grocers, butchers, bakers, etc. on 'The Kingsway' strip of Bloor.) Cloverdale Mall, open air at the time, was for bigger things, and then one day Yorkdale opened.

Kyle / October 4, 2011 at 02:41 pm

The unidentified mall is Humbertown Plaza, 100% no doubt about it. I grew up in the Humber Valley neighbourhood just 2 streets east of the plaza.

Richard D / December 12, 2011 at 06:19 pm

The first pic of "Humbertown Mall"- I'm loving that open green space in the background.

Alex / January 19, 2012 at 02:39 pm

The picture of the unidentified mall from the 1960's is Parklawn's stone gate plaza

Maureen / February 8, 2012 at 04:23 pm

I was thinking of creating a unit with my grade 10 history class on the evolution of the suburbs post war, in the Etobicoke area and these images are priceless - any ideas how I may be able to get more resources related to this topic to show how the roads have changed in the pre, mid and post 1950s in the area around these malls? This is such a fabulous resource, thanks for sharing!

hvvra / February 27, 2012 at 09:43 am

Humbertown slated to major redevelopment.

see the residents website www.hvvra.ca

Yarharhar Matey / March 3, 2012 at 09:16 am

Unidentifeid mall is Stonegate Plaza in south Etobicoke, corner of Stephen Drive and Berry Road.No lock on the bike, the good old days

eric / March 7, 2012 at 05:44 am

http://www.blogto.com/upload/2011/05/2011519-mall-1960s-unkown-s1464_fl0004_id0008-pr.jpg

that is the mall at borwns line and 427

The other mall that was unidentified (strip mall in etobicoke) looks like Richview Plaza

davidm / March 18, 2012 at 05:22 pm

There is a picture of Yorkdale Fountain area up there with a couple and their children...I think it's my family.
That would be me in the stroller with my Mom and that man looks like my Dad with my sister on the granite bench.

There is even a '67 Mustang parked behind the man which is the car my Dad bought in 1968...the year I was born.

This is really freaky!!!!

Mike / March 30, 2012 at 10:21 pm

Wow the Bayview Village K mart was ghetto but I loved it. Yes FIG there was a restaurant called Neptunes. It was in the basement at the outside entrance from K mart and for some reason it scared me as a child. Never went in there, just the look of the place gave me the willies. Other restaurants were Charlie C's and of course Sunshine's in the parking lot. Growing up in Willowdale I saw a ton of movies there when it had a theater, and spent countless quarters in the small arcade right next to the theater. It was called "The Little Bijou Club" if memory serves.
Wow I could also tell you guys a lot about Towne And Country (We called it T and C, now it's Centerpoint Mall) and Fairview, as well as the open air "Northtown Shopping Center" that was on the east side of Yonge Street, north of Sheppard south of Finch.
Thanks for reminding me!

Andrea M / April 6, 2012 at 01:13 am

Been doing some investigating, and I'm pretty sure the unidentified mall is Stonegate Plaza. At first I thought it was the mall at Browns Line and Evans/427, but upon closer inspection I realized the buildings in the background don't match up and the mall has a slightly different shape. Same goes for Humbertown.

But if you look at a current Google view of Stonegate Plaza, you can see the apartment building that's peeking out over the top of the plaza on the left in the 60s pic is still there. So is the one on the far right. (I'm assuming the middle building is still there too, but there are too many trees to confirm) Also, compare the parking lot: the lamp post visible in the 60s pic has since got a facelift, but it's still there. And the lot size is similar.

Here is a link to the Google streetview of Stonegate I used to compare: http://maps.google.ca/?ll=43.636681,-79.4872&;spn=0.007019,0.01869&t=m&layer=c&cbll=43.637242,-79.488486&panoid=eov--E-tpqUTwYPXifAZnQ&cbp=12,345.65,,1,0.12&z=16

It isn't a perfect match (the longer north section and drive-thru/carport-like are the most obvious differences), but it still seems to match the best out of all of the suggestions. I'm thinking the differences are most likely the result of additions and renovations over the years. Look at how different Cloverdale looks in these pics compared to how it looks today - you'd never know that was the same building! So until someone comes up with some better evidence, I'm going with Stonegate :)

Stephan P. / April 28, 2012 at 12:02 am

Humbertown mall was the mall in question in the 1960's It still looked like that untill the mid 70's.

Gabriella / April 28, 2012 at 02:02 am

The unidentified mall isn't a mall at all, it's the Kingsway Plaza a few blocks from Royal York station. Still has the Loblaws and the buildings in the back as well. This is what it looks like now...

http://www.torontowestrealty.com/account/07726870492e6d4a/pages/100371_6.jpg

Brian C replying to a comment from Marko / June 5, 2012 at 12:46 pm

Yes, you've got it right, Marko.

Diane / August 17, 2012 at 05:08 pm

Sherway Gardens opened February 24, 1971. It says 1972 on the Sherway Gardens photo.

Matthew U / October 5, 2012 at 09:55 am

The unidentified plaza is Humbertown. Stonegate is alot smaller but similar to Humbertown in this shot. Stonegate had a Dominion. That's Humbertown 100%, before the parking lot redesign and 1970's changes, that was our plaza, still remember buying Hot Wheels at Kiddie Korner.

NostalgicMan replying to a comment from Fig / October 18, 2012 at 02:21 am

Yes!! And I remember a restaurant at the foot of the parking lot, think it was called "Sunnysides?"

NostalgicMan replying to a comment from Fig / October 18, 2012 at 02:23 am

Yes! - and I remember a restaurant at the foot of the parking lot, think it was called "Sunnysides?". I remember going to the movie theatre there to see Empire Strikes Back in the summer of '80.

Adrian Mitchell / October 29, 2012 at 04:19 pm

When I was a kid we used to go to Don Mills ( late 1960s), when it was still an open air mall. Does anyone remember they used to milk cows there on a Saturday. I was about 4 or 5 at the time. I don't know why they did it at the mall. Maybe it was just for the benefit of the city folk.

Skye / November 15, 2012 at 12:39 pm

Wow, I love the shots of Yorkdale from the 70s and early 80s. I grew up in Newmarket and trips to Yorkdale were an adventure as a child...it was so big and fancy compared to the then-tiny Upper Canada Mall.

Philip Elliott / November 18, 2012 at 11:51 am

It would be a fun project to go around doing a modern version of this. Just before Don Mills Centre was torn down I shot it in b&w for the effect. People often forget that shopping malls represent an interesting part of our culture. I am an avid photographer living in Toronto and try to document the city as much as possible on my days off as it's constantly changing

Reub replying to a comment from Fig / November 23, 2012 at 08:29 pm

I remember from BV. the white Santa castle
, three little pigs, the bijou arcade, Famous Players, the library enterance used to be near the open area near Kmart and the rest of mall at that time.

Reub replying to a comment from NostalgicMan / November 23, 2012 at 08:30 pm

It was called Sunshines...

Sue / December 4, 2012 at 09:25 pm

Wow....I had a flashback last night about a part time job I briefly had in about 1970 or 1971...couldn't remember the name of the new mall or the store, but now that I see the photos, it was the opening of Sherway Mall....I believe it was in Simpsons, in a new, 'cool, trendy' department for young women, called 'Elevation 3'. I think I lasted about 3 weeks and then, after traffic to the new mall subsided, was laid off with a number of other young ladies.....my first taste of the working world! Not much has changed!

Theo / December 25, 2012 at 10:57 am

Anybody remember the old Westside Mall? My dad worked at the tavern there when I was a kid. He'd sometimes take me with him when I didn't have school. I used to kill time by playing video games. Too bad they tore it down and put up a power centre...

Sandra / December 25, 2012 at 05:28 pm

Does anyone remember the name of a record store that was at Yorkdale circa 1970ish-198??? it wasn't a Sam's, Sunrise, HMV or A&A there was another location at Lawrence Plaza at Lawrence & Bathurst.

Ron / January 6, 2013 at 01:10 am

The unidentified mall is definitely Stonegate Plaza. I live near the mall and the apartments in the background are still there. No more need to guess on this one.

Jackie B. / January 26, 2013 at 02:01 pm

I believe the undentified mall to be Six Points Plaza at the junction of Bloor St. West, Dundas St. West and Kipling Avenue. Anyone else?

Heather replying to a comment from Mike / March 4, 2013 at 11:05 pm

Hey Mike, was just talking about Bayview Village the other day, I also grew up in the area - hung out at T&C, then later worked at the Promenade...went to Newtonbrook...my dentist was also in the med building beside Bayview Village! I used to go to Neptunes with my grandparents too.

meb / March 5, 2013 at 01:14 am

Those Yorkdale pics from the 70s... what great memories. Watching that mall transform over the years is fascinating especially when the subway was extended to Yorkdale and it became a TTC hub of sorts.

John Korchok / March 5, 2013 at 11:16 am

I'm surprised you didn't include Sunnybrook Plaza in Leaside, the first mall in North America, built in 1952. The architecture is not that memorable, but it does have some historic significance.

CC / March 5, 2013 at 01:38 pm

The strollers look like they were small and light! They put our giant, fancy ones to shame.

Chris Knox / March 5, 2013 at 10:58 pm

I remember watching Cloverdale Mall under construction while sitting in my dad's car in the parking lot of the A&P across Dundas Street while my mother was grocery shopping. Does anyone remember the large wooden piece of artwork that stood halfway up the mall? The Bay store that was built during the expansion was originally called Morgans.

I was at the opening of Sherway Gardens on April 24,1971. It was my friend's birthday and we had dinner in the restaurant in the Simpson store (now The Bay) on the upper level overlooking the mall. The hostess that evening we knew from the Forum Restaurant in the Alderwood Plaza at Browns Line and Evans Ave. (not the mystery plaza).

Steve Punter / March 6, 2013 at 07:29 pm

The wooden artwork in the middle of the old Cloverdale Mall can be seen today in photographs lining the hallway to the mall management offices at Cloverdale. The caption for the piece included the work giraffe.

They have tons of pictures in that hall of the early days of the mall before it was enclosed, including those that show the first "refresh" it received, in which fountains and rivers were added.

Hugh Betcha replying to a comment from Chris / March 25, 2013 at 09:24 pm

Ya! the good old days! These DARK modern days are symbiotic with "ECONOMIC COLLAPSE!" We no longer have our heritage or our dreams.

sue / April 1, 2013 at 10:33 pm

I am in one of the pictures of Cloverdale Mall. I lost the original newspaper photo decades ago. So thrilled to have found it here.

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