john anderson mississauga

Iconic restaurant sign falls and crushes BMW during powerful Toronto-area winter storm

A Mississauga driver was treated to a dose of very bad luck over the weekend when a powerful winter storm slammed the Toronto area with double-digit snowfall and intense wind gusts.

Forecasts called for strong wind gusts of 60-90 km/h across Southern Ontario, and the storm did not disappoint. Okay, let me revise that statement: the storm did not disappoint unless your car got smashed up by a falling sign, or if your favourite burger joint lost its beloved signage falling on said car.

A few instances of localized damage due to wind were reported during the storm, including one case in Mississauga where a sign blew over and smashed into a BMW SUV.

A video making the rounds on social media shows the scene at 1065 Dundas St. W., where the luxury car can be seen pinned below a large metal sign blown over by intense wind gusts during the recent storm.

However, people seem less worried about the BMW than the large roadside sign advertising the businesses in the plaza.

The sign includes the names of all businesses in the strip plaza, but John Anderson Charcoal Broil Hamburgers, a local institution serving up old-school burgers, is the most notable of the pack, crowning the sign with its recognizable burger and hockey stick combo.

john anderson mississauga

Google Street View

"Who cares about the car. I'm devastated that the John Anderson's sign came down," reads one comment.

"NOT THE JOHN ANDERSON SIGN!," screamed another commenter.

Several Mississauga residents chimed in with similar comments shouting out the burger joint as a local favourite, like one who boldly claimed that "John Anderson is the best part of Mississauga, no cap."

Another local claims that even before intense winds struck this weekend, the sign was already showing hints of instability.

"Omg I [drove] by that sign 2 weeks ago and it was swaying in the wind... I thought 'it's gonna come down.'"

blogTO reached out to John Anderson Charcoal Broil Hamburgers on Monday morning inquiring into the fate of the sign. Unfortunately, the restaurant management has confirmed that the sign is being removed for good, and staff were unable to confirm any details on a replacement sign at this time.

Lead photo by

@angelo_goman53/Instagram


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