By David Van Dyke Photographer Chris Nicholls took this image of Bert’s Variety back in 1984. Now the Beacher Cafe, it is located on the northwest corner of Maclean Avenue and Queen Street East. Thank you Chris, for sharing this amazing image. If you’d like to see more of Chris’ work, please check out chrisnichollsphotography.com […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE We have a fantastic contribution today from Chris Souwand. Chris was a student back in the mid-1980s who shot restaurant facades in the Beach for a school project. Today’s reckoning: Babbage’s! The building is located on the sunny side of Queen Street East, just east of Silver Birch. Today it’s the […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE Before the ‘ginormous’ condo, before Lick’s, there was Seaway’s Meat Market. This photo was taken by Ann Patterson who owned and operated a camera store across the street of said image (Kenilworth and Queen). The store was called Carter and Carter Photography, and during the 1970s, on occasion, Ann would take […]
By DAVID VAN DYKE Prior to the Beacher Cafe, we had the Beacher, on the northwest corner of Queen Street East and Maclean Avenue. This streetscape was shot by Chris Souwand for a school study of Beach restaurants in 1985. Luckily for us, this was an extensive project as I intend to share more of Mr. […]
I remember many years ago, going on a historical walk with Gene Domagala. We walked up to a newly opened bar on Queen Street East, between Hambly and Lee, north side. Gene asked the group if we could guess from the facade what kind of business this store ran in the long distant past. We […]
Ten years ago, while walking the dog on Long Crescent, I noticed a house that was boarded up. I wondered then if the new dwelling place that would replace it would be some misplaced, urban monstrosity. I was wrong! Do you have an old photo of the Beach you’d like to share? Please contact me […]
After the sale of the Bellefair United Church to developers in 2011, I remember taking this photo and wondering what a place of worship would look like as a condo. Well, here you have it. Do you have an old photograph you’d like to share with our readers? Please contact me by email at gdvandyke61@gmail.com.
The centre property in the top photo was once a coach house belonging to the storied Ames estate. The house sat on Lee Avenue, where it intersects with Norway, but was eventually torn down to make a driveway entrance into the parking lot of Glen Ames school. What’s a parking lot without an entrance, eh? […]
This archival photograph is courtesy of the Toronto Beaches Branch Public Library (Have an afternoon to spare? Spend some time at the branch, 2161 Queen St. E., and dive into their fantastic Beach archives.) The photo was taken on Lee Avenue, just a little south of Queen Street East, across from the park. I see […]
This great winter shot was taken in 1972 by an unknown photographer. The intersection is Queen Street East and Waverley Road, and the biggest change would have to be the new Montessori School. The school used to be behind the United Church on Bellefair. The church building is now a condo. Do you have a […]
