Stollery's, And 6 Other Iconic Toronto Stores That Are History | HuffPost

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LOOK: 7 Iconic Toronto Stores That Are History

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Business Editor, HuffPost Canada

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Chris Barker via Flickr

Chalk up another victim of the retail revolution.

The Toronto menswear store Stollery's is closing its doors after 114 years of selling suits and ties at the corner of Bloor and Yonge.

Having what is arguably the best retail location in Canada’s largest city was likely one of the reasons the store survived generation after generation of upheaval in retail. But according to the Globe and Mail, the store was struggling with competitors who had a stronger online presence.

A developer has bought the location, but details are scant and it’s not yet known when the store will close its doors once and for all.

There was talk a few years ago that Apple wanted the location for a flagship Toronto store.

Stollery's is joining a growing group of iconic Toronto retail locations that have shut down or will soon do so. Check out all the landmarks the city has lost recently and/or will lose:

Honest Ed's

broken thoughts via Flickr

Honest Ed's was a Walmart before Walmart, a dollar store before Dollarama. Ed Mirvish opened his landmark location at the corner of Bloor and Bathurst in 1948 and ran the place until he died in 2007. It was announced last year the store would be closing, but it's expected to remain open for a few more years.

World's Biggest Bookstore

Albert Choi via Flickr

The World's Biggest Bookstore might actually not have been the world's biggest (the Strand in New York and Foyles in London would have given it a run for its money) but it was a landmark location for Toronto book lovers from 1980 until it closed this year. It was owned by Indigo Books for much of its existence.

The flagship Chapters store on Richmond

Chris Barker via Flickr

Toronto's bookstores are disappearing, and this year Chapters Indigo announced it's closing its flagship Chapters store at John and Richmond. It had been in operation for 15 years. Other bookstores to have shut locations in the past few years include Book City, the Cookbook Store, Toronto Women's Bookstore and Nicholas Hoare books.

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Sunrise Records

Andy Nystrom via Flickr

One of the last surviving record chains still in operation in Canada announced last month it's closing its last two locations on Yonge Street, following a change of ownership. The stores will shut down in mid-November, though the chain's Etobicoke location will remain open.

Sam the Record Man

Michael Stout via Flickr

This store, once the flagship of a 140-store nationwide chain, closed all the way back in 2007, but Torontonians remember that neon depiction of twin spinning records so fondly we thought we'd throw this one in, to remind everyone, yes, Toronto remembers.

The Sears at the Eaton Centre

Christopher Woo via Flickr

Struggling department store chain Sears has been selling off some of its busiest locations to raise cash, and among the most notable Sears disappearances was the anchor location at the Eaton Centre. The mall looks a little empty at the north end these days, with the massive area once occupied by Sears now walled off.

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Stollery's

Chris Barker via Flickr

Stollery's sold menswear to successive generations of Toronto businessmen starting in 1901, located at arguably the best retail site in the country (the corner of Bloor and Yonge), but with the announcement of the sale of the property to a developer, the store announced it's closing up. Heavy competition from online retailers and other stores along Bloor's "Mink Mile" likely played a role in its departure.

Also on HuffPost:

Canadian Brands We Miss The Most

Eaton's(01 of16)

One of Canada’s most storied and oldest retailers went bankrupt in 1999. The department stores founded by Timothy Eaton in 1869 became famous for their catalogues, sponsorship of the Toronto Santa Claus parade and the downtown Toronto shopping centre that still bears its name. (credit:Canadian Press)

Dominion(02 of16)

This chain of grocery stores was rebranded as A&P before it was bought out by Metro. We miss the chain founded in 1919, party because of those plastic grocery bins you could load onto a conveyor belt to get them outside, but mostly because of their awesome font. (credit:Canadian Press)

Bata Shoes(03 of16)

Although Toronto is home to the Bata shoe museum, the chain has shuttered all of its Bata and Athlete’s World stores in the country where it was once based. It does, however, continue to sell footwear on almost every other continent.Pictured: Bata founder Tomas Bata. (credit:Canadian Press)

Sam the Record Man(04 of16)

It was once Canada’s largest music retailer boasting “140 locations, coast to coast.” The chain was founded by Sam Sniderman in 1937. Along with A&A Records and Canada’s last national music store chain, Music World, it fell victim to the Internet age by the end of the 2000s. (credit:Canadian Press)

A&A Records(05 of16)

A&A had noticeable flagship stores in downtown Toronto and downtown Montreal. It launched in the early 1960s and went bankrupt in 1991. (credit:City of Toronto)

Beaver Lumber(06 of16)

Even if you weren’t a fan of lumber shopping, how could you complain about being dragged through a store whose logo is an overall-clad, skipping beaver? Also, it was owned by Molson — yes, the beer people. What’s more Canadian than that? (credit:Beaver Lumber)

Becker's(07 of16)

This was THE convenience store chain -- known for its plastic jugs of milk -- for many small-town Ontarians before being sold to the parent company of rival Mac’s Convenience Stores in 1996. It was so Canadian, its chocolate milk got a shout-out in the special thanks section on many Rush albums. (credit:Scan from Blue Jays Scorebook Magazine, 1987)

Big V Drug Stores(08 of16)

Believe it or not, Ontario once had another pharmacy chain that gave Shoppers Drug Mart a real run for its money.

The It Store(09 of16)

This novelty-items store was where you could buy any Troll doll or Beanie Baby, or marvel at the dirty gift selections while pretending to shop for a Troll or Beanie Baby.

Kettle Creek Canvas Co.(10 of16)

For all your canvas clothing and accessories needs. The wallets and pencil cases were must-haves for 1980s Southern Ontario kids.

Northern Getaway(11 of16)

Ever since this retailer of cliched Canadian clothing shuttered, we have no idea where to get puffy paint sweatshirts with pictures of loons on them, or the ugly Christmas sweater for all of those trendy theme parties. (credit:eBay)

Randy River(12 of16)

The home to discount menswear and flamed shirts galore was once an institution in malls across the country, but has been reduced to just a handful of shops in small-town malls. (credit:Sameer Vasta via Flickr)

SAAN(13 of16)

Once a staple in every small town in Alberta and B.C., it had great, cheap jeans. (credit:Anthony Easton via flickr)

Tabi(14 of16)

The classic Canadian “mom store” closed in 2011, after 30 years in operation.

Towers(15 of16)

A Zellers-esque chain perhaps best known to eastern Canadians, who might be familiar with the chain’s animated squirrel named Sparky.

Jumbo Video(16 of16)

The free popcorn made arguing over which VHS movie to rent bearable.

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