Tuesday Treasures

Tom hosts Tuesday's Treasures.

June 2026 - Toronto ON

We found some interesting plaques on our wanders the other day.

In 1832 and 1834, waves of immigrants arrived in York (modern-day Toronto) carrying Asiatic cholera. At the time, the disease was poorly understood, but these back-to-back outbreaks pushed the newly incorporated city to pass some of its first public health bylaws, marking a major turning point in how the city managed water contamination, garbage, and sanitation

 406 Bloor Street East (just east of Sherbourne Street). This was the original location opened in February 1969. It was founded by a pioneering group that included Toronto Argonauts players John Henry Jackson and Dave Mann, alongside Howard Matthews and drummer Archie Alleyne

This plaque is at the second location (King St. East).

The restaurant moved to this location in 1973. During its peak, this spot served as a magnetic cultural hub visited by A-listers like Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Magic Johnson, and Bob Dylan.

In late 19th-century Toronto, retailers like K. McKay and L. Goldreich were part of a rapidly emerging class of independent merchant partnerships.

In the 1870s, it was common for individuals from different backgrounds (such as Scottish settlers like McKay and European immigrants like Goldreich) to pool resources to open retail spaces. As proprietors, they managed daily operations, imported goods from Britain and Europe, and served the growing residential population of what is now the St. Lawrence and Old Town area