Spacing

It's impossible to tell the story of Toronto signage without talking about the contributions of brothers Jack and Sam Markle. The Markles' work can be found all over the city, on a wide variety of buildings including theatres, hospitals, shops and restaurants, schools, and places of worship. Their m...

Text by Kurt Kraler The Sign Variance Committee makes decisions on signs that deviate from the signage requirements set out in Chapter 694 of the Toronto Municipal Code. The Committee reviews and makes decisions on variance applications for both first- and third-party signs. First-party signs identi...

ADDRESS: 7123 Yonge Street, Thornhill Text by Glyn, edited by Kurt Amongst towering steel and glass condos, there is a little oasis of nostalgia: a vertical back-lit sign, adorned with a star like a Christmas tree, beckoning Yonge Street commuters to pull over and enjoy some classic, grilled, diner ...

EDITOR'S NOTE: This essay was completed in early 2022, before the death of Mahsa Amini while in Iranian police custody. Since then, there have been worldwide protests with at least 50,000 people protesting in Toronto alone. Despite internal divisions within the community, the Iranian diaspora have c...

Painted Sign A historic sign type that is hand painted directly onto the surface of a building. Usually painted on the sidewalls where there are fewer windows and architectural ornament, creating a flat, uninterrupted surface to paint on. New signs were often painted on top of old signs, producing s...

Golden Mile Chrysler (formerly Willison) ADDRESS: 1743 Eglinton Avenue East, Scarborough Text by: Glyn, edited by Kurt What the sign colloquially referred to as the “Swinging Lady” of Scarborough looks like, has changed over time and depends on the season. And, like many Torontonians, she was forced...

PANIZ TO UPDATE BASED ON RECENT EVENTS.

In the span of a decade, Toronto lost two of its most iconic signs, sparking outrage and questions of how quickly the city was changing before our very eyes. It started in 2008, with the removal of the infamous neon rotating vinyl discs that had marked the entrance to the flagship Sam the Record Man...

Text by Kurt Kraler with input from Emad Ghattas (GBCA). Located at the north-west corner of the Spadina and College Street intersection, the Silver Dollar Room opened its doors on January 5, 1959 and was designed as a cocktail lounge for guests staying at the neighbouring Waverley Hotel. After seve...

Text by: Arlene Chan and Kurt Kraler The late Edna Chan and her husband Kuo Gam Chan opened the original Sea-Hi restaurant in 1955 which was located in Toronto’s ‘first Chinatown’, along York and Elizabeth Streets between Dundas Street and Queen Street West. As a result of development pressures to m...

Revised with input from Zak Fish and Alexis Cohen. ADDRESS: 581 Bloor Street West Husband and wife duo Ed and Anne Mirvish, consolidated the retail properties they bought along Bloor Street and Bathurst and rebranded them as Honest Ed's in 1948. While the signage changed over the years, the 1984 sig...

Text by Paniz Moayeri, edited by Kurt Kraler Signs of Tehranto: Lessons on Suburbs, Sentiments, and Survival Driving north on Yonge Street towards the edge of Toronto, the Iranian enclave — frequently referred to as Tehranto — slowly emerges in North York. The script on large pylon and storefront si...

When we think of what distinguishes one city from another, we often think of the way we experience the streets through the sights and sounds that define the various neighbourhoods. We remember the landmarks that allow us to navigate the city, including unique signs that contribute to a sense of plac...

[Text reviewed by Philip, Emma A to provide further description of type studies.] When we think of what distinguishes one city from another, we often think of the experience of the streets through the sights and sounds that define the various neighbourhoods. We remember the landmarks that allow us t...

Honest Ed's ADDRESS: 581 Bloor Street West Edwin Mirvish and his wife Anne consolidated the retail properties they bought along Bloor Street and Bathurst, and rebranded them as Honest Ed's in 1948. While the signage changed over the years, the 1984 signage is probably what most people associate with...