International Malls: Simpsons Court at Sherway Gardens
Toronto, Ontario, Canada - 1972
Welcome to the psychedelic '70s... Canadian style! Many thanks to Jason Cawood, for submitting this groovy photo of the Simpsons (now defunct) storefront in the Simpsons Court section of a shopping mall in Toronto (which exact one wasn't specified).
Yes, this blog is called, Malls of America, but heck, I like to add a little spice to the mix now and then--especially when it's this tasty! Besides, America, Canada, Zimbabwe, Mars...who cares? In the end, the mall's really the thing. I like looking at them wherever they're from. :)
Edit: This photo was taken in the Sherway Gardens shopping centre in Toronto. I've updated the title to reflect this.
Labels: 1972, Canada, Ontario, Sherway Gardens, Simpsons, Toronto
posted by Keith @ 9/19/2006
13 Comments:
Wow, thought I was looking at the "Simpsons" tv-show logo at first.
I must say I find that light projecting downward in the middle of the ceiling rather disturbing -- I feel as though an alien is getting ready to perform some kind of experiment on me abord a spacecraft. See the observation window? *runs*
I think that this was the Simpson's at Sherway Gardens in western Toronto.
www.sherwaygardens.ca
It's frickin' awesome! LOVE this. So Eighties futuristical!
Scott
So Simpson's the store had nothing to do with the TV show even though the logo looks almost identical that it made me think this shot was taken sometime in the 1990s?
I love those lights in the ceiling. I am not quite sure what it is or what it is supposed to be but it looks fantastic!
Wow. I was at this mall in June and i'll tell you that this mall looks nothing like that. If I remember correctly, from the look of the upper level, this store later became The Bay. I remember this large court and large ceiling.
Simpson's closed down around 1991 I seem to remember.
Being reminded a Simpsons store in downtown Toronto was the location for the familiar children's TV program, "Today's Special", produced and aired on TVOntario in the 80's, as well as on Nickelodeon in the US.
Here's some more info on Simpsons, Ltd...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpson's
The chain was bought out by the Hudson's Bay Company in '78, though I think the name continued to be used for a couple more decades until all the locations changed into "The Bay" these days.
And because some Today's Special fan just couldn't leave well enough alone, here's some info and pics of his visit to the Yonge Street location!
http://todays-special.schuminweb.com/todays-special/behind-the-scenes/simpsons.asp
But yes, the name does confuse many non-Canadians everywhere!
I spent a lot of time as a small lad staring up into that thing - it was a skylight in the middle. And yes it was at Sherway Gardens circa 1976. The Bay took over Simpsons and there's now an A&F across from it. The funky ceiling is gone. Sherway's claim to design fame was that all the stores (except 2 anchors) had matching, very understated lettering and only a small square logo if any. Of course now they all have the big signs.
I am so pleased to find your blog!!! I used to run around the circle that are on the floor in the picture, when I was 2 or 3, waiting for my mom to get off work. (she worked at a toy store in Sherway called Dominion Playworld). I was just at Sherway today...nice memories.
Janet
Awesome picture! I wish I was alive in '72 to see it in person! Someone invent a time machine!
Yes, the floor had a spiral pattern that was fun to run in, either from outwards in or inwards out. The panels surrounding the 360 degree rotunda were actually mirrored, so the colours you're seeing are reflections of the coloured ceiling. And yes, the slit were the open windows of the store restaurant.
Sherway Gardens also had a very interesting food court, huge and dark and moody (but in a good way). It's since been replaced by a sort of circus-tent affair.
Also interesting is the floorplan of the mall--originally a figure-8 design (now I think with several additions).
Looking for a pic or two of Fun n Games arcade that used to be in Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke, ON years ago.
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