Ouellette & Wyandotte – 1975

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• Jokers was previously Elliots which was there during the '80's. Prior to that it was Leon's furniture - actually I think it was still Leon's in the mid '80's when I moved to that neighbourhood. I just can't remember what it was before that altho i have probably walked or driven past it 1000's of times? Anyone????
  Elliots on the Avenue was quite a nice place.

• It was a locally owned furniture before it was a Leon's but I am not sure if it was right before it changed to Leon's.
  As for Mother's pizza, it definitely closed in 1989 because I remember a frine do fmine going there and then within a week it was closed for good.
  Isn't Windsor great?!

• So, does anyone know how the process to get a demolition approval from the city works? Is the owner required to post a notice and have the city hold a public hearing if there are any objections or does it just go through the planning deptartment where they just pay a fee and it gets rubber stamped by the bureaucrats? Is this building old enough for someone to argue it shouldn't be demolished for historical reasons? Because if this place is getting demolished for an ugly Taco Bell hut (as the Star article states they will try to build a building that a national franchise wants to lease out), I'd be pretty pissed There are already plenty of unutilized dirt parking lots on Ouellette that nothing's happened with like the one next to Anderson Funeral Home and the one next to the Paramount. There's also the Tim Horton's at the Giles corner, which was closed down and still nothing's happened with it.

• To get a demolition permit, UNLESS it is a heritage building, it is pretty much a rubber stamp process.

  I also believe that the permit is valid for 1 year from the date of issue.

  This building is not a heritage building, and is not on the heritage property inventory. So sadly more of our history will bite the dust.

  This building in my opinion is one of the most hansdome building on that stretch of Ouellette, and is a great example of Flemish Bond brickwork.

  It's sensless demolition like this that pisses me off, and helps to make this city shittier.

• Do you have an idea of the construction date for this structure? The former "Mothers" section appears to be older. I'm surprised they weren't already on the HP roster when I looked today. I think it's fair to say they are both a healthy 100 years or better in age, non?

• I think the Mother's building is the older of the two.

  The Joker's building, likely dates to the 1930's.

• I'm not entirely positive but I think the old Mother's restaurant on Ouellette was originally a fine-dining establishment called Mario's before being bought out by Mothers' Pizzeria.

• http://cgi.ebay.ca/Lot-2-Vintage-Postcards-Marios-Tavern-Windsor-Ontario_W0QQitemZ190113674676QQihZ009QQcategoryZ35927QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

  Mario's postcards show up frequently on eBay. Do the pictures in the auction listing help?

• John, I think that building is closer to Wyandotte St. If memory serves, I think it's painted pink or purple or something....

• Something I've noticed (hope the link works) in an old photograph

  "Marios - Good Food" - sign on building north Wyandotte, on the west side of the road.