Recently news came out that the two properties at 801 and 819 Ouellette were sold, and are being prepared for demolition.
I went out and shot them the other day, the buildings are probably best remeberd as Joker’s Bar and Mother’s Pizza. I figured the Joker’s building was from the 1930’s with the Mother’s building a fair bit older…
Needless to say, I was shocked to discover that neither were present on the last fire insurance map, meaning they both came later than 1937.
So off to the Library I went to go digging through old directories.
The former Mother’s Pizza building at 819 Ouellette was built in 1939.
It was home to an A&P Grocery Store from 1940 – 1975. The building is shown as vacant in 1976, and as Mother’s from 1977 – 1992. The 1993 directory shows the buiding as vacant, which it has been ever since. As for A & P closing, I think the A & P on Goyeau opened around 1975, so the store likely moved to a new space on the former Patterson Secondary Site, rather than closing. Today it is a Food Basics.
A & P 1940 – 1975 Vacant – 1976 Mother’s – 1977 – 1992 Vacant – 1993 – 2007
The building at 801 Ouellette was built sometime between 1953-1957. When I was at the library the directories from 53-57 were missing. There was nothing in the 52 directory and the building was listed in the 58 guide.
It was built as the Archibald Rose Furniture Company. They moved from a location on Sandwich St. This might have been when building were being cleared on the north side of Ouellette Ave. for Dieppe Park. c. 1954-55. In the mid 60’s (more missing directories) it became a Leon’s Furniture store (maybe Rose was bough out?), Then a Mac’s before becoming Jokers.
A. Rose Furniture – c. 1955 – c 1966 Leon’s Furniture – c. 1966 – 1984 Mac’s Convienience 1984 – 1991 Vacant – 1992 Joker’s 1993 – 2005 ? Club 801 – 2006 – 2007
The pictures speak for themselves, but it’s a rather handsome structure. Great brickwork too. It will be a huge loss to the downtown streetscape. More loss of density.
A HDR shot of the former A&P/Mother’s Building at 819 Ouellette.
A HDR shot of the former Joker’s building at 801 Ouellette.
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Wasn't there a billiard upstairs or at the back of the former Jokers building closer to Pelissier St. ? If i'm not mistaken I think it was called Gilly's Cue.
Good work. I like the metal wrap-around detail. I wonder what will go there? Otherwise, it's not that impressive of a structure. If something really nice goes there, maybe it will be an improvement. If it's a Tim Hortons, then maybe not so much.
I guess it's just good to see someone interested in doing something there, rather than 2 vacant detriorating buildings, vandal targets, etc.
Great! I am sure they will build a building or plaza that is set away from the street with parking in the front. You know how well the city planners do when it comes to actually planning something.
The directory didn't mention Elliot's on the Avenue? It was certainly there.
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I always wondered what was on the 2nd floor, behind all that glass block. Maybe somebody can get in and take a snap before it goes.
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From Mothers to Wyandotte, it was one of Windsor's better streetscapes -- and a variety of styles. The WUC building was one of Windsor's best, and even the apartment tower had a bit of 1960s/70s elegance to the lobby area.
Shawn, I didn't see it listed. However to be fair there were a few years missing, and it never listed a second floor tennant. I doubt that there was a 2 floor mac's. Maybe it was during the Mac's era or towards the end of the Leon's era?
The old A and P on Goyeau opened in the early 1980's. I'm pretty sure of it because I was in high school and I remember reading the story in the Windsor Star. It was the first major development by Charles Mady.
I have distinct memories from about 1984 or 5 or 6 of sitting in the window with my mom when she took me to Elliot's. Maybe some on the board will remember the dates Elliot's was open better.
Perhaps Macs was on the corner, and Elliot's was just the glass window part of the building, thus Macs got the listing in the directory.
I love those old books though -- they have the Windsor ones up here in at the Toronto Reference Library as well.
I distinctly remember the Mac's Milk being there and shopping there, having worked on that block around the same time, and as I recall the Mac's did not occupy the whole first level, just the front corner. So yes, Shawn, that sounds reasonable, and I would even go one step further and suggest Elliots *may* have been postally listed as being on Elliot, not Ouellette.
I think John might have nailed it... It could have had an Elliott address...
Also, per a Facebook group run by a local who worked there, "Bar (Dirty Rascals) opened in Sept 1990 was sold and name changed to Jokers in 93 and then eventually closed few years later". He should know, Brian worked there spinning discs.