Archives

February 2008
S M T W T F S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
242526272829  
Categories: Photo Du JourWindsor

Steinberg’s

Another email I got last week was from reader Pete, who was wondering if I had anything on the old Steinberg’s downtown.

This photo above comes from the book “Windsor 1892-1992 – A centennial celebration” , by Trevor Price and Larry Kulisek. The caption to the photo from the book noted that the building at the time had stood vacant for over 20 years.

The three architectural drawings for the Steinberg Miracle Mart were on display at my show at the Art Gallery of Windsor last fall. They were dug up by curator James Patten, from the City of Windsor Planning Department archives at City Hall with the help of Jim Yanchula.

Maybe there are some readers out there with some memories of the place?

Andrew

View Comments

  • I remember going to that building back when the Windsor Home Show was there, just before it was torn down. I was young, but I do remember going up stairs the 1 year, and the next year it was all downstairs. Still sad to see lots of these old business gone from Downtown. But at least this property is being put to good use in more then 1 way.

  • I remember it quite well - I guess I'm showing my age. It wasn't a bad store - actually really 2 stores - Steinberg's grocery on one side, Miracle Mart Dep't store on the other. I remember it being quite large and a lot of selection. This was in the early 1970's.

    My father worked nearby and sometimes my mother would pick him up from work and then they would get groceries. I can't really recall where you would park (parking wasn't an issue for us as my dad had his own reserved spot nearby) You got your groceries, got your receipt, and then came around in your car to the other side - next street (PItt/Chatham?) and the stuff came out on a conveyer belt and harried looking young men loaded it in your car. There were a lot of stores that did that in the 1970's.

    I can't remember when everything changed - but it got really seedy, really fast and then it was empty - when it closed it caused a lot of hardship for people who lived downtown because there was basically nothing really left - especially not having a reasonable food store was difficult.

  • I remember going there in the late 60's with my mother. The thing I remember the most were the escalators. It was exciting for a 5 year old.

  • I have memories of going there with my family to buy shoes when I was a kid and all I can remember is how futuristic the place looked inside. It looked like something out of a science fiction movie.

  • I only have vague childhood memories of the empty building. As for location, where was it exactly? Again, if memory serves, it was basically where the new police station is, no?

  • I remember visiting the store not long after it opened. Like Dan, the only thing that I can recall clearly about the place is the escalators. I was told that they were the first set to be installed in Windsor.

  • i just sent you a photo i took inside there at an auto show, and a newspaper clipping from when they started to tear it down.

    Sent the car show one for Guido who was asking about it above.

  • i just sent you a photo i took inside there at an auto show, and a newspaper clipping from when they started to tear it down.

1 2 3
Share
Published by
Andrew

Recent Posts

Crescent Lanes – 871 Ottawa

Crescent Lanes first opened on Ottawa Street in 1944 at 1055 Ottawa Street, opposite Lanspeary…

2 months ago

1156 Ouellette – Oswald Janisse House

Above is a photo of the home of Mr & Mrs Oswald Janisse, located at…

3 months ago

White’s Restaurant & The Elbow Room – 33 Pitt Street East

in 1917 two Greek brothers Gus & Harry Lukos purchased a one story building on…

4 months ago

4219 Wyandotte Street East

Photo from Google Streetview A long time reader sent me an email the other week…

5 months ago

841 Ouellette – Final Days

An unremarkable end to a part of Windsor's history. The large vacant house at 841…

6 months ago

Joseph L. Reaume House – 1924

One for the lost Windsor files, is this house that once belonged to Joseph Reaume…

7 months ago