Patrick O Ryan’s, before it was the bar…
Today’s photo was sent in by regular reader Ken, who gives me the date for this photo as being in the Mid to Late 80’s.
Another great old sign there on that one. Back in the 1940’s that must have been an impressive facade all lit up at night…
There were always pigeons nesting in the sign’s letters. The sidewalk underneath was kind of disgusting at times…
great shot. I don’t remember this, too young. Never went downtown till my teens.
What? They had clothing stores back then and in downtown to boot? Sure there was and the U.S.A will vote in a black President someday.
🙂 Imagine having places to shop for clothes downtown similar to Ottawa St. but on a larger scale. If Ottawa St. can have shopping why can’t downtown?
The displays in the store look to be a bit deco but obviously the building isn’t. I am sure it went through a transoformation sometime in the ’20s. I didn’t even remember what that building looked like before it became a bar. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some of these older bulidings back to be reno’ed or restored. We sure wouldn’t be spending on streetscaping as much to lure people back.
Hindsight, ain’t it a bitch! Yet we keep doing the same thing over and over…
I remember this one…15ft ceilings and clothes displayed on the walls all the way up… the shop keeper kept a stick with a hook to bing down a pair of pants or whatever hung at that level….some with plastic dust covers… I was 12 or so then….
Can someone please tell me exactly where this store was situated ? i do not remember this one at all ! great pic.
Nevermind I didn’t read the very top which mentioned where Patrick O’Ryans stood.
wow !!!! this is a great photo since i’ve been wanting to see it for ages. i used to go there in the 70s to get my shoes shined with my dad. finally a photo to bring home that memory.
what an amazing storefront and building! so sad it’s GONE!
I shot this photograph in the 1980’s because I knew one day ‘they’ would tear down this amazing facade…. just like all the others.
The Union Mens Shop was an amazing store, I recall the store staff being a bit odd, and I do remember the pole and hook to remove goods for sale off the walls – Directly across the street at Pitt and Ouellette were both Smiths and Bartletts Department Stores. I would tag along shopping with my mother in the 1950’s before Dorwin or Gateway Plazas were opened – and WAY before the Devonshire Mall was built.
Gabe this store stlood where the new TD Bank has their parking lot on pit street
Adelmans Dept Store was across the steet and east of Smiths Dept Store. Next store to Union Men’s Store – the empty lot was where the Windsor Recreational Bowling lanes were, with Gans Chinese Restaurant on the main floor – burned down about 1976. Mossman Deli was the building on the other side of the empty lot. I think Steve Parrish’s shoe repair was next door to Union but I don’t see it in the picture?????
the only mens clothing store left downtown is Lou Myles
This shop was located on Ottawa St. Between Lincoln Rd and Gladstone Ave. across from Freeds. There is a clinic there now.
First of all what a great site this is! I left Windsor in 1980 and moved out to Vancouver in 1995.
I had forgotten about all these old stores. I can remember shopping with my Mom and Dad and brothers at Union Men`s Shop Boys was up creaky stairs,and Adelman`s for back to school clothes (1965-67). Kresge`s old wooden floors and coffee counter. Great memories !