Ye Olde Grand Tavern – 1014 Howard Avenue

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• I read somewhere long ago, that the name Windsor was decided by a group of important men I believe in that pub. It was long ago that I read that so I might be mistaken by which pub, but I always thought it was that one.

• Mary, from what I've read the name was decided in an old hotel
  Tavern called Windsor Castle and was located on the south west corner of
  Riverside and Ouellette. On the right track though!

• Wasn't a bank on the southwest corner of Ouellette ? Me thinks it was the north east or north west ? Picky I know !!!! Sorry !!!

• I lived down the street from the Grand, my parents and aunt and uncle went there all the time. But in the late 40's ,early 50's there were windows at the front. We used to peek in until they saw us and sent us home. Had my first beer there when I was 21 but didn't like it, had a coke instead. Brings back lots of memories, all good. Never had any problems there.

• Another dive hits the dust. We're finally getting some creative, well thought out, long term urban renewal in this town. Although I'm a preservationist at heart, I believe that we should focus our attention on worthy buildings (The Dominion House, Victoria Tavern, Southwood, etc. in terms of bars) and otherwise watch progress take it's course.

• Mike your not being picky at all! There was the old TD bank there.
  But, before that there was the International Hotel, and before THAT
  There was the Windsor Castle. A two floor wood frame lopsided heap.

  Pete....nothing progressive about parking lots, but whatever.

• Does anyone know of the rough-tough bars/hotels in Windsor? Back before 'Urban Renewal' there was an area called the Gateway District in downtown Minneapolis. It went along Washington Avenue, because that's where the train depot was, and many of the men came from lumber camps or iron ore mines in the far north in Minnesota as well as NW Ontario. These bars and hotels were TOUGH places - even the locals would never walk down Washington Ave at night because of the 'unsavoury' elements. Winnipeg has this as well (Main St. hotels with their 'beverage rooms'). Did Windsor ever have that kind of reputation of bars with hard-to-control patrons or fights? I don't see many 'old dingy' hotels downtown, but imagine there must have been some at one point.

  One of my favourite in all of Ontario, which just closed, is the Rainy Lake Hotel in Fort Frances. The building was simple, old but has so much character - just looking around the lounge you can imagine so many possible stories. It's a shame we are losing these places in our cities!

• In terms of rough and tumble bars, the Westside had Bronsons, the Lido and The Chippewa Tavern. And then there was Droullard Road with a number of rougfh places, as well as downtown- Stanleys, the Beanery etc. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a bar fight in years, but then again the bikers have all but dissapeared and I'm usually home by 10:00!

• I owned that house beside the Grand from 97-02, it was built in 1919. I woke up many a Sunday morning to find a patron of the Grand passed out in my front yard.

• earl amyotte windsors anti abortion activist lived closed by to ye o;de grande tavern. he would often drop by for a jar and cigar to relax and figure out what his next move would be to help save unborn babies. GOD bless him. this establishment helped earl wind down.