1928 newspaper ad for the Mandarin Gardens on Ouellette Ave.
The Mandarin was located on Ouellette across the street from the Palace.
Another view, this one from higher up, looking north on Ouellette, the top of the Mandarin Gardens sign is visible here.
I have no listing for them in the 1923 directory, so it must have been later in the 1920’s when it came along. There is no listing in the directory for a Joseph Gan either.
Was he related to Mad TV’s Johnny Gan?
That restaurant had a very nice interior! You can’t even find buildings in Windsor today with that type of architectural detail let alone a restaurant.
Interestingly enough there is a new Mandarin chain restaurant from T.O. to London which is very good.
I love the signs too. I wish Windsor’s downtown had better signage on their businesses.
“After The Races…” Does this refer to races at the Jackson Park site, or Devonshire or perhaps Kenilworth?
Also, does this building exist today and if so who are the occupants?
Ouellette looked much wider back then, even with the rails. I like what appears to be a traffic signal on London Street in the second photo.
I think it was Jackson Park (the Windsor Jockey Club).
The building is no longer standing.
It would have been where the circle is below:
Seems to be exactly where Mandarin House is located today.
I believe the Boom Boom Room occupies that location. If the building is still there, they really did a hatchet job to it.
strange in this old shot i took of the palace around 1985, i can see the windows with the semi circular tops but looks like the palace has another floor above in the postcard photo you posted.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ink2journal/2853477847/in/set-72157607271411925/
we had a GANS restraunt_bar in windsor in the sixties, i think on pitt east, if I rember it burned out. similar to Lee’s Imperial house with live music provided by a hammond organ and guest singers.
ron
The Mandarin Garden sign and the old Wilkinson’s sign on the same block that I remember as a kid look very similar. Wilkinson’s is listed in the 1923 directory as being at 347 Oullette. It would be interesting to know if Mr. Wilkonson admired the sign so much that he purchased it after the demise of the Mandarin and had it modified or had a similar one made.
Great postcards! Very cool find!
ronald – I remember Gan’s from the 70’s. A very popular place as was Lee’s Imperial. Does anyone have any pics of Gan’s?
Andrew’s circle above is just to the right of the Boom Boom room, which is in the old Canada Trust (?) building. The building circled, with glass, is quite old — the glass just masks the old (a kind of stucco-ing, perhaps, but with glass). So perhaps the room that housed the Mandarin Garden is still there. Upstairs? Downstairs? The current starbucks replaced the National Bank.
If I remember correctly it wasn’t Canada Trust, but Royal Trust.
Yet we allow more shuffling of the banks in our downtown. Since these banks are traditionally block killers IE: not pedestrian friendly nor the ability to attract retail shops due to their size and few entrance doors, I wonder how long before yet another bank wants to move and we have the same problem again.
Look at most of what the banks have vacated. What could possibly go into them? The shuffling continues.
Darren a Flickr account is needed to see your photos. Too bad because I enjoy what you have captured.
I have a head shot of Mr Gan.
Ric – I figured you might know something about Mr. Gan
Before it was Royal Trust it was United Trust but before the renovations we see today it was Zellers’, the neglected stepsister of downtown dime stores.
The Zellers is here: http://internationalmetropolis.com/?p=353
It can’t be the same building can it?
Boom Boom Room is a much shorter building than the Zeller’s building was. You don’t usually see them just take a couple of floors off of a building. What was it before Boom Boom Room? I should know this, but I don’t.
It was the United Trust branch office. The old Zeller’s wasn’t demolished but was severely “renovated” to what it is today.
The present day Mandarin House building used to be the Red Robin store.
I also have the idea that Mandarin garden was located to the left of your circle, Andrew. Judging by the other photos, the Mandarin seems to be across the street but to the left in regards to the palace…. As in the postcards.
Lol… OK… Sorry, more study, you’re right with the circle….. The building to the left would have been ‘Harry’s Restaurant’.