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Categories: Windsor

The Union Men’s Shop

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…

Andrew

View Comments

  • There were always pigeons nesting in the sign's letters. The sidewalk underneath was kind of disgusting at times...

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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Andrew

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