With the post the other day about the George Wilkinson House, talk naturally turned to Wilkinson’s Shoes that used to be found downtown on Ouellette Ave.
This shot give a closeup view of the painted sign on the side that says “Wilkinson’s Shoes Wear Like A Pig’s Nose”. Note all the people downtown. This is what a downtown that’s not dead looks like.
There are some amazing art deco details that have been hidden over the years by painting the stone the same colour as the bricks.
I’ve never been inside, but I am assuming that the second floor, is doubly tall and those windows bathe the very tall second floor in natural light. City directories list only 5 floors in the building.
Here’s a photo of Wilkinson’s Shoes from about 1930. The photo is out of one of Michael Gladstone White’s books, and as usual… He gave no credit to the source. I’m going to guess the archives is the source of this one.
This article ran in the paper in December 1929. The city directories list an “Exchange Building” at 333 Ouellette, back to 1922. Looking at the roofline of the building in the photo above, I think 1922 sounds about right. The renovations were done by local architect G.A. McElroy in 1930. I believe he is responsible for the art deco facade.
I’m not sure when they closed, but Wilkinson’s was there into the late 1950’s at least. That 99 year lease would run until 2028, another 19 years… I wonder how that resolved itself, or if the terms are still valid, and it’s on a sublease… 😉
Using the ad for the Ringling Brothers Circus and the vintage cars as clues, the close up of Oullette Ave looking north from Park St. was taken in 1953. That was the year I began my annual pilgrimage to Wilkinson’s for ‘back-to-school’ shoes. They may have worn like a pig’s nose but my growing feet didn’t care.
This is the Ouellette Ave I grew up with. Before the giant K-Marts and Woolco Stores, strip malls, shopping malls and big box outlets, Ouellette Ave was a shopping meca. Always vibrant, colorful and jam – packed with people. It saddens me now whenever I go downtown. I can’t help but remember what it used to be.
If the art deco detailing on that building could be highlighted, it would be the best looking building on the block.
I agree with Terry. A little use of colour downtown would add wonders. I’m glad the DWBIA brought this to light last week.
Great to see those old photos. That’s how I will always remember downtown. Little treasures with real people I got to know in each shop. I wish the city would stop with all the sprawl and big box stores. It’s killing all the small shops that built this city up. The mall was bad enough. The recent Windsor Star story on downtown sure isn’t helping things.
I learned an interesting fact from the owners of Vermouth while sitting at their bar one night. Seems the basement of that building extends under the sidewalk right to the street. When the recent street scaping was being built, the front of that building was one of the last sections of sidewalk completed because of the problems dealing with this particular feature of the building.
All the sprawl, and expansion that killed downtown Windsor was the car.After World War 2, came prosperty and mobility. Epansion out of the city to Dorwin Plaza, in Sandwhitch West township, no early Wedesday closing or only Friday night sshopping, open six night a week to nine or ten pm. This was the begining of the end to downtown Windsor, and many moredowntowns.
More cars live further out of the core, end of downtown.Smiths didnot hesitate to move when
Devonshire Mall opened, it is not the big box store, its progress for better or worse.
In the late 50’s to early 60’s Wilkinson’s not only sold fine quality shoes, but was Windsor’s sole supplier of cub/boy scout uniforms (I remember my Mom buying mine for me there), but also Windsor Police uniforms.
A Zellers store and a Red Robin childrens’ clothing store were located further north along the same block.
Thanks Andrew for the Ouellette and Park Street picture. Just a bit more of downtown history. Your first photo above also shows the Metropolitan Store on the left which exploded and collapsed like a pancake in 1960 with 11 dead. A gas furnace leak was involved. And on the left in your image, in a little bit of the bottom corner there is greenery (bushes). In the 50s the east side of Ouellette from Park Street south to Maiden Lane had no buildings. There was a line of thick bushes and trees lining the Ouellette sidewalk which hid a parking area on the tunnel plaza side. The hedge extended to Maiden Lane and then there was a covered walkway eastward from the Ouellette sidewalk to the tunnel bus exit about ½ a block distance to Goyeau. There were newspaper stands and other sidewalk vendors under the walkway. The bustling sidewalks in your picture included this friendly pathway to the tunnel bus and a walk-and-ride to a vibrant Detroit downtown. Hudson department store was a common destination. Mothers shopping with children for back to school clothes would jettison the worn out shoes and jackets in a washroom and bring the kids backs in layers of new clothes expecting/hoping the duty-collectors to look the other way,
Lt-Col Wilkinson was a member of the Board of Directors of the Navy League of Canada Windsor Branch in the 30s and 40s . He managed to get a huge ship’s brass bell from a Royal Navy ship that was being scrapped and donated it to the Windsor Sea cadets. It is engraved with HMS Caterham and his name as presenter. We’re very proud of it. Nothing to do with downtown chat but a little history of the man.
wow! i never noticed the detail on this palce before. i wonder if that classic roof line is still under that siding. plus she still has her flag pole! don’t see that much anymore.
I hadn’t noticed that deco detail as well. Vermouth is such a fine, public use for the ground floor of the building. Done well inside, etc. I always did notice the windows above though, with their aluminum foil-like shades, as if Elvis or Howard Hughes hides behind them. Maybe next time I’m in town and at Vermouth I’ll ask them if they know what’s up there.
Found it! Wilkinson’s Shoes closed in the summer of 1970, according to an May 12, 1971 ‘Business Highlights’ article announcing the building’s sale. My, the web is amazing.
Prior to moving to Ouellette G. H. Wilkinson Shoes was located at 31 Sandwich Street W as seen in a Nov 1907 advertisement in the Evening Record.