I always like finding old painted signs for long gone businesses. This one is in the alley in the Lincoln & Tecumseh Road area. The plumbing place is long gone, but the sign remains.
The sign says “Since 1923” and the phone number listed is a 254- exchange, so the business must have survived beyond the letter exchange days…
Here’s his obituary from the Windsor Star – October 9, 1974:
In order for the math to work, the business must have still been going at the time of his passing in 1974.
You never know what’s lurking in those alleys…
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If you haven’t ordered your calendar yet, don’t delay… The presale ends Thursday.
The business was still operating in 1986 or 87 as I went in to buy some parts, but was closed by about 1990.
Love that stuff. There’s so much historical information available just by walking down alleys and looking up.
The sign on the front of the store is still in place as of when Google Streetview came by…
I haven’t noticed if the sign on the front is gone, but it was there up until very recently.
That address has been for quite a few years occupied by Lighthouse Electronics, which is not indicated as you drive by on Tecumseh road. All business is conducted via the alley door.
Yeah, the sign out front is still there. Lighthouse has been in there at least 15-20 years…
another ghost sign that has been around for a very long time is the building in front of the bulk unloading yard west of sandpoint beach i don’t know if it’s still there but look up on i think the westrn wall and it says riverside brewries thats gotta be back probably from the 20’s or 30’s
Yeh !!! I saw the Riverside Breweries sign myself while riding past last summer and found a postcard on E-bay showing the same Brewery, but it sold for more than I was willing to pay for it !!! The sign is very vague but is still visable ??? Back in it’s hayday I wonder just how many Breweries existed in the Windsor?/Riverside /Tecumseh (sp)
area ???
John> I believe Lighthouse was located 1 store to the east(under reno in Google Streetview)and they used to have a Tec. Rd. entrance, I think they downsized. A catering business(Jacks Catering) used to be run from the alley access that Lighthouse uses now.
mike i just got that book marty Gervais wrote entitled Rumrunners it has acouple photos of the riverside brewery in better days there’s also a couple photos of some cops unloading beer from the back of a truck under gaurd,the beer cases say Tecumseh brewery on them and there was the Walkerville brewery as well
Bob C. > Yes I remember Lighthouse “1.0”. They used to sell stereo equipment and if I remember correctly their own custom built loudspeakers at the old location. In the last 10-15 years they have been in the former “Ross Plumbing” building though. Their current business is mainly selling and installing off-the-air TV antennas and towers. I bought my 40 foot Delhi tower from them in 2004. The owner, Barry, is very knowledgeable in electronics.
Neat…love finding these old signs!
Here’s another one downtown http://maps.google.ca/?ll=42.31761,-83.040204&spn=0.001718,0.003819&t=h&z=18&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=42.317521,-83.040149&panoid=7c28V5wdsQy_dfnFWVeWBQ&cbp=12,307.79,,1,-13.75
I live right across the street from their. I have always loved that sign. There is another one across the street. It used to be much clearer, but has faded over the years:
check it out:
http://maps.google.ca/?ll=42.31761,-83.040204&spn=0.001718,0.003819&t=h&z=18&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=42.317521,-83.040149&panoid=7c28V5wdsQy_dfnFWVeWBQ&cbp=12,307.79,,1,-13.75
This was my great grandfather’s business. The sign on the front is still there. He was a great man! Very nice to see it getting attention.
Hate to disappoint everyone, but my father Murray Ross had the sign painter Jim Gunn paint the sign in 1980 or 81 after the CIBC bank renovated their branch next door, the building was home to A Ross Plumbing and Heating built in 1947 by my Grandfather Abbott, the company was originally started in 1923, when Abbott and his brother in law A.J. Slote formed it as a partnership.
The 1947 building at 1636 Tecumseh Rd. East was built due to the expansion of business, and my father joining the firm after he return from the second world war. The company closed around 1995 due to the economy and not being able to find dependable and knowledgeable tradesmen….
My father, Bruce Gunn and I painted that sign in the 80’s
Jim Gunn Signs