A few weeks back a news story ran about the closing of the Grand Tavern on Howard Avenue, just south of Erie. The building was recently sold, and demolition is planned to provide off street parking for Erie Street patrons.
While there’s not too much to add from the historical/architectural side that I could dig up, I thought I would at least add it to the site before it is demolished.
Any memories of the place? I never set foot in there, but someone out there must have?
Great neighbourhood bar. Full of wood and just felt like one of the “old places” in town. Old chairs from the 70’s still there. Great place to grab a beer – dark though, no windows. Saw some good bands there. Never brought in the “usual” scenesters, so it was a great place to go and be anonymous in.
Believe there is a pic. of the Grand in your Archives from the 1920’s. Shows the place with a two story wooden porch attached to the front. Never had a drink at the place, but visited as a kid with my parents back in the 60’s when the Ilijanich’s (owners) lived in an apartment over the hotel.
I don’t have a problem with them tearing down this particular building. It would just be nice if once and a while you read about them tearing something down to make way for the new whatever building.. Not a parking lot or garbage enclosure!
Remember in the late 50’s as children, peaking in the door in the afternoon trying to get my grandpa’s attention to come home. Front doors were divided between Gents and Ladies & Escorts.
Shane i agree 100% with what you say but unfortunately as long as we have the present regime at city hall thats all were gonna see parking lot after parking lot!
we’re developing a case of “detroititus” lots of places to park… nothing to go to.
My grandpa used to work there. I think he used to shovel
Coal into the furnace waaaaaaaay back when.
I really hope that wood us salvaged.
With the recent Erie Street makeover, on street parking has been greatly reduced in numbers. Off street parking lots have now become the priority. It will most likely be set up with a pay station. The parking sharks will patrol this new lot with vengence and slap a $15 dollar time limit ticket on your vehicle, day or night. Now that’s progress !
Sorry, revision from my mom. I guess my grandpa’s family
Owned the Grand long ago, along with all the Spartacus in that
Corner of Erie and Howard! My grandpa shoveled coal in the basement
Of the apartments.
That was a neat thing to learn. So, damn….. That’s my families history
Coming down 🙁
Sparticus? I ment apartments! Stupid iPod!
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.
earl amyotte made it fun to save babies. sounds like an oxymoron but its not. picketting abortion doctors homes and the hospitals ( slaughter houses ) were events to look forward to. earl amyotte would be there. earl amyotte would have WITTY comments to say back to the motorists driving onto the sidewalk to try and run us over for trying to save unborn BABIES. earl amyotte made you look forward to the event. when the picketting was over you felt GOOD inside for being there. earl amyotte was a BIG part of that experience. his shining light gave me the will to picket by myself. at times when i decided to go lone ranger and picket alone, i always felt earl there in spirit with me. he was still alive back then, but because of earls guidance i decided, the HECK with it. im going out there without earl. these were spur of the moment decisions on my part. didnt have time to track earl down. earl liked to eat and have an adult beverage along with a cigar. after picketting hed say lets go for a beer and a burger. when he ordered his burger the waitress would ask, what would you like on your burger ? earl would simply answer, DRAG IT THROUGH THE GARDEN. he had a keen GIFT OF THE GAB. i miss the man to this day. you always felt like like earl was your relative even though you werent related. real down to earth person that always made you feel RELAXED. if youre ever in windsor ontario, visit earl in the ST. THERESA section of heavenly rest cemetery. go to the office and theyll help you locate his grave. say a prayer for earls soul. im sure hed be delighted and im sure he will pray for you to help you in this life. MAY HE REST IN PEACE. EDWARD BUSKO