© Dennis J Quesnel, Kingsville ON
A couple of reader submitted photos today. These show the old Crown Submarine on Dougall Ave. The business was closed and awaiting demolition for the Walmart store that’s there today. This photo would have been taken probably about 2000.
© Dennis J Quesnel, Kingsville ON
Anyone out there remember Crown Submarine or Nick who worked there?
I remember this place, it was run by twin brothers, I think they were Greek. Me and most of the other South Windsor teenage hoodlums in the 70s and 80s would often end up here when the late night munchies hit. Not bad subs but the buns were so stale…
I do. I used to go there when I had a girlfriend in south Windsor. That was probably around 1989-90. They made pretty good subs. There was a furniture store further south in the plaza behind it.
The subs reminded me of Calais subs which used to be where Pizza pizza is on Tecumseh rd next door to Catholic Central. I always wondered if they were brothers.
Wow. I drive by this every day, but only since 2005 and sporadically before then. I don’t remember these at all along Dougall. I know nothing about Crown Submarine, and I don’t remember a Sir Cedric’s there, or the BK and Swiss Chalet either. I do remember the crappy old Taco Bell I spy in the background though!
How many Sir Cedric’s where there anyways? I know University is still open, but they also had locations on Huron Church and in LaSalle too.
Cool shot.
It was built the same time as Gateway Plaza as a shoe repair and Dry cleaning business.I think it was Calas Shoe repair.Maybe some of the old guys can help.
This part of South Windsor has definitely changed quite a bit. I think the Sir Cedric’s there was also a Sub place back in the 80s-90s. Think it was Tubby’s Submarine? Might have been something else before that. I think that Sir Cedric’s location was very short lived.
That BK location was torn down in the early 2000s and moved South closer to the Beer store. The Swiss Chalet was torn down around the same time and moved out to Walker/Provincial area.
What a great blast from the past. I will always remember Nick the owner, and how he used to pronounce the word onion. “You want O-yon?!” Or, “Where da party tonight?”
Ah yes, Nick and Steve. Many a Saturday night ended at Crown Sub. The adjoining business behind Crown was Kalas Shoe Repair (at least at one time). I heard that the owner of the builiding, Mr. Kalas, won the lottery and sold everything afterward.
If I remember correctly, the Burger King in the background was built in late 1985 or 1986, a replacement of sorts for the BK that used to exist a little further North on Dougall, just past the expressway (70’s). If I’m not mistaken, the BK pictured used to house the old Frank Vetere’s Pizza restaurant.
The Taco Bell was bulit in the Summer of 1980 and opened for business in the early Fall. The partial shot of the building pictured to the right of Crown Sub was a Pizza Hut – this was built in 1986 or 1987.
All of these buildings came down to accommodate the new WalMart – recall, the old WalMart was housed in the Woolco building (since demolished, now parking lot North of and including Moore’s).
Great pics – keep ’em coming.
Just north of these eateries (before you reach West Grand) there was an H. Salt Fish & Chips where the current Capri Pizza is. In the early 80’s, while still students, my husband and I used to eat there using a 2-for-1 coupon that enabled us to get a full meal for a ridiculously low price. We leave more now for a tip for an average dinner for two than we paid for that entire meal.
We also regularly stopped in for subs at Crown Sub and remember the brothers well.
Great pics. Thanks for the memories.
Sir Cedric’s used to be Country Style Donuts. Country Style started where Valente Real Estate is now (Dougall Road). It originally opened in the late 1960’s when the large parking lot it was located at was where the A & P grocery store was. Because the location became isolated (after the A & P closed) it was relocated next to the sub place. It closed when Country Style Donuts pulled out of Windsor years ago. It stayed vacant for a while until Sir Cedric’s opened. It closed again when Walmart bought all that property and demolished everything for their new store. And yes, that Burger King opened in the spring of 1986. My wife started her first job when that store opened. The funny thing about that is my daughter started her first job when the A & W opened. (Of course after the Taco Bell was demolished and moved next door.) Kalas shoes repair was originally located where the Crown Sub place was. The building was split and they took up residency in the back portion and Crown in the front. Crown was a great place to go. You have to remember that Subway hadn’t arrived in Windsor yet so you were limited where you could get a good sub. And the funny thing about the Frank Veteres pizza place was that when Pizza Hut was coming to Windsor they went in and bought all of the old Frank Veteres. But they just missed buying the one on Dougall Road because Burger King beat them to it. All in the past now because all are gone. (By the way who took this picture? Looks like it was taken from inside a car.)
great photo, my hood, and we ate there often….
I met my husband for the first time at that Swiss Chalet in 2000…actually, it was in the parking lot next to the Burger King, but we had lunch at Swiss Chalet.
I don’t remember a Sir Cedric’s being there at all. Then again, I wasn’t living here between 1996 and 2000, so it must have been in that era.
Marty, you are correct, Sir Cedric’s was Country Time Donuts. There was a Tubby’s Submarine in that general area for a very short period of time around 1997-1998, though. I just can’t remember what building it was in.
When I google Tubby’s Submarine Windsor I find outdated listings stating it was at 3041 Dougall which would place it across the street, but I don’t remember it on the west side of the street at all.
Does anybody else remember a Tubby’s Submarine in this block or am I just going crazy?
Things have changed much along this strip over last 45 years. Does anyone remember Scally’s gas station that was demolished when they built E C Row? Very friendly group. And A&W. Also, the Beaver car wash near the beer store. Remember going there with my father and collecting the Beaver stamps in one of those paper booklets fro a free car wash.
The Beaver gas station was converted to a Shell back in the late 80s, but the original structure stood until about 2000-2001 or so when it was torn down in favour of the modern shell station.
Interestingly though the old original large sign survived (although it was obviously rebranded to shell). Anybody know the story of the old Beaver sign? Does it have a heritage designation or something? Just seems so strange that it outlived the gas station/car wash buildings.
These pics bring back memories. I can only remember getting food from Sir Cedric’s a few times but definitely remember getting donuts from Country Style as mentioned and getting food from Crown Submarine, Burger King, Swiss Chalet & Taco Bell what seems like thousands of times combined. The funny thing is, even though this pic wasn’t that long ago, I’d completely forgotten the BK was there until I saw it.
This also brings to thought doesn’t it seem like the Harvey’s across the street badly needs to be the next one to be rebuilt already?. It seems so old.
David, regarding the gas station: I believe if you take a look here, in John’s Flickr stream, you’ll find pictures of it alobg an abandonned stretch of South Cameron. http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/tiz68/sets/72157604186721966/
Hope that link works for you, I’m on my ipod and may have messed it up! lol
I think the photo was taken quite a bit earlier than 2000. That was the Burger King logo that was in use from 1969-1994.
Great memory, after a night at The Riv in the 70s, it was either Arcata Pizza to burn away the roof of your mouth on right-out-of-the-oven pizza, The Red Barn, or subs at Crown where the twin brothers would mess with our heads with one serving at the counter and the other hiding out back, then switching roles, until we figured out they were twins! Wasn’t easy on .25 cent Riviera draft! Ha. And yes ” you vant oy-nee-ons?” was a tough question at 2 am! There was a also a Chinese restaurant near Arcata for a while, where the poor owners took tons of terrible verbal abuse from drunks. Anyone remember Murray’s Drugs on Dougall near Grand Marais? The old house on the corner? Zakoor’s fruits and ice cream? Of course, Ashton’s Motel, where we’d go “look at the books” until the diner chef chased us out… That whole Dougall strip changed so many times, from Norfolk to Sentry.. I remember the B/A at the corner of “3rd” Concession and Dougall, Skally’s, the Esso which became the first Burger King, the motels between “3rd” and Sentry where many of the poorer kids from Northwood lived… Woolco of course was a big hangout and had a great 45 rpm and LP section… Not to mention meeting your girlfriend at the Red Grill… Countrystyle Donuts where the baked goods had nicotine in them from all the smokers… the old A and W, of course The Riv, H Salt and Frank Vetere’s in the early 80s.. How about Maria the fish/pet lady in the back corner of Sentry? Never understood why they ripped down Swiss Chalet? The Red Barn became McDonald’s… I used to work at both Consumers Distributing near Sentry and ShopRite on Dougall near the Red Barn… Dougall “ran through our lives!” Come to think of it I even played bass for THE DOUGALLS band! Great memories everyone – thanks
Is that the Burgerking that was real close to the ec row expressway ???? Was it moved to the front of were woolco used to be ???
The original Burger King was located on the east side of Dougall slightly north of the expressway.The property was later developed into Families First Funeral Home who eventually re-located further south on Dougall.At last check,the property was still for sale.
I vaguely remember that Burger King but this goes back to the early 80’s? I remember Preney Print and Litho and some sort of golf store being around there. Seems like a terrible spot for any retailer due to the traffic island preventing left turns by people heading south on Dougall.
I believe the first Burger King in Canada is/was the one at Tecumseh and Lauzon.
The eventual installation of the traffic island is what helped closed what was in the ’70s one of the busiest Burger Kings in Windsor. I remember going there with my parents when I was a child. It’s a pretty interesting explore back there with plenty of remnants of the pasts; and covered elsewhere on I.M. (see post about South Cameron ghost street).
I recall that the Burger King just east of Crysler on Tecumseh Rd.notth side was first.
WOW, i remember this sub place very well especially after a weekend of good times! the crown sub place with the greek brothers Nick & Steve. the “onions” phrase on how they said it was just great ,no doubt- i remember nick saying “you like de onyons” and yes he allways asked “where da pary tonight” you guys made great subs!!! with the onyons of course LOL. and there buns were fresh, they were just crusty.
Does anyone know what it is that has happned to the Brothers Twin, Nick and Steve?