In today’s vlog, I revisit a place I’ve known as long as I can remember. My dad, although he was born in Montreal, was brought up in a unique live/work situation. They had a building on the south side of Dundas, east of Runnymede. It was their glove factory – they made gloves for the railwaymen. The Junction got its name because it was the junction of 4 rail lines. Grandpa also had a retail outlet in the same building, called the Queen’s City Leatherworks. They sold the gloves they made, which they also wholesaled and as well they supplied rail workers witih overalls and work socks and so on. Behind the retail and the glove-making equipment, there was an open large dining room and a kitchen. Bedrooms were upstairs.

When my father decided to start his own storm window business he set up shop across the street. I remember Frank Lynett, from the funeral home across the way, coming into the window shop. He just stopped by for some chit-chat. My dad called out, “put that measuring tape away Frankie, I’m not ready to go yet!”

In those days, when Dad’s business was running full tilt, my mom was helping out at the shop. She was very good at assembling sash. There was no daycare. They brought me in to work. I had to stay away from all the glass and machines so I played in the vacant lot next door and in the lanes with the Junction kids.

In this video, I walk by the place where my dad’s business was located, and continue on a loop including the laneway between Dundas and Maria Streets. Lynett’s is still there, though they sold out many years ago. Marsh’s Stoves, once Marsh’s Hardware, is still there. The Nissan, formerly Datsun dealership have been around for a long time. So has the barbershop, though likely different people running both now. Jumbo Burger is still on Runnymede, but the original guys who ran it have sold.

I have many memories here.