A piece of Toronto’s retail past vanished quietly from a prominent corner – the iconic plaques of the Hudson’s Bay Company, once emblazoned on its flagship store at Yonge and Queen Streets, have been removed.
The disappearance sparked immediate reaction, a wave of concern from prominent figures who recognized the symbolic weight of the signage. It wasn’t about the building itself, a recognized architectural landmark, but the erasure of a visible link to a beloved department store’s history.
The story isn’t as straightforward as it seems. These weren’t relics from the Hudson’s Bay Company’s 17th-century origins. The plaques were relatively recent additions, installed in 1991 after the Simpsons brand – a Toronto institution in its own right – was retired.
Beneath the removed signage, a ghost of the past has begun to reappear. The faded outlines of the “Simpsons” name are now visible on the building’s stone facade, a subtle reminder of the store that dominated that corner for nearly a century.
City officials confirmed the plaques didn’t qualify for heritage protection. Their primary concern now is ensuring the removal was done properly, preventing water damage and preserving the building’s integrity for future tenants and their signage.
The building’s history is rich and layered. Designed by Toronto architect Edmund Burke and construction beginning in 1894, it originally housed the Robert Simpson Company store, a prime example of the Chicago School of Architecture. A stunning art deco addition followed in 1928, further solidifying its architectural significance.
Hudson’s Bay acquired the building in 1978, and it was officially designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1976. However, that designation didn’t extend to the later commercial signage.
Another piece of the store’s history recently found a new home: a plaque honoring Bay and Simpsons employees who lost their lives in the Second World War was donated to the Royal Canadian Legion, ensuring its preservation.
The removal of the Hudson’s Bay plaques highlights a delicate balance – preserving a building’s architectural heritage while allowing for its evolution and the expression of new identities. The city and building owner, Cadillac Fairview, are working to find an appropriate way to acknowledge the site’s retail past.
The debate isn’t about whether the building is worthy of preservation, but about remembering the layers of history embedded within its walls – a testament to the changing face of Toronto’s retail landscape.
