A&W Root Beer

 

Location: 2856 Dundas Street West

Date photo taken: 27 January 2024

In case it's not obvious, what you're looking at here is a door handle. I love the quirkiness of it and the nostalgic look and it seemed like a good post for the current times.  

With the tariff turmoil we're all experiencing lately, and the desire to buy Canadian, A&W has been put forward as a good alternative to American fast food chains. I was bit confused when I first Googled for confirmation as the first thing I saw were ads featuring mugs like this one but bearing the slogan "All American Food." That's because there are A&W restaurants in the U.S. and they are American. A&W in Canada started out as part of that same American company but it's now completely separate and 100% Canadian owned and operated and has been for decades. So go ahead and enjoy that frosty mug.

Raccoons

 

Location: Quinn's Steak House & Irish Bar, 96 Richmond Street West

Date photo taken: 27 March 2021

While it might not be immediately obvious, this post carries on the St. Patrick's week tradition of highlighting Guinness advertising around the city. I chose to crop out the actual glass of Guinness to keep the focus on Emily May Rose's raccoons. I feel like she's nailed them. I mean, it's probably just a matter of time before they start using paint to mark their territories. I'm sure they've already figured out how to operate a spray can.

Pizza Pizza

Location: Broadview & Danforth

Date photo taken: 3 June 2019

I just love the little pizza-tossing figures in this signage and I'm so happy that even though this location looks just like every other Pizza Pizza from the front, this eye-catching signage was retained on the side. The colour palette is different and the "i"s looked more like regular letters, but the script style here matches that on the sign which hung above the original location at Wellesley and Parliament, which opened in 1967. Here are some other fun facts from the archived version of the Pizza Pizza corporate history site: 

• In 1967 Pizza Pizza worked with a car upholsterer to create the world's first insulated pizza delivery bag.
• The famous 11-11 phone number was introduced in 1975 and worked into the catchy jingle in 1978.

 

Blast from the Past - Lick's Homeburgers & Ice Cream

 

Location: 1585 The Queensway

Date photo taken: 12 May 2014

This week's post offers up a double dose of nostalgia. Licks was a Canadian fast food chain that offered up better than average food, including their meatless Natureburger and decadent milkshakes. The chain actually started with a single ice cream parlour, opened in 1978. The 1970s, especially the later years, experienced a spate of 1950s inspired movies, music and television (think Grease and Sha Na Na) which carried over to general culture, and obviously influenced the branding at Licks. I just love the nostalgic vibes coming off this sign! 

When I snapped this picture, the chain's decline was already well advanced, with the flagship location having closed in 2012 and many of the franchises closing in the subsequent year. While they have largely disappeared, Licks' demise was not total. A Google search has revealed a lone Lick's Homeburgers & Ice Cream on the Golden Mile, and according to their menu, their milkshakes are still made with real ice cream.

Fire happens fast

Location: Sherbourne, between King and Adelaide

Date photo taken: 5 August 2020

I stopped and did a double take when I saw this ad. Not because I thought the building was on fire, but I wanted a closer look. This isn't a peel, running up the brick and onto the windows. There are no windows on this wall. The ad was created to match the wall colour and the size, placement and detail of the windows perfectly. Well done Publicis Media.

After Work is Guinness Time

Location: Leader Lane, between Wellington and King

Date photo taken: 28 February 2019

Located on quiet, narrow Leader Lane, this massive Guinness ad can catch you by surprise. Stumbling across it almost feels like finding an Easter egg. If you love it enough to want to carry it around with you, I noticed that someone is selling tote bags and other items featuring a snap of the wall.

Chimney Sweeps

Location: above Young People's Theatre, 165 Front St. E.
Date photo taken: 23 November 2018

I love this rooftop treatment, advertising the current production on stage at Young People's Theatre. Mary Poppins, which has been on stage since November 5, has broken all sales records for this 53 year old company. Onstage until January 6, they've added extra shows over the holiday season so there may still be a chance to catch it. Even if you're not seeing a show, it's worth checking out the building if you're in the neighbourhood. The front windows contain displays of costumes from the 2017 production of Beauty and the Beast.  I particularly love the Mrs. Potts.

Sick Kids VS Limits Campaign

Location: north side of Adelaide between Church and Jarvis
Date photo taken: 24 October 2017

In October 2017 SickKids Foundation launched the largest fundraising campaign in Canadian health care history. A very visible part of the campaign was the painting of murals in locations across the city. Reaction to the gritty, battle-themed murals was mixed. A lot people loved them for their stereotype-busting, empowering message. Others found them disturbing. In response, the hospital stated that "the fight metaphor at core is not meant to claim that every kid should be a fighter, but rather that at SickKids we’re fighting for every kid."

The goal of the campaign is to raise $1.3 billion dollars to build a new hospital building. The original Hospital For Sick Children was built on University Avenue in 1949 and at the time it was the largest children's hospital in the world. It is still one of the world's largest pediatric research hospitals.

This mural was painted by Omen 514 with assistance from Nick Sweetman, Earth Crusher, Poser and Five 8. Unfortunately its presence at this location was relatively short-lived.

Beer in Toronto - Muddy York Brewing Co.

Location: 22 Cranfield Rd.

Date photo taken: 21 March 2017

Toronto is home to over 60 craft breweries which means that it's a good place to be if you're a beer fan. Distribution across the city is markedly uneven however and if you live in East York, your options are limited. Luckily, one of the choices is Muddy York Brewing Co. It's a small batch brewery located in an industrial park between O'Connor Drive and the Don Valley. One thing that sets them apart is that while they offer a range of different types of beers, their mainstays are more traditional styles often overlooked by other brewers. Personal favourites of mine in this category include Muddy York Porter and Major Small Best Bitter. Opened in 2013, they've slowly been expanding their operations and now their location includes a retail bottle shop. Perfect for stocking up for the long weekend!

Time for a Pint

Location: Murphy's Law, Queen St. E. and Kingston Rd.

Date photo taken: 23 July 2016

Starting in the 1930s the Guinness beer company ran a series of ads based on zoo animals and their hapless keeper who couldn't seem to hold on to his beer. Images included an ostrich swallowing a Guinness, glass and all, and a sea lion balancing a pint on his nose. Most enduring of the animals however was the toucan. It went on to be featured in television ads in the 1970s and 80s and according to one business magazine, it became almost as synonymous with the brand as the harp on the label.  So even though this clock face doesn't specify the brewery, it won't be a surprise to many to see Guinness on tap at this bar. This campaign along with many others for Guinness was envisioned and executed by artist and illustrator John Gilroy.

A Guinness a day

Location: the side of McVeigh's at Church and Adelaide
Date photo taken: 3 February 2013

This mural is a recreation of one of Guinness' earliest beer ads. It features seven glasses of Guinness, one for each day of the week. The tagline which ran at the bottom of the ad was "Guinness is good for you". Print ads of the time advertised Guinness as a promoter of health, noting that "Guinness builds strong muscles. It feeds exhausted nerves. It enriches the blood. Doctors affirm that Guinness is a valuable restorative after Influenza and other weakening illnesses. Guinness is a valuable natural aid in cases of insomnia."

This mural was one of two that used to grace the Church Street wall of McVeigh's Irish Pub, a family-run Toronto institution for over 50 years. The bottom two floors of the building were refreshed with black paint last year and the murals were painted over. Large cut-outs of pints of Guinness still remind you that good health can be had, or at least toasted to, inside.

Senator Restaurant Mural

Location: South-facing wall of the Senator Restaurant, Victoria St south of Dundas
Date photo taken: 19 August 2014
Image 15 in the Mural Series

This large mural on the Senator Restaurant is a marketing piece that pre-dates Toronto's recent infatuation with civically-funded mural projects. It was painted by Bill Wrigley, who launched Wrigley Designs back in 1980. This mural was done in 1987, making it over 25 years old. It's stood up very well and I happen to think the overall weathering and muting of the colours suit the vintage design. If you want to see what it looked like back when it was freshly done, visit Wrigley's website.

The Walking Red

Location: Outside The Wine Rack, Jarvis & King
Date photo taken: 7 April 2014

Red wine and The Walking Dead, two of my favourite things on one sign. How could I not love it? It certainly caught my eye but it wasn't the first chalk board to grab me at this location. Previously I was stopped dead in my tracks by Audrey Hepburn. These wine-related takes on popular culture are the work of Scott Lucescu, a Toronto-based illustrator who started doing these boards for The Wine Rack about 2 years ago. Check out his website to see the latest Walking Red board and more including Breakfast at Zinffany's and my favourite,Where the Wine Things Are.