The Stollerys men’s wear store which has been at Yonge and Bloor Sts. for  114 years years is closing.  It appears the Stollery family has given in to the pressure of developers to sell the prized corner property.  Stollerys says on its web site that it thanks its “loyal customers” for their patronage over the years and confirms the closing. “Stollerys store is closing.”  The Globe and Mail quotes David McKenzie, sales manager, that a date is not yet set for the shutdown, but it could be in January or February. “We still have a lot of stock.”  The old building has seen Toronto history. For many years the uptown location housed radio station CFRB on its second floor. A third story in glass was then added. The Globe and Mail quotes industry observers that the store is “tired and in need of an update” which may be true but those who know the family say it is certainly not in distress of any kind. Stollerys is described in Wikipedia as an “old Yorkville family”, which owns the “famous furnishings store” named Stollerys which opened in 1901 in downtown Toronto. Peter Stollery, the founder’s grandson, worked on and off at the haberdashery for 24 years, first as a furnishings’ man and eventually as a manager from 1965 to 1968 after his father, Alan Stollery, died suddenly. His attachment to these roots explain his later designation in the Canadian Senate as Senator for “Bloor and Yonge”, the intersection at which the store is located. Before entering public life, Stollery also worked as a teacher in Algeria and travel writer for Maclean’s. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and a Member of the National Liberal Club in London. Photos: Top as Stollerys appears today, below as it was the early 1900s when owned by Frank Stollery. 

Toronto Police have released what surely has to be the closest thing to a portrait picture of  a man wanted for a bank robbery August 28, 2014. Photo technology just gets better at catching people coming and going from banks and elsewhere. This man is said to have waked into a CIBC on Islington Ave. and demanded money by way of a crumpled note. He was given some money and left the bank, walking westbound on Rathburn Road.   No weapon was seen. He is described as 5’9″ to 5’11”, 190 to 200 lbs., heavy build, moustache, and has facial hair. He was wearing a black pullover hoodie and black baggy pants. All we can say is this picture is so good they ought to make the guy pay for it.