1068-1070 Queen Street West is a three-storey Second Empire style building located at the northwest corner of Fennings Street and Queen Street West in the West Queen West District of Toronto. 

The City of Toronto Historical Directories indicate that the first building at the northwest corner of Fennings Street and Queen Street West was constructed in 1881 and first occupied by 1882. However, while an 1884 Fire Insurance Plans indicate a brick building with a footprint matching the existing building, an 1890 Fire Insurance Plan indicate a wooden structure with a footprint that less precisely matches the extant building's. This could be due to innacurate mapping. The City of Toronto Heritage Preservation Services estimates the date of construction as 1889 in the Inclusion on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register - Properties within the West Queen West and Parkdale Main Street Areas Report (November 2020). 

In 1889, the building first appears in the directories as having three distinct commercial units and the uses shift entirely from residential to commercial. These three commercial units were consolidated into two commercial units during the mid 20th century. The property was number 924-922 Queen Street West until given its current address between 1885 and 1890. (Interestingly, 1068 Queen Street west was the original, pre-1889 address of The Gladstone Hotel.) A one-storey building is attached to the north side of 1068 Queen Street West, likely built in the mid-to-late 20th century, and is known as 2B Fennings Street. The storefront of 1068 Queen Street West appears to have been vacant since the late 1980s or 1990s and bears signage for La Abuela D' Peruvian-Canadian restaurant.

As of 1882, the occupants of 1068-1070 Queen Street West were:  

1068 Queen Street West: John B. Campbell – a watchman at the Grand Trunk Railway. 

1070 Queen Street West: Dr. Francis J. Patterson – a dentist. Both Dr. Patterson's practice and residence were located on site. 

Between 1884 and 1887, 1068 Queen Street West was used as a hotel owned and operated by Peter Edward Callen. Callen later owned the Grand Central Hotel on Simcoe Street at the turn of the 20th century. Following use as a hotel, 1068 Queen Street West was used as J. C. Robb's butcher shop in 1888, prior to Robb moving next door to 1070 Queen Street West in 1889.  

Between 1883 and 1887, 1070 Queen Street West was a private residence. 1070 Queen Street West was briefly used as a boarding house operated by John Bremmer in 1888.

As of 1889, the occupants of 1068-1070½ Queen Street West were: 

1068 Queen Street West: William Shields & Company - importers and merchants of liqueurs and wines. William Shields & Company was based here until 1895. William Shields and his family lived above the shop during this period. William Shields was born around 1844/1851 in Scotland and died in Toronto in 1922. He was married to Margaret (Maggie) Shields (born 1863). The couple had at least one child - a son – who was born in 1890/1891. The family was Presbyterian. In 1896, Wililam Shields & Company relocated to 653 Queen Street West and the family were residing at 109 Markham Street. 

1070 Queen Street West: James C. Robb (J. C. Robb) - a  butcher. 1070 Queen Street West remained in use as a butcher up under various shopkeepers until 1895.

1070½ Queen Street West: Sam Sing - a laundry. By 1890, this laundry was operated by Mun Lee. Sing and Lee were likely some of the first Chinese-Canadian merchants on West Queen West. 

Later Occupants and Uses: 

Occupants in 1890:

1068 Queen Street West: William Shields & Company (see above for details).

1070 Queen Street West: Elizabeth Owens – a butcher. 

1070½ Queen Street West: Mun Lee – a laundry (see above for details). 

Occupants in 1895:

1068 Queen Street West: William Shields & Company (see above for details). Frank Addison was also a residential tenant as of 1895.

1070 Queen Street West: John McGurk – a butcher.

1070½ Queen Street West: Thomas J. Emerson - a shoemaker. 

Occupants in 1897:

1068 Queen Street West: Andrew Davey – a grocer.

1070-1070½ Queen Street West: Kate Milloy – a grocer. 

Occupants in 1900:

1068 Queen Street West: Vacant

1070 Queen Street West: John Perkins - a florist.

1070½ Queen Street West: Thomas W. Emerson - a shoemaker. Emerson's residence was nearby at 9 Argyle Street.

Occupants in 1910:

1068 Queen Street West: Frank M. McKernan - flour dealer and merchant. McKernan's residence was upstairs during this period in time.

1068½ Queen Street West: William McKernan - barber.

1070 Queen Street West: Samuel Webber - a hardware merchant. 

Occupants in 1920:

1068 Queen Street West: Frank M. McKernan - flour dealer and merchant. McKernan's residence was upstairs during this period in time.

1068½ Queen Street West: William McKernan - barber.

1070 Queen Street West: Samuel Webber - a hardware merchant. 

Occupants in 1930:

1068 Queen Street West: B. Angelo - fruit and produce merchant. 

1068½ Queen Street West: A. Maynard - barber.

1070 Queen Street West: Annie Webber and Samuel Webber - hardware merchants.

Occupants in 1940:

1068 Queen Street West: Parkdale Confectionary - a confectionary shop owned by Mike Hoag.

1068½ Queen Street West: Parkdale Shoe Repair - a cobbling business owned by Michael J. and Eften J. Chicules. 

1070 Queen Street West: Joseph Shubinsky - dry goods; and Harry Gemmell - a watchman at the Metallic Roofing Company - who was an upstairs tenant. 

Occupants in 1950:

1068 Queen Street West: Leonard Nocitra - a fruit and produce merchant. Upstairs tenants were: Robert Grassing - an employee of the Canadian Pacific Railway; and Howard Patterson - an employee at Standard Steel. The Rose Marie Beverage Company was based at the rear of the property. 

1068½ Queen Street West: Parkdale Shoe Repair.

1070 Queen Street West: Joseph Shubinsky - dry goods.

Occupants in 1960:

1068 Queen Street West: Vacant.

1068A Queen Street West (Rear): Sunnyside Beverages. 

1068A Queen Street West: Onufry Petryshyn.

1070 Queen Street West: Joseph Shubinsky - dry goods.

Occupants in 1969:

1068 Queen Street West: Deep Sea Fish and Chips and Jack Wong. Sunnyside Beverages was based at the rear of the property. 

1068A Queen Street West: Natalie Gourelet, Stephen Pakaluk, and Beth Skulmoski. 

1070 Queen Street West: Vacant.

Occupants c. 1974:

In 1974, Gyoza Kaikan - a Japanese restaurant - was based at 1068 Queen Street West.

Occupants between 1983 and 1985:

Circa. 1983-1985, 1068 Queen Street West was home to Robert Restaurant, which was run by Roberto Nagata. The Robert Restaurant had a "coffee shop atmosphere" and specialized in Chino-Latino foods, particularly Peruvian dishes. The restaurant could seat up to 22. A 1985 restaurant review has been attached to this entry.

Occupants c. 1988:

In March 1988, a patio license was applied for by German Cruces for La Abuela D' Restaurant at 1068 Queen Street West. Further research is required to determine how long the La Abuela D' Restaurant was in operation. Notably, the La Abuela D' sign remains on the exterior of 1068 Queen Street West despite the storefront appearing to be in disuse / vacant for many years. 

Occupants 1988 to present:

1068 Queen Street West: The storefront at 1068 Queen Street West appears to be in disuse and has remained in the same general state since the late 1980s or 1990s. It is unclear at present if the upstairs of the building is actively used as a residence. 

1070 Queen Street West: Bar Fancy is/was the most recent commercial tenant of 1070 Queen Street West. The upstairs space may be used residentially.

Of note is that many merchants associated with this building - particularly prior to the mid-20th century - had their residences located above the shops. 

A Note on Fennings Street: Fennings Street was named after John Fennings Taylor (1817-1882). Taylor married Mary Elizabeth Sophia Denison, the daughter of Colonel Taylor Denison I – an early landowner in the area. The street is spelled "Fennings" in the 1881 Directory, "Fenning" in that of 1882, and "Fenning's" in the Fire Insurance Maps for 1884 and 1890.

(Research by Adam Wynne.)