Description:

1192 Queen Street West is a 2-to-2.5 storey Georgian Revival building on the north side of Queen Street West between Gladstone Avenue and Northcote Avenue in the West Queen West neighbourhood of Toronto. 1192 Queen Street West was constructed in 1885/1886. 

1192 Queen Street West contains an ornate stained glass window across the top of its storefront.

Prior to 1890, 1192 Queen Street West was known as 1048 Queen Street West.  

When first constructed, 1192 Queen Street West was abutted by George Rathbone's planing mills and lumber yard to the east and Andrew Shannon's coal and wood yard to the west. These yards were infilled with development by the late 1880s and early 1890s. 

Early Occupants and Uses: 

1192 Queen Street West first housed the grocery shop and residence of James Davie. Davie was in business for approximately 1-to-2 years. His son — James Davie Jr., employed as a clerk — also lived on site.

1885/1886:

1192 Queen Street West: James Davie — grocer. 

1886/1887:

1192 Queen Street West: Ivers & Company — dry goods.

1887/1888:

1192 Queen Street West: Mitchell & Ryan — flour dealers.

1888/1889:

1192 Queen Street West: G. S. Mitchell — flour merchant.

1889/1890:

1192 Queen Street West: Charles A. Mitchell — flour merchant.

Later Occupants and Uses: 

Please note the following list of former occupants and uses is not exhaustive of all former occupants and uses and aims to provide a general overview. Dates are also approximate. 

Circa. 1894/1895:

1192 Queen Street West: J. B. Richards — a barber.

Circa. 1899/1900:

1192 Queen Street West: J. B. Richards — a barber.

Circa 1909/1910:

1192 Queen Street West: R. J. Poyntz — a butcher.

Circa 1919/1920:

1192 Queen Street West: Vito Spatafaro — fruit store.

Circa 1929/1930:

1192 Queen Street West: Samuel Adams — fruit store.

Circa 1939/1940:

1192 Queen Street West: Samuel Adams — fruit store.

Circa 1949/1950:

1192 Queen Street West: Adams Fruit Store and Samuel Adams.

Circa 1959/1960:

1192 Queen Street West: Honest Ned's Clothing; and Timothy A. Eaton — a painter.

Circa 1968/1969:

1192 Queen Street West: Universe Trading Company — wholesale grocers; and Timothy A. Eaton — a painter.

2006-2020:

Between 2006 and July/August 2020, 1192 Queen Street West housed The Beaver. The Beaver was a gay and queer bar that was established in 2006 by queer artist and scene promoter Will Munro and Lee Palace staffer Lynn MacNeill. 

The Beaver was part of the Queer West: Bathurst to Gladstone district and one of several gay and queer bars to open in the west end during the 2000s. Reportedly, The Beaver was the first gay and queer bar to be located west of Yonge Street in many years. The Beaver was also an important venue in the West End for Toronto's drag scenes. The Beaver closed in June 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdowns. 

Present Day (January 2022):

1192 Queen Street is presently vacant.

(Research by Adam Wynne)