Description: 

181-187 Dundas Street West is a row of four, 2-storey houses located on the south side of Dundas Street West between Chestnut Street and Centre Avenue in Toronto. 181-187 Dundas Street West were constructed as residential properties in 1880 (± 1 year) and underwent modifications to add ground floor storefronts in c. 1914 (albeit early and light commercial uses - such as a tailor's and dressmaker's shop - were based out of the houses by the late 19th century). 181-187 Dundas Street West are in a Gothic Revival style. The exteriors have been painted, although masonry patterns are visible underneath the paint — including a coursing along the second floor (potentially polychrome highlights) and arches (both above the second floor windows and underneath the storefront signage).

181-187 Dundas Street West are rare surviving buildings which were historically part of the St. John's Ward (The Ward) neighbourhood. Further information on The Ward has been included below.

181-187 Dundas Street West have undergone a number of address changes over time. Past addresses include: 109-115 Agnes Street (pre-1890), 117-123 Agnes Street (1890 - early 1910s), and 145-151 Agnes Street (early 1910s to 1918). The present-day address - 181-187 Dundas Street West - has been used since 1918.


Agnes Street in The Ward: 

181-187 Dundas Street West are situated within the historical St. John's Ward (The Ward) neighbourhood. The Ward was bounded by College Street to the north, Queen Street West to the south, University Avenue to the west, and Yonge Street to the East.

The Ward Museum has provided the following overview of The Ward: 

"The Ward (officially “St. John’s Ward”) was the area in Toronto where early immigrant communities first settled. It was a densely populated neighbourhood in what is now downtown Toronto. The Ward was home to refugees from the Irish Potato Famine, Americans who escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad, and Russian and Eastern European refugees. From the late 19th century to the 1920s, it was also the centre of Toronto’s Jewish and Italian communities, and the site of Toronto’s first Chinatown."

Prior to 1918, the section of Dundas Street West between Yonge Street and University Avenue was known as Agnes Street. Agnes Street was a central east-west street within The Ward and contained a mix of commercial, institutional, and residential properties. In 1918, Agnes Street was incorporated with twelve other east-west streets to create the modern Dundas Street. Following the creation of modern day Dundas Street West, some retailers along former Agnes Street began to advertise the area as a "new fashionable shopping district."  

Dundas Street West (formerly Agnes Street (between Bay Street and University Avenue)) and Elm Street contain some of the last surviving buildings from St. John's Ward (The Ward). 

Emergence of Little Tokyo:  

During the early-to-mid 2010s, Dundas Street West (between Bay Street and University Avenue) emerged as "Little Tokyo" - a district with a number of Japanese restaurants and businesses. This trend has continued through the early 2020s.


Former Residents and Uses:  

Please note this section aims to provide a general overview of the properties' use over time. Dates are also approximate.

1879/1880:

181 Dundas Street West:  Jonathan McNair - a cabinetmaker

183 Dundas Street West: J. R. Aylett - a bookbinder

185 Dundas Street West: No Data 

187 Dundas Street West: William Price - a labourer.


1880/1881:

181 Dundas Street West: Jonathan McNair - a cabinetmaker.

183 Dundas Street West: J. R. Aylett - a bookbinder. 

185 Dundas Street West: Samuel Ball - a goldsmith.

187 Dundas Street West: E. Conroy - a dressmaker.

1884/1885:

181 Dundas Street West:  John McL. Wilson - a printer 
 
183 Dundas Street West: John Blakely  - a baker 

185 Dundas Street West: Patrick Condran - a labourer 

187 Dundas Street West: James O'Neil  - a cabinetmaker at Hill, Jones, and Foster

1889/1890: 

181 Dundas Street West: John L. Bollen - a barber at J. D. Colbert.

183 Dundas Street West:  John Lawrence - a traveller.

185 Dundas Street West:  Mary Michie - dressmaker 

187 Dundas Street West:  Moses Rosenburgh.

1899/1900: 

181 Dundas Street West: James Fortune - a broom maker at Boeckh Brothers & Company.
 
183 Dundas Street West: James Abbott - a blacksmith at Northey Manufacturing Company. 

185 Dundas Street West: Samuel Frilech - a peddler. 

187 Dundas Street West: Sigmund Brody - a peddler. 

1909/1910: 

181 Dundas Street West:  Jacob Canorik - a cabinet maker; Ida Canorik - an operator at Eaton's; and Rose Canorik - an operator at Eaton's. 

183 Dundas Street West: Sarah Garfinkel - the widow of Nathan Garfinkel. 
 
185 Dundas Street West: Samuel Beham. 

187 Dundas Street West: Abraham Petlack - a shoe merchant.  

1914/1915:

181 Dundas Street West: Joseph Fish - Ladies' Tailor; and David Fish - fishmonger. 

183 Dundas Street West: Waisfeld & Winegarden - butchers; Nicholas Waisfeld. 

185 Dundas Street West: Charles Weinroth - a shoemaker.

187 Dundas Street West: Aaron Lockath - a clothing repairer. 

1919/1920:

181 Dundas Street West: Jacob Wasserman - a poultry merchant.

183 Dundas Street West: Isaac Silverstein - a butcher. 

185 Dundas Street West: Charles Weinroth - a shoemaker.

187 Dundas Street West: Aaron Lockath - a clothing repairer. 


By 1922, the Fur Fashion Company was home to the Fur Fashion Company. The Fur Fashion Company advertised this section of Dundas Street West as "the new fashionable shopping district" within regional newspapers. 


1929/1930: 

181 Dundas Street West:  Benjamin Berdichewsky - dry goods store. 

183 Dundas Street West: Ivan Kozey - grocery shop. 

185 Dundas Street West: City Grinding Company - tool grinders; and James Wardine.

187 Dundas Street West: Dundas Fish Market; and Louis Grupstein.


1939/1940: 

181 Dundas Street West:  Abraham Leranbaum - a poultry dealer.

183 Dundas Street West: Ivan Kozey - grocery shop.

185 Dundas Street West: Annie Butch - palmistry; and Miller Butch.

187 Dundas Street West: Vacant 

Annie Butch's palmistry business was one of the more unique businesses in the Ward during the 1930s and 1940s.

1949/1950:

181 Dundas Street West:  Jan Shing Wai - laundry supplies. 

183 Dundas Street West:  Ivan Kozey - grocery shop.

185 Dundas Street West: Grace Chan.

187 Dundas Street West: Bill Mah - laundry.

1959/1960: 

181 Dundas Street West: Vacant.

183 Dundas Street West: Vacant.

185 Dundas Street West: New Star Lunch; and Lee Sim.

187 Dundas Street West: Good Friend Barber Shop; and You Kong Wong and Victor Wong.

1968/1969:

181 Dundas Street West: Jan Lem - grocers and butchers.

183 Dundas Street West: New Hoy Kun Fish Market.

185 Dundas Street West: Henry's Chinese Food Restaurant; and Henry Ing.

187 Dundas Street West: Kee Wing Yung - poultry and fish merchants.  


1970 to 2007: 

Research is ongoing to determine uses of the properties within this period. 

2011: 

181 Dundas Street West: Indian Biriyani House.

183 Dundas Street West: Coconut Grove Roti Shop.

185 Dundas Street West: Vacant.

187 Dundas Street West: Sushi & Benton.

2020:

181 Dundas Street West:  Indian Biriyani House. 

183 Dundas Street West:  Yang Teashop.

185 Dundas Street West: Lan Zhou Ramen. 

187 Dundas Street West: Sushi & Bento. 

 
Present Day (2022): 

181 Dundas Street West:  Indian Biriyani House. 

183 Dundas Street West:  Yang Teashop.

185 Dundas Street West: Lan Zhou Ramen. 

187 Dundas Street West: Sushi & Bento. 

As of November 2022, all four properites are home to Asian restaurants. The upstairs contain a mix of storage and residential units.

Redevelopment: 

In November 2022, a redevelopment application was filed for 181-195 Dundas Street West and 63 Centre Avenue for a 41-storey mixed use building. This redevelopment application proposes the demolition of all extant buildings on the site, including 181-187 Dundas Street West.


(Research by Adam Wynne)