Junction lore says the 1st Loblaws stores were in the Junction, which is wrong, but in a way you would never expect.
Theodore P. Loblaw, Started his 1st stores in 1910 when he bought several stores and ran them as cash and carry were cash-and-carry, none of these stores were in the Junction. In 1918 with 19 stores he sold his interest in the stores, this stores became the starting stores for the Dominion Store chain.
After this period is when the Junction enters into the firm of Loblaws view.
It’s 1919 Milton Cork And Theo Loblaw became dissatisfied with the present state of the industry, especially that manufacturers set the prices, and they liked the idea of the self serve rather than counter service by clerks. They formed a partnership and opened two self-service groceterias in Toronto, the first in Canada and among the first dozen in the world, and among the first dozen or so in the world. One was in the Junction, the other was Cork’s own store on College Street near Bathurst.
A postcard featuring an image of Loblaw Groceterias, which opened at 2923 Dundas Street West, in Toronto, in June 1919, Studio Cycle now occupies the store location.
