Shoppers World Danforth

Shoppers World Danforth is a hybrid shopping plaza and shopping mall at the southwest corner of Danforth Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue in Toronto, Ontario. Located near Victoria Park subway station, it serves communities including East York, Scarborough and The Beaches. The centre has approximately 326,300 square feet of space and about 40 stores, making it a moderately sized suburban retail destination rather than a major regional shopping centre. The property is notable for its history. Before becoming a mall, the site was associated with automobile manufacturing. In the early twentieth century, the extension of Toronto's Danforth streetcar service toward Luttrell Avenue helped accelerate development in what had previously been a largely rural area. Ford Motor Company subsequently built an assembly plant on the site. The factory produced Ford Model T and Model A vehicles and served as Ford's principal Canadian production facility until the company opened its Oakville Assembly Plant in 1953. After Ford's departure, the facility became the first Canadian assembly location for Nash Motors. Nash-built vehicles associated with the plant included the Nash Rambler and the Nash Canadian Statesman. Following the 1954 merger of Nash and Hudson Motor Car Company, the resulting American Motors Corporation closed the Danforth operation and transferred assembly work to a new facility in Brampton. The former factory was then sold to Elder Mines & Developments, whose redevelopment plans converted the industrial property into a shopping centre. The mall opened in 1962 during rapid population growth in Toronto's eastern suburbs. Its conversion from a large industrial building into a fully enclosed, electrically heated and air-conditioned shopping centre made it an early example of the suburban mall format in Canada. The centre was reportedly 98 percent leased soon after opening. Eaton's was the principal anchor, and its Danforth location was only the second Eaton's store outside a downtown setting. The site also played a role in the development of the Shoppers Drug Mart name: Murray Koffler operated an early drug store there under the new Shoppers Drug Mart identity, after previously using the Koffler's Drugs name. For roughly a decade, Shoppers World Danforth was the principal mall serving much of Toronto's eastern metropolitan area. Its regional importance declined after Scarborough Town Centre opened in 1973, but the property continued operating as a neighbourhood-oriented retail centre. Its large former Eaton's space later passed through several major retail occupants. It became a Zellers in the early 1990s, was converted into a Target store in 2013 after Target acquired most Zellers leaseholds, and changed again after Target's Canadian withdrawal in 2015. Lowe's Canada acquired the former Target location, opened there in June 2016, and closed the store in 2023. The centre's current tenant mix includes Metro and Staples as major anchors, alongside other local and national retailers.

The land now occupied by Shoppers World Danforth was transformed several times as Toronto's eastern edge urbanized. In 1921, the area around Danforth Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue remained comparatively rural, but the extension of the Danforth streetcar to a loop near Luttrell Avenue encouraged residential and commercial development. Ford Motor Company built a large assembly plant at the southwest corner of the two avenues. The building that became the principal structure of the shopping centre was therefore originally an industrial facility rather than a retail property. Ford used the plant to manufacture Model T and Model A automobiles. It remained the company's main Canadian production site until 1953, when Ford shifted primary Canadian assembly to its new Oakville Assembly Plant. The facility then became the first Canadian plant operated by Nash Motors. Nash products associated with the site included the Nash Rambler and Nash Canadian Statesman. Nash's 1954 merger with Hudson created American Motors Corporation, which closed the Danforth plant and moved assembly to a new operation in Brampton. After the automobile plant closed, the property was sold to Elder Mines & Developments Ltd., the parent company later associated with the Peel-Elder development name. The company converted the factory into a shopping centre, completing the redevelopment in 1962. The project was aimed at the rapidly expanding populations of East York and Scarborough and represented an early Canadian version of the enclosed suburban mall. At launch, the centre promoted its electric heating and air conditioning, and it was almost fully leased soon after opening. Eaton's served as the main anchor. Its presence was historically important because it was only the second Eaton's store located outside a downtown area. Another early tenant was a drug store operated by Murray Koffler. Although Koffler's earlier stores used the Koffler's Drugs name, the Danforth location adopted the Shoppers Drug Mart identity. The success of that name contributed to its subsequent adoption across Koffler's drug-store chain. At approximately 300,000 square feet when first developed, the centre became the principal shopping mall for much of the eastern Greater Toronto Area. That role diminished after Scarborough Town Centre opened in May 1973, providing a larger and more regionally oriented alternative. Shoppers World Danforth nevertheless remained an active community retail property and evolved from a dominant regional mall into a neighbourhood shopping centre. The original Eaton's space experienced several major retail transitions. It became a Zellers in the early 1990s. Following Target's acquisition of most Zellers leaseholds in 2012, the space reopened as Target in 2013. Target withdrew from Canada in early 2015, and Lowe's Canada purchased the location during the liquidation process. Lowe's opened its store in June 2016 and closed it in 2023. The centre continues to operate with a mixed tenant base, including Metro and Staples, and is described as having roughly 40 stores and approximately 326,300 square feet of area. Its continuing significance lies both in its local retail function and in its preserved connection to the early history of Canadian automobile production and suburban mall development.

• 2023

  Lowe's closes

  [1]Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org

  The Lowe's store at Shoppers World Danforth closed.

• 2016

  Lowe's opens

  [1]Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org

  Lowe's Canada opened a home-improvement store in the former Target location in June.

• 2013

  Target replaces Zellers

  [1]Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org

  Target opened in the former Zellers space after acquiring most Zellers leaseholds.

• 1973

  Scarborough Town Centre opens

  [1]Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org

  The opening of the larger regional centre changed the competitive position of Shoppers World Danforth in Toronto's east end.

• 1962

  Shopping centre opens

  [1]Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org

  The former automobile plant was redeveloped as Shoppers World Danforth, an early enclosed and air-conditioned suburban shopping centre.

• 1954

  Nash and Hudson merge

  [1]Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org

  The merger that formed American Motors Corporation preceded the closure of the Nash-operated Danforth assembly plant.

• 1953

  Ford shifts primary Canadian production to Oakville

  [1]Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org

  Ford's Danforth assembly plant ceased to be its primary Canadian facility after the company built the Oakville Assembly Plant.

• 1921

  Danforth streetcar expansion accelerates local development

  [1]Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org

  Streetcar service was extended toward Luttrell Avenue, helping turn the formerly rural area around Danforth Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue into a developing urban district.

A transit-accessible, neighbourhood-oriented shopping centre with historic significance as one of Canada's early suburban enclosed malls.

• Grocery retail

  Metro

  A major grocery anchor serving everyday food, beverage and household shopping needs for nearby residents.

• Office supplies

  Staples

  An office-supply anchor offering stationery, business products, technology-related merchandise and associated services.

• Home improvement · 2016

  Former Lowe's location

  The former anchor space housed a Lowe's Canada home-improvement store from its opening in 2016 until its closure in 2023.

• General merchandise · 2013

  Former Target location

  The former Zellers leasehold operated as a Target general-merchandise store from 2013 until Target's Canadian withdrawal in 2015.

• 2016

  Lowe's opens a home-improvement anchorProduct launch

  Background

  The former Target location became available following Target's exit from Canada.

  Action taken

  Lowe's Canada purchased the space and opened a store to the public in June 2016.

  Aftermath

  The Lowe's store subsequently closed in 2023.

  Source

• 2013

  Target enters the former Zellers spaceProduct launch

  Background

  Target acquired most Zellers leaseholds in Canada as part of its Canadian expansion.

  Action taken

  The former Zellers anchor at Shoppers World Danforth reopened as a Target store.

  Aftermath

  Target left the location during its 2015 Canadian withdrawal, after which Lowe's Canada acquired the space.

  Source

• 1962

  Convert an automobile plant into an enclosed suburban mallStrategy

  Background

  The closure of the former Ford and Nash assembly operation left a large industrial building in a rapidly growing eastern Toronto district.

  Action taken

  Elder Mines & Developments redeveloped the factory property as an enclosed, heated and air-conditioned shopping centre.

  Aftermath

  The project became an early Canadian suburban mall and initially served as the leading shopping destination for much of the eastern Greater Toronto Area.

  Source

1. 1Shoppers World Danforthen.wikipedia.org