Some photos from the abandoned Eaton's Famous 9th Floor Restaurant,....
not a bad view of TimotthyEaton's neighbour & competitor Henry Morgan
)now the Bay of course)...........
.....a view over the decades of Montreal's changing landscape,Imagine all the different people who sat in the restaurant and looked out over the City
not all shots are from the 9th floor,.but thought you like some of these
essentially the Heart of Montreal, along time ago.........
only a shell of it's former self
.................and the beat goes on,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Notice the ornate wood mouldings around the old elevator doors.....
........The old Lobby of the Ninth Floor,......................
hope you enjoyed your tour.................
23 comments:
The church that's between Eaton's and Morgan's is one that I HAVE seen the inside of. Attended many a church service there, and at Christmas used to sing in the choir. Remember the ladies with white gloved hands opening and closing the cage doors on the elevators.... When I was younger (yeah really, I wasn't always a little old lady) I used to think these ladies were so smart ...remembering what was on each floor and they called out "Second Floor...Pots & Pans/Dishes" or whatever. I guess so, after so many years going up and down...same old/same old. It's funny how you think when you're young, eh?
Les. I remember my mother taking me up "to look" at the people eating in that restaurant. It seemed to me like it was the snooty rich people eating. We never did go in. Probably to ritzy for us. I felt like the little kid outside in the cold looking in thru the frost covered window, with the rich people sitting in comfortable chairs, with smoking jackets on. That my friend is imagination working. What perception we have as a kid. I prefer to think of the Simpson's window at Christmas, dreaming of the exciting things going on....and the joy in that experience. WOW....Christmas never looses its charm for me. Joy of joys. One of my granddaughters (9 years pld) sent me a message that my daughter, son-in-law and 2 grandkids are spending the night Christmas eve. My son heard about it, and said he, his wife, and daughter wanted to spend the night also. DONE!!!!! Our other daughter and her
husband (he is the one that was on Mount Hood trying to rescue some injured skiers from a helicopter, when the helicopter took a tumble. He was inside and got banged around real bad. Has since recovered and is now a Fireman) will be over on Christmas. Life so far is good!!!!
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Appreciate it all Winston,...........the kids keep us thinking like kids,...... or maybe it's vica-versa..............haahahahaha, We will be having 20 + for our Christmas Dinner,......and it's lots of work,.but actually lots of Fun to do,.........
I was talking to my 11 year old grandlove today and she was telling me how lucky I was to have so many memories and I have just decided (on the spot) that I'm going to buy her a journal so she can also record all her thoughts, feelings, happenings, etc. as an investment for the future. They will need protecting, so they can grow and be added to and she, too, will find a whole life of memories waiting for her. Life's wonderful, no matter what.
Winnie, That restaurant was expemsive. My Mother used to take us across the street to 'The Tea Cosy'.They gave unlimited hot water and cookies for the kids. I can imagine how Mom must have needed that cuppa after dragging all us through the Santa line. Ed
My mother worked at the 9th floor dining room during the war years and again during the 60's. I ate there only once back in the 70's on a trip back to Montreal to visit the folks and mom and I went there for lunch. The service was excellent and yes it was more expensive than some other places. I guess you could say that it was an experience to eat there. The dining room was decorated in the art deco style and it was beautiful. Dianne
Winston and Les, Sounds like you will both have a wonderful Christmas! Christmas is not just a day but a state of mind! It is a Wonderful Life indeed and I plan on watching that movie as I always do on Christmas Day and the Miracle on 34th Street. I just love these holiday movies but It is a Wonderful Life is the movie that always brings tears to my eyes. I can be such a sap!
Sabby. If that is what you call it. I guess you can put me in that SAP catagory!!!!! I love it. It allows me to be who I am. God Bless Us Everyone!!!!!!
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Yes Les. It is wonderful. Christmas eve, we have relatives coming over, and the younger ones 20 and younger bring some of their friends with them. We hand out gifts to the kids, and we always have extra stuff we have gotten, to give to the friends. We make up Christmas bags. They always act surprised, but I have a feeling they know they will get something. It is also an unwritten rule that no one eats before they come over here. I do most of the cooking,and the menu changes from year to year. No one goes hungry. Then I get all the dishes, etc washed up and do at least 2 loads or more in the dishwasher. We need to get ready for Christmas brunch. So we will have eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, muffins, for Christmas breakfast, because the kids will be here, otherwise we would just have our coffee. Then later on, we will have turkey, ribs, maybe prime rib roast (haven't decided on that
yet. Of course 3 or 4 pies, mashed potatos, etc etc etc. Holy Toledo......that's a lot of stuff.....when I write it down. BUT.....and the kids know this.......we have bought extra tupperware so they can take a bunch of stuff home. It feeds them for awhile. Man, this is a good country....
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Sabby. Yes those movies do something to the heart and soul of us. They do stress the importance that we have placed on the Christmas season. I am a sucker for "chick movies' (that is not what I call them), and I love a good tear jerker. Hope you are enjoying your fireplace. It does make for a cozy feeling. Winston Allison
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Bill I am sure my mom knew your mom. Mom told me that service was very proper and the working conditions very strict. I think a captain was the same as a head waiter or waitress. Mom said her friends on the 9th floor got her through those tough war years. My dad was gone from 1942 until 1945 and he was a prisoner of war. I was born 9 months after he returned. Dianne
Sent: 12/21/2006 3:28 AM
"My mother worked at the 9th floor dining room during the war years and again during the 60's. "
Dianne my mother must have known yours b/c she also worked in the Eatons restaurant during WW 2. I think I remember her telling me the waitresses and waiters had to wear white gloves. Mom was a captain but I do not know what exactly that meant. My dad was gone for the entire duration of the war. I was 5 years old when I seen him for the first time. Extremely hard times on both parents. Mom had to take street cars to Eatons from Verdun every day winter summer and fall., but first she had to drop me off at daycare 3 blocks away and of course pick me up after work. Shop, clean house, cook etc. 1940s wow!.
I wish there were photos of the employees of the restaurant. Maybe we'd have seen both out dear moms together arm and arm. My dad was gone from 1940 to 1945 and mom work there for that entire time. She loved it actually, in spite of the hardships of the war years. The Greatest Generation.
She had my baby picture taken in Eatons and I still have it some place.
Bill
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Here are some 9th Floor photos - there is a NFB Film titled Les Dames du 9e by Catherine Martin which is available as VHS or DVD Num챕ro de produit : 153C9298038 Prix : $19,95.
Beautiful restaurant. Thanks for posting the photos. Today most restaurants allow people to wear just about anything. Tee shirts, flipflops, shorts, which is what I usually wear, but try to dress up a little when on a date in certain restaurants.. At least a polo shirt, long pants and shoes. the 40s are long gone.
Second Avenue.
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More Eaton's Stuff (for the gals) n 1900, Eaton's created a series of dolls known to millions as Eaton's Beauty dolls. A doll was featured each year in the company's Fall and Winter catalogue, which was delivered to homes across the country. The Eaton's Beauty was the dream of many little girls, who eagerly awaited the arrival of a new catalogue. The doll usually wore a chemise or a Princess slip, and sported a red ribbon with gold lettering identifying it as an Eaton's Beauty. The early dolls, which had leather bodies and bisque shoulderheads, were replaced by dolls with bisque heads and ball-jointed composition bodies. During the First World War, European dolls were not available, so in 1915 and 1916 the Eaton's Beauty was made by the Dominion Toy Manufacturing Company of Toronto. During the Second World War, the doll was once again made in Canada, this time by the Reliable Toy Company of Toronto. In the fifties and sixties, the Eaton's Beauty was an ordinary vinyl play doll, so it lost some of its charm. In the late seventies, the company offered limited editions of bisque dolls for the benefit of customers eager to add one more Beauty to their collections.
More from the 9th Floor - Restaurant Le Neuf
When you think about it, it is a shame that those years are gone. Another 3rd generation screwed things up. You look at a lot of retail companies started in and around the 1900's. and by the time the 3rd generation comes around, most of them basically have nothing to do with the companies, except they have inherited some ownership. All the want is to take the money and run. Steinberg's is one example. The 4 girls took about $100,000,000.00 each when the company was sold. Eaton's was another. If that is progress....it stinks!!!! Nothing left but memories. Thank heaven for that!!!! Winston Allison
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Thanks Ed. I felt very intimidated just being on the 9th floor, and walking past the open doors and looking at these "well dressed, well heel" people. It seemed there were only ladies in there eating. They all seemed to have beautiful dresses and seemed to be the elite class.
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I was there when they shut the doors, we where all inside and the journalist where bagging on the doors trying to get in....we where all invited upstairs to have a drink on the house...it was a very sad day...
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