Does anyone remember the Handy Handy Stores wich sold auto parts and accessories, The equivalent of the Canadian Tire Stores today but on a much smaller scale. Here is what I found in our archives today (SHGV). The Verdun Store was situated at 5260 Verdun Ave.
Guy
25 comments:
Correction. That should read Handy Andy Stores. Sorry about that. Guy
As a kid in the fifties, Guy, I do remember the store on Verdun Ave. My father used to buy spark plugs, etc for his cars there. I think I also got some hockey sticks and other sports necessities there as well - Yes, the Canadian Tire of the 40's & 50's. Thx for the pictures. Ron Chapdelaine
I do but the memory is vague. It would be from the sixties that I remember (again, vaguely) the store. Long time ago!!
Jo
Handy Andy was right underneath the old Verdun Pool Hall,directly across the street from the kids school ( forget the name) ..after they closed up shop in Verdun,the Handy Andy moved to Dollard & Newman,right on the cornerin ville Lasalle......... hf&rv
Hi Les: The school name was / is Woodland Public School. I drove by it yesterday and also past the Dollard / Newman site on our way home to Ontario. Wanted to stop in Verdun and take some pictures ,but, unfortunately, Mother Nature had to rain on my parade. George
Thanks George it must have been fun to visit the old stopming grounds, I haven't been back for a number of years now,but still think of organising a trip back,I used to go fairly often but it's been 7 or 8 years now I would think,..............the years have a way of quickly piling up. Myabe your next visit you can grab some shots from around the town,we' all like to see them. hf&rv
Me Again Les: I drove up Second Avenue yesterday to see the first place I lived in from 1944 to 1958 or 1959. Had trounble actually finding the place since the frontage had changed so much on some of the houses. Had to use the actual address signs to find it. Also discovered that the little grocery store (Laurendeau's) is no longer a store but a complete house. I hope to go back before winter for a visit and take some pictures. George
Hi George , we'll look forward to seeing the pictures. I too was surprised when I did go bak years ago, all the houses have had some nice upgrades re: Windows ,Doors, Railings etc etc ,....they look good. As for the disappearance of the store,that has happened alot in Verdun, as I understand it,the city has a new policy on little stores that if you leave it empty at all ,you cannot reopen a store, as long as it stays open you can keep it,but most of the stoeres have been turned into whole homes ,Too bad really cause I think those neighbourhood stores were good for the community. A freind of mine owned the Video Beurling & the 'Dep' behind it at the corner of Brown & Beaurling,.he sold it & the new owners turned it into Condos.....This was the old Grocery Store once called Martin's ( I think it was) When i used to go to VCH.we used to get smokes from there (the odd beer too..........hahahaha) School Day's Yikes !!!
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Les Remember the DEP on Allard near the lane just down from the beauty salon? Mo used to work there...what a character...we played the Turkey Bowl at the park one Thanksgiving week-end..2 full teams with spares..sang O Canada and had some fans in the stands..he closed the store to come watch us for a bit..we were just a bunch of guys playing football...long time since I was there guess its all gone now. This was back in the 70's. Lad
Yes, I do remember the Handy Andy Store. I wouldn't have if you did not post it here though :) The other "Canadian Tire Substitute" was Western Tire, I used to check prices between the two. I think Cdn Tire forced Western out of Business. It seems to me there was one Western Tire around Church Ave and Champlain (up near the Bridge at the Aquaduc)
Right you are Willie, Western was at Church & Champlain,and I remember it also had gas pumps there etc etc............ I had forgotten about that place. Thanks for the old memory prompt...................................hf&rv
Hi Lad, I remember that store very much, with Morris and his parents. We went there all the time since we lived on Allard between Monteith and Beurling. I remember Morris being in an upper body cast, he was in a car accident, I believe. We used to go to Doc's as well on Allard and Banantyne, Dad used to buy his tubes for the tv there or get them tested. Good memories! Carole BTW, We did finally get over to Guelph to Pierre's Poutine. We both had steamies and fries. Really good!
Hi Carole Mo was a character..forgot about Doc's..Next time you go to Pierres,get him talking about Verdun...he has some stories... Lad
Hi Lad, Pierrre & I did chat about Verdun, but what kind of stories did he have? I wonder where Morris is these days. How old would he be? Carole
Carole Will try and post this again..msn acting up...he told me he worked at Stelco on Notre Dame..worked nights..Finished on Friday (last shift) and Sunday was to start at Imperial Tobacco on St.Antoine...so came out of the tunnel and turned right on Notre Dame..parked at Stelco got out and just before he went in figured out hey I am in the wrong place...also told me about some of the characters he knew playing sports.. Lad
Carole Part 2 figure Morris would be in his 60's by now..have not seen him in years.. quite a character.. Lad
Hi Lad, I was informed by my brother that Mo's name was actually Orest. We always used to call him Morris. You're going to have to fill me in some of the stories about him. Do you remember his parents working in the store? Carole
Believe it or Morris's name was OREST! Everybody called him Morris or Mo. I guess it would be difficult for him, to tell everybody. I do think he was embarassed about Orest. Mike
Hi Saw his parents there a few times but not much..remember his mom more. Lad
I.m 72 years and lived on 4th Ave. just around the corner from the Handy Andy on Verdun Avenue. In my box of tools I still have a Handy Andy level and a small saw, both with the logo on them. Wasn't this store owned by Bryce Mackacy?
Peut-être seriez vous intéressés de savoir que dans les années 1960-70 il y avait un magasin Handy Andy à Malartic en Abitibi. Il était situé sur la rue Royale au coin de la rue Harricana je crois. M Turgeon en était le propriétaire.
Hello anonymous! Or anyone else that has any old Handy Andy supplies. I’d love to purchase it off of you as a gift for my father. It will be appreciate immensely instead left to be discarded
Handy Andy ,I wonder what ever became of them, they opened what at the time was a very modern looking store in Ville Lasalle (on Newman Blvd. I think it was)
I left in the 70's it was there then.Also those smaller stores in Verdun onVerdun near Desmarchais ......all the old school stores which all seemed to have a character of their own just got swallowed up by the Big Box or at least bigger stores.
I read somewhere recently that there is a slight trend towards smaller Mom & Pop type stores popping up in many long forgotten towns. I imagine driving to the 'shopping center' or 'mall' is getting annoying dealing with traffic ,parking to go in a huge store .only to wait for a cashier. or the Self Checkout which finally people are starting to ignore, even large stores in some areas are starting to do away with self-checkout.
Anyway Have Fun
Cheers
Les
I actually meant to say 'wait for a cashier; instead of the self checkout....and all the stores with 10 or more checkouts and no-one at them. One cashier dealing with a line of customers until they finally call for another one. LOL
Will Common Sense ever return to our lives???
Nothing like roaming around a 70,000 sq ft. or more store and no one around to answer a question...lol
Progress....hahaha
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