Michie's Grocers
At this address, Michie's Grocers first opened its doors in 1835, starting a city institution that was to serve faithfully Torontonians for over a century.
Michie's carried an inventory that included such exotic items in the 1800s as Valencia oranges, figs, spices and imported cognac. The company's insistence that service was as important as quality quickly led to Michie's becoming the pre-eminent retail destination in all of Toronto. This was the golden age of customer service where the sales clerk signed each hand-written bill with "Your most faithful servant."
Michie's customers, whose names could be found in any book listing the country's Who's Who, made their way to the busy King and Yonge corner from all parts of the city and surrounding countryside. The transaction completed, servants would load the goods on wagons prior to the homeward trip to Rosedale, affluent Parkdale, or far off Richmond Hill.
Michie's continued as a family run business until 1947 when John Forbes Michie, the grandnephew of founder George, sold the company to the Simpsons Company.
At about the same time Michie's was opening its doors in Toronto, a baker named Marcel Thuet was setting up his shop "Boulangerie Thuet" in the Haut-Rhin region of Alsace, France. Out of this tiny village bakery comes the 200 year old starter that is still used in all Thuet breads today.
Chef Marc Thuet and his wife Biana Zorich are proud to continue the legacy of a family-run retail food shop at 1 King West.
Petite Thuet will provide exceptional products to Torontonians with the care that these two family histories inspire.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Toronto Plaques. Full page here.