With its many cafés and hip s it’s no surprise West Queen West was named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world by Vogue magazine. Here are a few things you may not have known about the stylish street.
Photography by Kathy Dwulit
1. Queen St. was originally named Lot St. - For the first 60 years Queen St. was known as Lot St., although in 1837 the famous street was renamed in honour of Queen Victoria.
2. “First Thursday’s” - A majority of the galleries of Queen St. are open to showcase their art exhibits for the following month.
3. The 501 streetcar - It is the longest route on the TTC, as well as one of the longest streetcar routes in North America.
4. It’s a popular filming location - Around 25% of Hollywood movies are actually filmed in Toronto. When looking at Queen Street in specific, Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy has used Queen and Gladstone to resurrect the old Gladstone Café as Gritty’s Doughnuts.
5. Queen St. is home to one of the oldest bars in Toronto - The Black Bull Tavern formerly known as Clifton House has been brewing since 1833.
No wonder Queen St. is continually referred to as Toronto’s very own SoHo!
Come visit us at Twist Gallery, 1100 Queen St. W. Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11AM-6PM.