🍷🏛️ “The LCBO With a Clocktower: Toronto’s Boozy Landmark That Used to Be a Train Station”

A feature with hidden receipts from its railway past

✨ The Icon Everyone Knows

Almost everyone in Toronto knows the Summerhill LCBO. It’s the liquor store that feels like a cathedral, the one with the clocktower looming over Yonge Street. People go there for champagne, whisky, or just to feel fancy buying boxed wine under vaulted ceilings.

But here’s the twist: before it was Toronto’s most glamorous booze emporium, it was the North Toronto Station, a Canadian Pacific Railway hub built in 1916.

🚂 From Rails to Retail

• 1916: Opened as a Beaux‑Arts masterpiece by architects Darling & Pearson.

• 1930s: Passenger traffic dwindled as Union Station took over.

• Mid‑20th century: Used for freight and offices, then closed to passengers.

• 2001: Reborn as the LCBO flagship after a massive restoration.

The clocktower that now watches over wine shoppers once guided travelers rushing to catch trains.

🍷 The Glow‑Up

The LCBO didn’t just move in — it gave the building a second life. The soaring ceilings, limestone arches, and clocktower were preserved, turning a forgotten relic into a destination. Today, it’s both a shopping experience and a heritage site.

🕰️ Sidebar Feature: Five Things You Didn’t Know About the Summerhill LCBO

It’s older than Union Station.  

1. North Toronto Station opened in 1916 — Union didn’t officially open until 1927.

The clocktower was once a beacon for trains.  

1. Before it was a photo backdrop for wine runs, it guided passengers arriving from across Canada.

It almost got demolished.  

1. After closing, the station sat unused for decades. Preservationists fought to save it.

The LCBO is one of the largest in Canada.  

1. It’s not just pretty — it’s massive, with one of the widest selections of wine and spirits.

It’s a heritage site.  

1. The building is protected under Ontario’s heritage laws, meaning the LCBO can’t mess with its historic bones.

🎤 Final Word

The Summerhill LCBO isn’t just where you pick up a bottle of wine. It’s a living monument — a place where Toronto’s railway dreams collided with its love of good drinks. The clocktower doesn’t just tell time; it tells a story.