Shopsy's

Shopsy's is a Jewish delicatessen restaurant chain in the Greater Toronto Area and a brand name owned by Maple Leaf Foods for a line of meat products.

History

In 1921, the husband-and-wife team of Harry Shopsowitz and Jenny Shopsowitz opened an 18-seat ice cream parlour at 295 Spadina Avenue at Dundas Street West in Toronto. It became Shopsowitz Delicatessen and by the mid-1940s was selling products under the ''Shopsy's'' brand name.

Harry died in October 1945 and the business was passed along to his sons, Sam Shopsowitz and Izzy Shopsowitz. They led its growth into a Toronto institution, renaming the business ''Shopsy's''. Future Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard is said to have been the person who encouraged Sam to open a meat-processing plant. By 1947, Sam was being billed as "the corned beef king" in advertisements.

Izzy sold his share of the business to Sam in 1969 and Lever Brothers (part of Unilever) bought the company in December 1971. Sam suffered a stroke in 1982 and died in September 1984 at age 63. After 62 years on Spadina, the restaurant moved to Yonge Street at Front Street in March 1983. Izzy died in April 1994 at age 71 after having a heart attack while in the Shopsy's restaurant. He had rejoined the business after the sale to Unilever. The Front Street location has been described as a "landmark for more than 25 years."

In 1992, Unilever sold the manufacturing division to Maple Leaf Foods. The restaurant business—Shopsy's Hospitality Incorporated—was managed by A&W for a period in the 1990s, and then bought in 1996 by a group headed by Lewis Allen. He was CEO until leaving in 2003. As of 2005, Shopsy's Hospitality was owned by Dynamic Funds.

In 2006, Irish Embassy Hospitality Group bought Shopsy's restaurant. Shopsy's Deli corporate offices are located at 51 Yonge Street (and Wellington Street East), just north of Irish Embassy Pub & Grill.

In 2008, the lease at Yonge and Front was not renewed by the landlord and Shopsy's closed. Previous locations also include Markham, Ontario, Toronto Island, and a Shopsy's Express Kiosk at the Rogers Centre.

Meat products

* Hot dogs
* Corned beef
* Salami
* Pastrami
* Pastrami Sticks / Jerky
* Smoked meat

Delicatessen

Previous locations:

* Downtown Toronto, 96 Richmond West, Toronto (in the Sheraton Centre)
* Shopsy's York Lanes Mall, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto - Sold to TIMBERS LODGE SOCIAL GRILL
* Spadina Avenue at Dundas Street West (1921–1983) –burned down in fire
* Yonge Street north of St. Clair Avenue (1998–2005) – now a pub
* King Street West at John Street, Toronto (1994–2003) – sold to Dunn's Famous (now closed)
* Yonge Street at Front Street, Toronto (1983–2009) – lease expired by court ruling
* Mississauga Road and Derry Road, Mississauga (2004–2010) – lease expired
* Shopsy's Express at the Rogers Centre
* Shopsy's Deli Woodbine and Steeles
* Shopsy's Centre Island – Toronto Islands
* Shopsy's Sports Bar on the Danforth

See also

* List of Ashkenazi Jewish restaurants
* List of delicatessens

References

Further reading

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External links

Shopsy's Deli

Shopsy's

Irish Embassy Hospitality Group

{{Restaurants in Toronto

Hot dog restaurants in Canada
Jewish delicatessens in Canada
Jews and Judaism in Toronto
Restaurants in Toronto
Meat companies of Canada
Ashkenazi Jewish restaurants