24 June 2009
Inside the Semi-Controversial Downtown Leon's, Set to Open in July
All fixtures can be removed if Leon's vacates the
Roundhouse.
Toronto Ontario - Donning construction helmets and
fluorescent red vests, the media took a preview tour of the John Street Roundhouse yesterday as crews feverishly prepared for the
opening of its newest occupants: a railway museum and the first downtown Leon's furniture store.
Leon's occupies roughly a third of the 70-year-old building (also home to Steam Whistle Brewing); the company came under
fire when it announced it would move into the heritage site, drawing criticism from councillor Adam Vaughan and Steam Whistle
president Cam Heaps, who both argued that the furniture retailer wouldn't be a good fit.
Two years and $25 million later, Leon's, which turns 100 this year, is scheduled to open on 8 Jul 2009, but historical
and cultural buffs need not worry about a suburban big box ruining the aesthetic of the Roundhouse.
A discreet platinum sign has replaced the company's garish yellow logo, and much of the original ceiling and brick walls have been
restored. Impressively, should Leon's decide to move out, the floors and fixtures can be removed without damaging the building because
they aren't permanently installed (the store's floors sit on top of the railway tracks).
"We originally wanted to build a mezzanine so that we could have more retail space," says Leon's president Terry Leon.
"But once we saw the building, we immediately scrapped that idea, because there was no way we were going to mess with its
original integrity."
As a result, this is not an average Leon's but an attempt to captivate downtowners. The merchandise has been tailored to suit
700-foot condos rather than spacious three-bed, two-bath dwellings, offering smaller sofas,
lower bed frames, and dining tables that seat four, not eight. The hideous oak finishes and deflated-looking leather
couches synonymous with the company have been replaced by sleek furniture, dark woods, and fresh fabric colours, like apple green and
robin's egg blue.
At the end of the store is a working dual kitchen in which Leon says cooking demonstrations and celebrity cook-offs will
be held. A little farther down is the electronics department, where non-tech-savvy homeowners can attend
bi-weekly seminars.
The public's reaction won't be known for another few weeks, but Leon's has taken the precautionary route by working with the city's
culture division and local historians. After all, with millions already spent, this is hardly a No Money Miracle.
Karon Liu.
|
|