At this Woolco in Parkdale Plaza one day they put PAY TOILET in mens bathroom, 10 cents. Had some gizmo on the door for dime. The other stall free. I would crawl under it and use anyways. God only knows what all I crawled in, even big brother Tommy said ewwwww. Bought my first 3 45 records here Donny Osmond She Is So Innocent, Led Zeppelin The Immigrant Song & Neil Diamond Solitary Man, was about 9 or so years old, the 45s were about 49 cents each. My dad rarely went inside except to buy automotive things in the wonderful auto department shown in last photos. Momma did all the shopping & made the money stretch. Near front of store after checkout there was a ice cream and cotton candy bar. Then you go thru fancy glass doors, step on mat they automatically open, then another set. And double decker gumball and trinket machines. Penny to (gasp!) quarter, but most were nickle & dime. On the other side entering store in foyer was a small camera machine, you crawl inside it snaps 4 photos for maybe dollar.
Lots of great memories from this store, even though we lived way crosstown, this place was always clean, had good deals. Sometimes we even went on Saturdays, and would get some snacks at the small grille in back like burger or grilled cheese, nothing was over $1 back then though. I remember Woolco like everything else in CC took beating with Celia, the facade and sign knocked down, several walls collasped, but they put it back together seemed like rather quickly. Was just a good store.
