Former Eaton’s Department Store Restaurant in Toronto to Feature ‘Lunching with Lady Eaton’ Event in July

Local history buff Michael Binetti is hosting a unique lunch on July 14 in Toronto at the former Eaton’s College Street Round Room Restaurant (now The Carlu), located on the seventh floor of the building now known as College Park. Called ‘Lunching with Lady Eaton’, the event will feature a lunch menu served in the restaurant that operated from 1930 until 1977. 

This article has been updated to reflect the fact that the event has sold out since publication. On May 4 at 11am Michael Binetti is also hosting a Jane’s Walk titled ‘Downtown Palaces of Retail’ in Toronto and it’s free. [information here]

The lunch on July 14 is a nod to the expansive history of the former Eaton’s College Street store, which is now known as College Park. Eaton’s College Street began construction at the end of the ‘roaring 1920s’ and opened in 1930 (following the infamous stock market crash a year before). The 600,000 square foot building was the first phase of what was intended to be the largest department store in the world, spanning more than five million square feet with a skyscraper at its centre. Only the first phase ended up being built, with the store housing a substantial furniture offering (claiming to be the largest furniture store in the world at the time), while the store also offered a range of fashions for women and men in a one-level extension of the store on Bay Street, which included some luxury fashions (including a women’s Givenchy boutique in the 1970s) and other departments. 

The Round Room restaurant at Eaton’s College Street was the vision of Flora McCrea Eaton, who oversaw the design of the other restaurants in the Eaton’s stores such as the recently reopened Le 9 in Montreal. Forward-thinking Lady Eaton championed new ideas such as women’s advancement and rights in the workplace, and the involvement of nutritionists in the design of the restaurant menu. She often dined in The Round Room in Toronto. 

About 100 years ago, Eaton’s attempted to shift the centre of retail commerce in Toronto to the corner of Yonge and College Streets. The company, which was building Eaton’s College Street at the southwest corner of the intersection, also owned the northeast corner which it tried to sell to Simpson’s in order for that store to relocate. Simpson’s said ‘no’, and remained at the intersection of Yonge and Queen.

Interestingly, Eaton’s continued to operate its 1.6 million square foot store at Yonge and Queen Street for decades until 1977, when a new 800,000 square foot Eaton’s store was built in the shiny new Toronto Eaton Centre complex. The old Eaton’s was then demolished to extend the shopping centre southward to connect with the Simpson’s department store across the street (now Hudson’s Bay/Saks Fifth Avenue). 

The former Eaton’s College Street building fell into disrepair after Eaton’s exit in 1977, and the building was eventually revived to become a mixed-use project with retail, offices and residential. The seventh floor restaurant, now known as The Carlu, was reopened in 2003 after a renovation that brought the art deco space back to its former glory. The Carlu is utilized for various events throughout the year and is operated by Oliver & Bonacini. 

For those interested in seeing parts of the former Eaton’s College Street store itself, a large Winners store now occupies part of the main floor of the former Eaton’s space which features soaring ceilings, marble floors and various preserved art deco elements. Various other businesses occupy the massive building, including a large gym. 

Eaton’s played a key role in Canada’s retail history with its founding by entrepreneur Timothy Eaton in 1869. Over the years, Eaton’s became Canada’s most dominant department store chain with locations across the country. An eventual decline saw Eaton’s go bankrupt and shutter in 1999, marking the end of an era in Canadian retailing amid the decline of the North American department store. 

In years past, large and beautiful restaurant spaces were part of the downtown department store experience. In Toronto, that included the Arcadian Court at Simpson’s which still exists today as an entertainment space at Hudson’s Bay Queen Street. Other grand department stores in the United States in years past featured such grand restaurants, including the Walnut Room at Marshall Field’s in Chicago (now Macy’s State Street), the Grill Room at Dayton’s in downtown Minneapolis, and others. 

The Lunching with Lady Eaton Event

On July 14, 2024, the Seventh Floor of College Park will be transformed into Eaton’s College Street for one day for the Lunching with Lady Eaton event.

Guests can shop at a vendor marketplace being set up in The Carlu space as part of the lunch, dine in the Round Room to classic Eaton’s recipes, and enjoy presentations about the history of Eaton’s and Lady Eaton, and enjoy a live music quartet.

Schedule:

• 12:00pm: Doors Open
  Shop the vendor marketplace
                          Enjoy a drink in the Round Room Restaurant
• 1:00pm:   Three-courseLunch in the Round Room Restaurant Begins
• 1:05pm:   Opening remarks 
• 1:10pm:   Presentation on history of Eaton’s
• 1:20pm:   Salad platter served
• 1:40pm:   Fashion Showcase
• 2:00pm:   Break
• 2:15pm:    Main course platter served
• 2:35pm:   Presentation on Lady Eaton
• 2:50pm:   Dessert served
                          Shop the vendor marketplace
• 3:30pm:    Event closes

Menu

Your lunch will include original menu items from Eaton’s restaurants:

Lady Eaton Waldorf Salad

Endive & Chicory, Celery, Walnuts, Grapes, Apple, Classic Dressing.

———-

Eaton’s Chicken Pot Pie

Poached Chicken, Spring Pea, Carrot, Celery, Tarragon, Veloute.

A vegetarian option is available.  

———-

Dessert Trio Plate

-Round Room Red Velvet Cake

-Coffee Velvet Tart

-Butterscotch Tart

Coffee or Tea

———-

Included are two non-alcoholic drinks, in addition to the coffee and tea for dessert.

And again, on May 4 at 11am, Michael Binetti is hosting a Jane’s Walk titled ‘Downtown Palaces of Retail’ in Toronto – it’s free, find more information here.