Eaton's Ninth Floor Restaurant facts for kids
The Eaton's Ninth Floor Restaurant was a famous Art Deco restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was part of the Eaton's department store for 68 years. The restaurant closed in 1999 when Eaton's went out of business. After being closed for 25 years, it was fixed up and reopened in 2024. Now, it's a place for special events and has a new restaurant called Ile de France. This special space is officially a historical site.
Contents
History of the Restaurant
Lady Eaton was the wife of the rich owner of Eaton's department stores. She wanted the main Eaton's stores to have a lot of "class and style." In 1925, Eaton's bought a three-story building in Montreal. They hired architects Ross & MacDonald to make it six stories tall in 1927. Then, in 1930–1931, three more floors were added to the top.
Opening the Ninth Floor
On January 26, 1931, Lady Eaton opened a big Art Deco restaurant on the 9th floor. The restaurant was designed by an architect named Jacques Carlu. His wife, Natacha Carlu, painted a huge mural that went from the floor to the ceiling at the back of the restaurant. The design was inspired by the dining room of a famous ship called the SS Île de France. Even the hallway on the 9th floor, between the elevators and the restaurant, was designed in the Art Deco style.
A documentary film was made in 1998 about the waitresses and loyal customers of the restaurant. It was called The Ladies of the 9th.
Why the Restaurant Closed
The restaurant closed on October 14, 1999, shortly after Eaton's went bankrupt. A bagpiper played "Amazing Grace" to mark the end. After it closed, the 9th floor restaurant was given special heritage status by the Quebec government. This meant it was protected because of its history and design. Plans were made to update the restaurant to modern safety rules, but they were never carried out.
Years of Being Empty
For almost 25 years, the old restaurant was locked up and slowly got worse. The dining room, lobby, and bathrooms were still there. However, the kitchen had been taken out to make room for offices. The owners, Ivanhoé Cambridge, did not let media or history groups see the site for a long time. Some people who snuck in in 2004 took pictures showing how bad its condition was.
In 2014, Heritage Montreal said the restaurant was "under observation." This was because the building's future was not clear. The company that used to be in the building, Les Ailes de la Mode, also closed in 2014. Even though the building became part of the Montreal Eaton Centre, there were no plans for the ninth floor. In 2015, Ivanhoé Cambridge allowed CTV News to see the floor, but its future was still unknown. During this time, many people worried about this important Art Deco landmark. In 2019, a supporter named Gérald McNichols Tétreault started a petition. He wanted to see if people were interested in bringing the space back to life. The building's owner said it would cost about CA$15 million to make the space safe for public use again.
Reopening in 2024
In March 2023, Ivanhoe Cambridge, the owner of the Eaton Centre, announced that the famous ninth floor would reopen. EVOQ Architecture, a company that works on old buildings, made sure the historical parts were kept safe. They also updated the space to modern standards. It was announced that the new space would have a restaurant. It would also be a place for shows and private events, able to hold up to 500 people.
In August 2023, it was announced that the new space would be called Le 9e. It would have six different areas, including a small restaurant. The reopening was delayed until spring 2024.
On April 11, 2024, a special opening was held for invited guests. The public opening was expected by mid-May.
On May 17, 2024, the space officially opened to the public. It now features an upscale restaurant called Restaurant Île-de-France. The original large dining area of Eaton's restaurant is now a general event hall. The new, smaller restaurant is located in the windowed hallways around it.
.jpg)
See also
- Complexe Les Ailes
- The Carlu (Toronto)
Other sources
- Anderson, Carol and Mallinson, Katharine. Lunch with Lady Eaton: Inside the Dining Rooms of a Nation, Toronto: ECW Press, 2004. ISBN: 978-1550226508
- Cohen-Rose, Sandra. Northern Deco: Art Deco Architecture in Montreal. Montreal: Corona Publishers, 1996 Sandra Cohen-Rose. ISBN: 0-919631-06-1
- Martin, Catherine. The Ladies of the 9th Floor. 60 minute film. Winner of the 1998 Telefilm Canada prize for short and medium length films.
