Shopsy's facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Founders | Harry and Jenny Shopsowitz |
| Headquarters | , |
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Key people
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Sam and Izzy Shopsowitz |
| Products | Assorted Deli Meats |
Shopsy's is a well-known restaurant and food brand from Toronto, Canada. It started as a "deli," which is a type of restaurant that serves foods like sandwiches, soups, and cured meats. Shopsy's is especially famous for its Jewish deli style food.
Besides its restaurants, Shopsy's also sells many meat products. These include hot dogs, corned beef, and salami. Today, the main Shopsy's restaurant is located inside the Sheraton Centre hotel in Toronto. The company Maple Leaf Foods still sells Shopsy's brand hot dogs in stores.
Contents
How Shopsy's Started
The Early Years: 1921
Shopsy's began in 1921 thanks to a husband and wife, Harry and Jenny Shopsowitz. They opened a small ice cream shop in Toronto on Spadina Avenue. It only had 18 seats!
Over time, their shop grew and became known as Shopsowitz Delicatessen. By the mid-1940s, they were selling their own food products under the name Shopsy's.
New Leaders: Sam and Izzy
Harry Shopsowitz passed away in 1945. His sons, Sam and Izzy Shopsowitz, took over the family business. They helped Shopsy's become a very famous place in Toronto. They officially changed the business name to Shopsy's.
A famous person named Harold Ballard, who later owned the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, encouraged Sam to open a factory for processing meat. This helped Shopsy's grow even more. By 1947, Sam was even called "the corned beef king" in advertisements!
Changes in Ownership
In 1969, Izzy sold his part of the business to Sam. Then, in 1971, a big company called Lever Brothers (part of Unilever) bought Shopsy's. Sam stayed on as the company's president until 1977.
Later, in 1992, Unilever sold the part of Shopsy's that made meat products to Maple Leaf Foods. This is why Maple Leaf Foods still sells Shopsy's hot dogs today. The restaurant part of the business was sold to different groups over the years. In 2006, the Irish Embassy Hospitality Group bought the Shopsy's restaurant business.
Shopsy's Restaurant Locations
Moving Through Toronto
For 62 years, the main Shopsy's restaurant was on Spadina Avenue. But in March 1983, it moved to a new spot on Yonge Street at Front Street in Toronto. This location became very well-known for over 25 years.
However, in 2008, the restaurant had to move again because its lease ended. Shopsy's then found a new home at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel on Queen Street West. You can still find the main Shopsy's restaurant there today!
Other Shopsy's Spots
Over the years, Shopsy's also had other restaurant locations. These included places in Markham, Ontario, and even on the Toronto Island. There was also a smaller "Shopsy's Express Kiosk" at the Rogers Centre, where many sports games are played.
Shopsy's Food Products
Shopsy's is famous for its deli meats. Here are some of the popular products they sell:
- Hot dogs
- Corned beef
- Salami
- Pastrami
- Pastrami Sticks (like jerky)
- Smoked meat
See also
- List of Ashkenazi Jewish restaurants
- List of delicatessens
