The Story Behind 672 Dupont
Faema's current headquarters sits on the corner of Dupont and Christie in Toronto's West End. The structure, originally constructed by Ford, possesses a rich history dating back to The First World War. In 1914, at the crest of modern industrialization, the building was designed as Ford's original automobile factory. When Ford relocated in 1925, the building became occupied by several food processing companies. In 1948, Planter's peanuts of Canada purchased the building and operated there until 1987.
When Ford initially constructed the building at 672 Dupont, the company decided to subdivide operations according to floor. For instance, the first floor boasted Ford's spectacular showroom. Here, customers awed at the gleaming Model-Ts which wheeled in before them. On the second floor, warehouse workers loaded and unloaded daily shipments in Ford's massive docking area. Upstairs, assembly line workers earned an honest day's wage by inspecting and assembling auto parts by hand. The paint-shop was located on the building's top floor. Here customers could choose from an array of colours including black, black and black! And finally, on the building's roof, shrieking tires motored around Ford's own test track. The building was a modern marvel and would weather time for the next eighty years.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Toronto Plaques. Full page here.