Timothy Eaton (1834-1907)

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted December, 2006

Photo Source - Wikimedia Commons

Photo Source - Canadian Heritage Gallery

An Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque can be seen here on the wall at the Eaton Centre at the south entrance to the Sears store. It has this to say about this early retailer:

Plaque coordinates: 43.655216 -79.380577

Born in Ireland, Timothy Eaton came to Upper Canada about 1854, eventually becoming a partner in his brothers' general store at St. Mary's. In 1869 he established his own business in Toronto. Through merchandising innovations, such as cash sale for a fixed price, the company prospered and became one of the country's first department stores. Eaton introduced a mail order department in 1884, extending the benefits of popular prices and a wide selection of goods to the rural market. His energies were devoted almost exclusively to the company which, at his death, was Canada's largest retail business.

Related websites
Timothy Eaton
Upper Canada
St. Mary's

Related Ontario plaque
Timothy Eaton 1834-1907

More
Entrepreneurs

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted December 8, 2011
Regarding the note of Nov. 17, below: The plaque is next to the eastern (Yonge Street) doorway between Sears and Roots. See the second photo, above. -Wayne

Posted November 19, 2011
The T. Eaton statue is in the provincial museum in Toronto (ROM), where visitors are welcome to rub the toe (an exception to the general rule). Another casting is in the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, MB, home of the Jets. In 2002, at the behest of Timothy's great-grandson, Fred, the Winnipeg statue was about to head to St. Mary's, Ontario, site of one of the first Eaton stores (see the plaque to Timothy Eaton at Ontarioplaques.com). The Manitoba government intervened, the Eaton family changed its mind, and it stayed in Winnipeg. The MTS Centre is the site of the former downtown Eaton's store. -Wayne

Posted November 17, 2011
Thanks I couldnt find this plaque when I went to the Eaton Center reently.I wish the statue of Timothy Eaton was in the Eaton Center I read somewhere it is in The ROM do you know if that is correct.If so thats too bad that we have to pay to see it now.

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