Towers Department Stores: Where are they?

Where are they?
Last updated January 05, 2009

[Ed note: As information becomes known to me about former Towers/Bonimart employees, typically through Internet searches, I will include it here. I'll also include contact information from former Towers/Bonimart employees that have signed the Towers Guestbook. If you would like to add information here, please contact me at towersdepartmentstores@gmail.com. Thanks.]
Amy Prope Ms. Prope started her career at Morgans, which became the Hudson’s Bay Company. The last 10 to 15 years of her working career were spent at Towers Department Stores as a head buyer. Amy passed away July 3, 2007, at the age of 91, in Huntsville, Ontario.

Andre Roch aroch@videotron.ca Verdun, Quebec

BJ Arsenault BJ worked for Towers at the Summerside store in the summer of 1975 when he was 19 years old. He worked in the Records and Cameras section because he had also been a student disc jockey (BJ the DJ on CJRW) since the age of 15 at the local radio station CJRW.

Bob Clubley rclubley@cogeco.ca Bob worked at the Towers Rexdale store for 14 years as department manager of Toys, Sporting Goods and Seasonal and, later, Hardware/Housewares. He lives in Furgus, Ontario

Brian Hillier brianhillier@nexicom.net Brian worked at the Scarborough Towers store in the early '70s in security.

Donald A. Beaumont Associated with Towers since 1977, Mr. Beaumont held the positions of vice president of marketing and executive vice-president and chief executive officer. In 1991 he was appointed president and chief executive officer of K Mart Canada Ltd.
Edward (Ed) C. Harsant Ed Harsant held the position of vice president of Operations at Towers. He left Towers to become vice president of merchandising for Kmart Canada. Harsant joined The Business Depot as president in January 1995. In 2000 he took on the position of president, North American Superstores for Staples. He now sits on the board of directors of the Empire Company Limited - a Canadian company whose key businesses include food retailing and related real estate.

Emily Twigg twiggeh@hotmail.com Emily worked at several stores and at the Towers Head Office for a total of 24 years. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Jacqueline Shaftoe-Stonhill jackston@hotmail.com Jacqueline started at Towers Head Office in the advertising/sales promotion department, then moved to the Mens & Boys Wear department. Jacqueline lives in Mississauga, Ontario.

Jane Denison McKenzie Jane worked at the Towers Head Office at 10 Orfus Road from 1974-1979. She left as a Home Furnishings Buyer.

Jeff Sutton jms1966@mac.com Jeff work at Towers #27, Waterloo (Bridgeport Road), from 1984 until 1989.Moscow. Right now he's in Russia.

Jo-Anne Porter jponheritage@yahoo.ca Jo-Anne worked at Towers Head Office on on Orfus Rd and on Airport Road, Ad Control, toys, men's wear and notions buyers. She lives in Brampton, Ontario.

Laurent (Larry) Chapman Larry Chapman worked for Towers department store and then for Zeller's in New Minas. He passed away August 19, 2007.

Lois Cowick Although Lois worked for 23 years in security at Towers department stores (Ottawa), she always said that the proudest accomplishment was her children. "God blessed me with wonderful kids. I couldn't have lived through the (last) four years without them. They were always there. They always looked after me, always there if I needed them." Lois passed away December 29, 2004.

Mac Sinclair mbsinclair@sympatico.ca Mac worked in Owen Sound, Belleville and Kanata. He currently lives in Guelph, Ontario.

Max Wolfe Max Wolfe was a grocer and businessman born in Lithuania in 1893 and raised near Newmarket, Ontario. At age 16, with $25 cash and a $60 loan, he bought a horse, wagon and load of apples and went into business. In 1914, he launched Ontario Produce Co. with his brother Maurice to supply army bases. The operation expanded to become known as the Oshawa Group Ltd. and at his death it included IGA, Food City, Dutch Boy, Towers Department Stores and Drug City. Mr. Wolfe passed away March 11, 2004.

Margaret (Hines) Sweeney Margaret was born in Reserve Mines, Nova Scotia and lived most of her life in New Waterford, moving to Ontario in 1968 where she was employed with Towers Department Stores until her retirement. Margaret passed away March 2008.

Marie Alfreda Bouchard Born in Sudbury, she worked at K-Mart and Towers Department Stores. Marie passed away June 5, 2008.

Mariellen Penrose sampenrose@hotmail.com Mariellen worked at the Towers Rexdale Store and currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Mary Findlay maryfindlay1@rogers.com Mary worked at the Lawrence and Midland Towers store for 15 years, most of the at the Courtesy Desk. She lives in Scarborough, Ontario.

Michel Charlebois michelcharlebois@rogers.com Michel started in 1968 at the Towers store in Cyrville (Ottawa) store number 51. He worked part time in the camera and records department. Around 1970 he became a management trainee. He left Towers/Bonimart in the spring of 1972 and still lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Martin Cato wmcatto@yahoo.com Martin was SVP & CFO at Towers from 1978 - 1981 and is "...alive and well and living in Upper Nyack, New York and officially retired as I have reached an age where I correctly appear to be generally considered unemployable."

Paul Nowlan As assistant manager in the Towers Scarborough store, Paul went on to become managers the Westwood Mall, Charlottetown, St. Catharine’s, High Park and Jane and Finch stores.

Paul Okeefe paul-okeefe@hotmail.com Paul worked at the Towers Kipling and Queensway store from 1980 to 1987 as a stock-boy and "paint department guy." He lives in Burlington, Ontario.

Peter Christos Peter Christos was only 16 years old when he left his native Greece for Canada, landing in Halifax in May 1948. From there he travelled to Belleville, where his uncle had a restaurant. It was there he got his first introduction in running a restaurant. He also worked for seven years as a waiter at the Royal York Hotel. Later he opened his own restaurant, but sold it after awhile to take on the position as manager of Towers Department Stores cafeteria. Peter passed away April 17, 2006.

Randall McKeown randy.mckeown@rogers.com Randall worked at the Villager Restaurant and the Lawrence and Midland Towers Store starting when he was 17, over 27 years ago. He lives in Mississauga, Ontario.

Ray Wolfe In 1949, Ray Wolfe acquired what was then known as Oshawa Wholesale. A couple of years later he brought Chicago's IGA grocery chain into Ottawa. Oshawa went public in 1957 and entered the retail trade in 1971. It had assets of about CAD 800 million and more than 100 food stores under the banners IGA Dutch Boy, and Food City. Ray Wolfe passed away in 1990.

Ron Chenier chenier.ron@videotron.ca Ron worked for Towers 28 years in Ottawa, starting when he was 16 years old. He lives Rockland, Ontario.

Susan Bihuniak susan_bihuniak@hotmail.com Susan started with Towers 1974 in the reproduction department. She married long-time employee and buyer Bob MacDonald and is living in Oakville, Ontario.

William L. Atkinson President and CEO of Towers Department Stores. Mr. Atkinson, now retired, is living in Oakville, Ontario. (Photo - Toronto Star - September 11, 1980)

Buyers and Associates [If you can help identify the individuals in this photo, please contact me.]

Men's and Boys Wear [If you can help identify the individuals in this photo, please contact me.]