Squibb’s celebrates 95 years in Weston Village community

Toronto’s oldest independent book and stationery store is marking a major milestone on Saturday, celebrating its 95th birthday! Squibb’s Stationers has been an integral part of the Weston Village community since 1927.

Founder Arthur T. Squibb and his wife Cary emigrated from England to Toronto in 1925, landing in Weston Village, a predominately British neighbourhood at the time. Having been a trained stationer back home, Squibb decided to open his own store here in Toronto. Long after Squibb’s passing, his son Gordon kept the store open until 1974.

Today, Suri Weinberg-Linsky is running the shop with her husband Michael Linksy. Her family has been writing Squibb’s history for the last 42 years.

“I’m proud that we were able to keep it going after my mom died and my dad died,” Weinberg-Linsky told CityNews. “Build on all the legacies from the various owners over the years. And prove to people that a small, independent bookstore can survive in the age of Amazon and even Indigo.”

She said that working in retail is a part of her DNA, having generations of shop owners in her own family – back to her great-grandfather’s dry goods store in Europe.

“I know this was the path I was put on, to be in retail and I think more to carry on the legacy of the Squibb’s.”

Weinberg-Linsky has never forgotten the goal of the family business – to be 100 per cent Canadian and independent. Despite the reconstruction plan taking over her block, she plans to keep Squibb’s alive for its 100th birthday.

“There is a proposed redevelopment of the stretch that I’m on and we refused to sell until we realized that we were the last ones,” she said. “We had made the decision that we will keep it going until 100 and then we’ll close.”

For now, she is excited to see what’s to come of the 95th anniversary celebrations this Saturday.