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CAMBRIDGE: LOOKING BACK

Knob Hill Farms loomed

large on Hespeler Road

Other features of the store promoted in
that same article included its continental
café, European bakery, fresh fish market,
WIKIPEDIA PHOTO hair salon, shoe repair shop, newspaper
stand, a jewelry store and a Mennonite
Knob Hill Farms in Cambridge was touted as the world’s largest food terminal when it furniture outlet.
opened in 1991.
“I knew that this was right for Cambridge,”
Thinking big was something That status ended in 1987 when a Stavro was quoted as saying prior to the
grocery chain pioneer Steve convention centre was included as part opening. It was written in the press that
of the aborted Cadillac-Fidra ‘Cambridge
Stavro did very well. Centre’ mega shopping centre across the Stavro, who died at the age of 79 in 2006,
When he began operating a humble way on Pinebush Road. and would go on to become the majority
owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, had a
fruit stand with his brother and father in But it wouldn’t be until August of 1991 personal telephone line installed in the
Toronto’s east end in 1951, could he have before Knob Hill Farms opened its local Cambridge store during its construction
imagined it would lead to the creation location, a year after the completion of and visited the site nearly daily during this
one of the largest commercial ventures in the three concrete pillars that formed a period. “I’ve built terminals in Buttonville,
Cambridge’s history. giant water feature constructed of Niagara Toronto and Oshawa. I’ve always built them
The term ‘big box store’ wasn’t known in Escarpment limestone blocks which in high-growth areas – and Cambridge is
1963 when Stavro opened his first Knob remains standing today. next – this area is going to grow very fast,”
Hill Farms ‘food terminal’ in Markham, but According to a Cambridge Reporter story he said.
the concept of a massive grocery store published shortly before the massive The store officially opened Aug. 21, 1991, and
had quickly caught on by the time it was 350,000 square-foot (31,500 square then on Aug. 25, 2000, it was announced it
announced in 1983 that Cambridge was metres) store opened, it was considered would be shutting down in September of
on the list for one. In the early 1980s, city the largest food terminal in the world and that year along with nine other stores.
council had already designated the site at covered seven acres, providing 18-acres
the corner of Hespeler and Pinebush roads for parking and space for 1,500 vehicles. “Times have changed,” Stavros was quoted
as a ‘special use district’ in its official plan in the Reporter at the time. “After careful
to build a convention/trade centre. It was touted the store, with its 19 checkout consideration and a review of the strategic
counters, contained ‘one mile’ alternatives for Knob Hill Farms, I have
of refrigerators, a meat counter decided, regretfully, this is the right time to
nearly 500 feet long, and a grocery close the doors at our grocery outlets.”
department that took up more The closure didn’t affect his involvement
than two acres. with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Toronto
Raptors and the Air Canada Centre (now
Scotiabank Arena).

8 Summer 2023 www.cambridgechamber.com