Riverside,

the best kept secret in Toronto

"The Korman family has a stake in this community and its success," he said, remembering how in the 1960s, the neighbourhood had every type of retailer one would need from butchers to clothiers to grocery stores and even a few greasy spoon restaurants.

"You had all the stores that offered the necessities of life," he said, reminiscing about his childhood.

"Then the neighbourhood went downhill. The factories closed down. People moved out. The financial core centralized downtown."

With the good business owners getting old and vacancies on the rise, Riverside struggled for many years and was by no means a place people gravitated toward.

"It stayed that way until about 10 years ago," Korman said.

Little by little, businesses started to relocate to the area and the once-working class neighbourhood has now transformed into a place where people want to live, work and play.

"When the factories moved out of the area so did the banks. Now the banks are starting to move back. This area is now one of the best kept secrets in the city," he said.

"People who shop and dine here come here over and over again. Today people are leaving the core because they want to live here."

"Every business you walk into here has an owner with a personality who is generally on-site,"

excerpt from Inside Toronto
Joanna Lavoie