Longtime customer Sid Diament fondly recalls his visits to Korry Clothiers in Greektown over many years.
“My favourite memory of coming down here was going upstairs and spending time with Saul [Korman] and talking to him about old times and present times and future times and whatever,” he says. “I knew him for a long long time from the time I was, I guess, 12.”
Diament and other customers will soon no longer be able to add to their memories of Korry’s as the store is closing in two months, about a year after the death of Korman.
The Danforth Avenue men’s clothing store has served customers from around the area for generations.
Leaving school at 16, Saul Korman, a first-generation Canadian, and his father started the business 70 years ago.
‘Duke of Danforth’
Despite the upcoming closure, the store is still filled with people looking around the store.
Korman’s son Shawn calls the closing sale bittersweet. “And you know we’re making some great sales and at the end of the day it’s the right thing for us,” he says .
Saul Korman was, locally dubbed “Duke of the Danforth” and was known by his customers for his kindness and the values he held dear, Shawn says.
His father was a major part of his memories of Korry’s.
“We loved when my dad was here working and when it was busy having all the friends and people come by and having coffee and just enjoy people shopping in the store,” he says.
“It’s been awesome, just awesome,” Korman says. “It’s the only word we have with all our neighbour’s coming in from the Greek bakeries from the neighbourhood that have known my dad for many many years.”
He says the family had to thank the whole Greek community for the store’s success.
“They supported us and they made this Greektown what it is, with the help of Saul,” he said.