If there’s one place left that represents the history of Eglinton West in Fairbank Village, it’s Dynevor Furniture & Appliances. Joe Torrone and his family started up the place 56 years ago. The sign is still the same. And Joe is still working in his shop. “I should be retired but I still love to work, I love the public.” Joe says he’s doing fine but times have been better. “It’s a lot harder for the new generation than it was for mine.”
“I started with little or no money. Now you need a lot of money to start. No chances like before. I used to go the bank and they wanted to know nothing, and they lent me money because I was a good guy. Now they want to know how many hairs you got on your head before they give you any money.”
Joe says while costs have shot up in taxes and property values, it’s a just a matter of time before the area picks up again. “You’re going to have to wait. It will be at least another 5 to 10 years and the area is going to be great. It’s going to be viable again like it used to be. But you’re going to have to be patient. You’re going to have to be able to afford it.”
Joe has handled severe recessions of the past, and he’s handling the challenges of today. “I can afford it. I’m happy,” says Joe. As for the future of Dynevor, he says that’s up to the next Torrone generation. “It’s up to my family. I’ve been here for 56 years. How much longer am I going to go?”
