Since the 1930s, Caplan’s has flourished as a furniture and appliance retailer thanks to its appeal to the surrounding working class neighbourhood that appreciated good quality items at an affordable price.

As Caplan’s continues to grow, the store becomes a destination: the façade is a landmark. This urban face-lift of the Caplan’s store is a modern update on their billboard facade. The renovated storefront respects the scale and materials of the neighbourhood; the new dark brick veneer mimics the surrounding two-storey brick elevations of Old Toronto. It refers to the existing height and rhythm of the street by the subtle divisions made by the vertical steel I-beams. A new glass screen provides luminous effect onto the street while the zinc canopy addresses the pedestrian level.