Cam Gordon, a 48‑year‑old author from Thornhill, Ontario, recalls a 2001 encounter with Joe Strummer at an HMV store on Yonge Street. The meeting happened while Strummer toured with The Mescaleros. Gordon, standing 6-foot‑5, was surprised to find the frontman shorter than expected. He now owns a signed copy of "London Calling" from the event.
Gordon is author of a 2026 book that chronicles Canadian music online from 1990 to 2010. He has dedicated a chapter to the history of music retail in Canada. The meeting with Strummer is highlighted as a personal milestone in that narrative. It underscores the influence of physical music stores on his career.
On Wednesday evening at 7 p.m., Gordon will lead a free historical walk through Toronto’s Yonge Street corridor. The tour will trace the locations of the former Sam the Record Man, the HMV flagship, and the World’s Biggest Bookstore. Participants will gather near 10 Edward Street, close to the former sites of the three landmark stores. The walk aims to preserve the memory of these venues that closed between 2007 and 2017.
The trio of stores once served as cultural hubs for music, books, and journalism. They offered listening stations, author signings, and community spaces before the rise of digital media. The walk aims to preserve the memory of these venues that closed between 2007 and 2017. Gordon believes the history remains vital for new generations.
Artists such as Mariah Carey, Puff Daddy, Kanye West, Anthrax, and Motley Crue have performed in‑store appearances at HMV. The World’s Biggest Bookstore hosted Canadian authors including Pierre Burton, Margaret Atwood, Farley Mowat, Robert Bateman, and Robert Munsch. Sam the Record Man promoted Canadian acts like Barenaked Ladies and The Pursuit of Happiness. Gordon notes that the stores were key to the local music scene.
Gordon reflects on his frequent visits during the late 1980s and early 1990s, often spending a month’s time at each venue. He credits HMV’s listening bar, introduced in 1995, with shaping his musical taste. He laments the loss of these physical spaces that once fostered discovery. The decline of such stores has altered how audiences engage with music.
The stores functioned as public spaces where staff encouraged browsing and conversation. They provided informal venues for fans to gather before the internet era. Gordon describes the experience as a form of music education distinct from digital consumption. He values the quiet corners that existed within the World’s Biggest Bookstore.
The walk is expected to attract music fans, former employees, and history enthusiasts. Gordon plans to publish another book and possibly organize further Toronto music‑themed tours. He intends to explore locations tied to Canadian music videos. The event is positioned as an effort to keep the legacy of these institutions alive.
The walk will highlight the cultural significance of Yonge Street’s retail history. It will also serve as a tribute to the community that once thrived around these establishments. The evening promises
