Theodore Loblaw
Encyclopedia
Theodore Pringle Loblaw was a Canadian grocer who spent his entire life in the province of Ontario
. He became the founder of Loblaws
supermarkets, which is now a nationwide retail empire.
Loblaw was born in Elmgrove, northeast of Alliston
, the son of William James Loblaw and Isabella Stevenson Loblaw. After his parents' deaths during his adolescence, Loblaw was raised by his maternal grandparents, William and Elizabeth Stevenson, at their farm just outside Alliston. In the 1890s he headed to Toronto
to begin his career in retail grocery. He later settled in Mimico
and eventually purchased his grandparents' farm.
Loblaw married Isabella Adam in 1897, and they had no biological children. Instead they adopted three nephews and a grand-niece as their children.
In 1919 Loblaw was hired by the United Farmers Cooperative Company, having previously comanaged a grocery store. He was involved in an unsuccessful attempt by the UFCC to launch a chain of cooperative grocery stores. However he left the company and used the experience he had gained to found the grocery chain that bears his name.
Loblaw was also instrumental in the establishment of the Toronto Western Hospital
, as well as of the Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston, which was named in honour of his grandparents.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He became the founder of Loblaws
Loblaws
Loblaws is a supermarket chain with over 70 stores in Canada, headquartered in Brampton, with stores across Ontario and Quebec. Loblaws is a division of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor...
supermarkets, which is now a nationwide retail empire.
Loblaw was born in Elmgrove, northeast of Alliston
Alliston, Ontario
Alliston is a settlement in Simcoe County in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is part of the Town of New Tecumseth since the 1991 amalgamation of Alliston and nearby villages of Beeton, Tottenham, and the Township of Tecumseth...
, the son of William James Loblaw and Isabella Stevenson Loblaw. After his parents' deaths during his adolescence, Loblaw was raised by his maternal grandparents, William and Elizabeth Stevenson, at their farm just outside Alliston. In the 1890s he headed to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to begin his career in retail grocery. He later settled in Mimico
Mimico
The historic Town of Mimico is a neighbourhood in the south-western part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the south-east corner of the former Township of Etobicoke, and was an independent municipality from 1911 to 1967....
and eventually purchased his grandparents' farm.
Loblaw married Isabella Adam in 1897, and they had no biological children. Instead they adopted three nephews and a grand-niece as their children.
In 1919 Loblaw was hired by the United Farmers Cooperative Company, having previously comanaged a grocery store. He was involved in an unsuccessful attempt by the UFCC to launch a chain of cooperative grocery stores. However he left the company and used the experience he had gained to found the grocery chain that bears his name.
Loblaw was also instrumental in the establishment of the Toronto Western Hospital
Toronto Western Hospital
-External links:****...
, as well as of the Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston, which was named in honour of his grandparents.