J. Sprachman Ladies' Tailor
390 SPADINA AVENUE
Jacob Sprachman Ladies’ Tailor was one part of Toronto’s large garment manufacturing industry. Sprachman’s business was first located on King Street East and later moved to 390 Spadina Avenue, north of the garment district and the Labor Lyceum. As a small proprietor and custom-clothing maker, Sprachman would have been forced to compete in the growing “ready to wear” market that began to thrive in the early 20th century.
Jacob stands proudly in front of his storefront in a well-fitted outfit. In the store window, there are various indicators of Jacob’s profession including images of the latest fashionable women’s trends and signage advertising that the clothes are custom-made. Unlike the large manufacturers that segmented the production of garments into specific tasks, tailors required a wide range of skills to create a garment from start to finish.
The Sprachman family, originally from Poland, were well established in the Jewish community. While Jacob Sprachman worked as a successful tailor, his relatives Abraham along with Abraham’s son Mandel were successful architects, designing important movie theatres, manufactories, and communal buildings in the city.
