The Mercedes Dealer

When the pioneers first settled here in 1794, long before the birth of the automobile, your “Toyota Corolla / Honda Civic” in 1794 Canada was a single “Ford Mustang” for real.

What if a pick-up truck, a tractor, or an SUV is needed to tow heavy goods, plow a field for a farm or carry families around?

The earliest settlers, German speaking Eckardt family brought a valuable skill from Europe. They set up a wheelwright & carriage shop in their village, so that horse drawn carriages and farm wagons could be made, serviced and repaired.

Behind its salmon pink bricks, neoclassical black gable and eaves, the Eckardt carriage shop is as stylish as it is utilitarian, with a coach house vibe.

The bottom floor was the blacksmith. Through the double door, ore and wood were forged and crafted into wheels, leaf springs and chassis.

Various parts were then hoisted upstairs to be painted and finished. The large windows on the 2nd floor provided additional ventilation.

Although small by modern standards, the Eckardt Carriage Shop would be quite a sight in 1835.

When other buildings in the village were mere log houses and cabins, it would be like Mercedes Benz from Germany setting up a factory or a dealership in today’s equivalent.

The carriage shop is now a restaurant. I love the way the interior glows in the evening.

It is a similar glow, a reminiscence, a respectful nod, to its fiery past, as a blacksmith, a carriage maker, a wheel wright, forging those metal pieces in 1830s Canada.

166 Main Street Unionville, Markham