At Follis looking north	At Olive looking south

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"Steven's Milk store, (on the south west corner of Olive and Bathurst) was operated by the Hartstone family from 1959 until 1998. My Grandparents arrived in Canada from Poland in the early 1920's. They were married in Canada. My Grandfather (Max Hartstone) opened a chain of European bakeries across Toronto in the 1950's. Before that he was a milkman and furrier. After the Bakeries closed in the late 1950's he opened Steven's Milk (around 1958) which is named after their oldest grandson Steven Hartstone.
My grandfather Max Hartstone and their son Marvin Hartstone ran the store until 1982 when Max Hartstone died. After that Marvin took over and ran the store with some help from my Grandmother Sarah Hartstone. The store was closed in 1998 after Marvin suffered a major heart attack. The store sat dormant for two years after which new operators came on board. For 40 years the Hartstone family was a presence in the neighbourhood. To this day we still have some of the old timers asking about Marvin who now lives in North Toronto and is retired. Sarah Hartstone died in 2005 at 98 years. She was an amazing woman and I miss her. My mother Nancy Freeman is sister to Marvin Hartstone and the daughter of Max & Sarah Hartstone. It would be a great honour and a blessing to name the lane after the Hartstone Family.

The Senior Hartstones, Max and Sarah (Marvin's parents) owned a property on Clinton Street north of Follis on the west side (south of Yarmouth Rd.).

The family hired all of their staff, mostly teenagers with most being their first job from the local area. I constantly meet up with these 50+ year old men (mostly) who always have fond remarks about the Hartstone family. One chap told me that Marvin taught him how to read. Remember back then this was a poor immigrant community.

The Hartstone family was always very giving to the community. I have found out that they regularly provided monies to whatever group or organization requested. For example, the Olive Street Block party, "Music in Vermont Park", Bill Bolton (Arena).... Halloween was especially a giving time when Marvin and the rest of the Hartstone family would hand out over 500 chocolate milks to the local kids.

In the early years, the Hartstones would also allow people credit. Back then the local corner store was much more... It was a place to socialize, gossip and buy all of your grocery requirements.

I think that it would be proper and respectful to name this lane after the Hartstone family... a family that had such a lasting a positive impact on the area for almost 40 years!"

Submitted by Grandson, Elden Freeman, Oct. 2011 and Sept. 2012.