Club Zanzibar

In the heart of Toronto’s bustling Yonge Street, Club Zanzibar beckons with a history as vibrant as its neon lights. Club Zanzibar stands on a site that once housed a very different kind of establishment. Built in 1895, the building originally served as the Young & Millard Undertaking House. Imagine horse-drawn carriages carrying somber processions to this very spot. The architects, Burke & Horwood, also designed prominent landmarks like the Robert Simpson Company building, now The Bay. Club Zanzibar’s current glittering gold facade, a 2001 renovation, is a far cry from its Victorian-era beginnings. The original brownstone and purple brick exterior, complete with a stained-glass window, has been replaced with a Vegas-inspired glitz. Inside, the once “splendidly appointed” showrooms for caskets now pulse with music and energy. In 1951, the building was reborn as the Zanzibar Tavern, a “finest dining room” with live entertainment. A decade later, David Cooper, or “Davey C,” transformed it into a legendary hot spot. The Yonge Street strip was Toronto’s entertainment hub, and Club Zanzibar was at its heart. A curious piece of Zanzibar’s history is the “circulating ham sandwich.” To comply with liquor laws, a single sandwich made the rounds, never eaten, just present to appease the authorities. The 1960s saw the arrival of go-go dancers, adding to the club’s allure. The house trio, led by Bobby Dean Blackburn, filled the air with R&B, rock, and jazz. Even visiting musicians like Jimmy McGriff and Taj Mahal would join in the jam sessions. Closed-circuit cameras projected images of the dance floor onto the walls, creating a psychedelic atmosphere among the mannequins and flashing neon signs. One could even order a “Zanzibar Zulu,” a potent cocktail promising a free trip to the hospital. The 1970s marked a shift to burlesque, eventually evolving into the adult entertainment venue it is today. Club Zanzibar has even graced the silver screen, appearing in films like “The Incredible Hulk.” Despite its colorful past and present, Club Zanzibar is not officially recognized as a heritage site. Yet, its story, woven into the fabric of Toronto’s entertainment history, continues to draw crowds and remains a landmark on Yonge Street.