Monica Lewis, entrepreneur at heart of Toronto’s Little Jamaica, dies | News
Monica Lewis’ industriousness and respect for others endeared her to many in Toronto’s Little Jamaica community — a neighbourhood the trailblazing entrepreneur helped build through her business, Monica’s Beauty Salon and Cosmetic Supplies, on Eglinton Avenue West, near Oakwood Avenue in Canada.
The beloved matriarch passed away in her sleep on May 20. Her son, Junior Lewis, says that, in their last conversation, she told him that she had spoken to God when he was concerned about her feeling unwell.
Born in Brown’s Hall, St Catherine, Jamaica, Lewis, as a young woman, was given a rare opportunity — one afforded to only a single member of her family — to leave home for England in search of a better life.
After completing her studies, she worked as a nurse in England during the 1950s. But her interest in running her own business also led her to study and teach hairdressing. She later met and married George Lewis, who was just as ambitious to succeed in business. Their union produced two sons: Derek, who predeceased her, and Junior.
They eventually made their way to Canada in 1968 and opened a hairdressing business and record store on Oakwood Avenue, which she later expanded to include other products.
The couple bought a property at 1553 Eglinton Avenue West and began a lifetime of service to the Caribbean community in Toronto and across southern Ontario. Monica’s became Little Jamaica’s longest-standing cosmetics and hair store, carrying products for both men and women. For a time, it stood as one of the only beauty supply destinations of its kind in the city, drawing customers from near and far.
The shop was far more than a storefront. Downstairs, George ran a legendary reggae record shop, marked to this day by its yellow “George the Record Man” sign, which became both a gathering place and a piece of music history.
The basement served as the headquarters for George’s label and record shop — a story that has reshaped how the roots of Canadian hip hop are understood, tracing them to Toronto’s Caribbean community. It was there, in 1979, that Mr Q’s Ladies Delight was recorded, widely cited as the first -known Canadian hip-hop single. Records that passed through Monica’s reached collectors and artistes around the world, from neighbourhood regulars to international stars such as Lenny Kravitz.
“She was proud to be a Jamaican, she was proud to be a West Indian; she was proud to know that we can get somewhere from where she came from, because she was from humble beginnings,” says Junior, who noted that, in his childhood, except for watching a few soap operas, Monica was always working.
“Those who knew Lewis will remember her not only for what she built, but for how she treated people.”
A God-fearing woman of deep faith, she met everyone with the same warmth and dignity, whether it was someone who was homeless stepping inside to escape the cold, a young family, or a famous musician who had travelled across the world to find her shop. The City of Toronto and the mayor formally recognised her on many occasions for her contributions to the community she helped shape.
Even as decades of construction reshaped Eglinton Avenue West, and her business was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lewis’ determination remained steadfast. “I am not going to let anyone push me out,” she said of the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT).
She and her husband, who had suffered a stroke, would still open the store, with Lewis engaging customers. Seeing them do this led Junior to think that his mother was invincible. “She runs our house, there were three men in the house — me, my dad, and my brother that passed. She demanded respect and honoured respect; you had to respect her.”
George was in hospital during the pandemic, and they decided to bring him home, where Lewis became his caregiver for the last five years. “They were always together, you never see one without the other,” says Junior, who is now responsible for his father’s care.
Junior eventually discontinued the hair business and, since then, the location has been used for community events such as pop-up shops, art galleries, birthday parties and weddings, among other things.
“I did not know Monica Lewis well, but I know her son, Junior. I have benefited from his sense of community and generosity of spirit. Monica’s son is a testament to her faith, hard work and business savvy. She poured into our communities and we are excited to see how the former business can become a gathering place for African and Caribbean communities on Eglinton West,” said Karen Carter, co-founder of Black Artists’ Networks in Dialogue.
Jason McDonald, chair of the Little Jamaica Business Improvement Area, described Lewis as an icon in Little Jamaica and an important figure in Toronto.
Lewis leaves behind a large family: those who share her blood, and many more who became family through her kindness over the years.
The viewing will be held on June 12, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at York Cemetery and Funeral Centre, located at 160 Beecroft Road in North York. The funeral service will take place on June 13 at 11 a.m. at Revivaltime Tabernacle, 4340 Dufferin Street in Toronto.
The service will also be live-streamed at: bit.ly/RememberingMonica for those unable to attend in person.