Pure Food Building, Exhibition building at Canadian National Exhibition grounds, Toronto, Canada
The Pure Food Building was an exhibition structure at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds in Toronto with six open-air courts where manufacturers arranged their products in booths. The building provided space for major companies to display and sell their food items in an organized setting designed for browsing and sampling.
The building was designed by architect Bernard Herman Prack in an Italian style and opened in 1922 as a new exhibition space at the fair grounds. It operated for three decades before being demolished in 1953 to make room for other structures.
The building changed how food exhibitions worked in North America by introducing a structured system where visitors paid for samples instead of getting free tastings. This new approach helped organize product displays in a way that was more efficient and profitable for companies showing their goods.
The building sat on the exhibition grounds and was accessible during the season when events took place there. Visitors could walk freely through the open courts and browse the different company booths without needing navigation help.
When it opened, this was marketed as the largest permanent food exhibition structure in the world, which made it a notable achievement for its time. The innovative way booths were laid out helped set a new standard for how food companies could present their products to the public.
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