Ambrose Pilon's Reminiscences
about Pilon's Bakery
The Pilon's Bakery Everybody Knew

Exactly when Pilon's Bakery moved to its Main Street location is not precisely known. However, at first, L.V. rented the premises.

On February 21, 1935, a small notice placed in the E.O. Review told readers that the bakery had a new phone number (25) at its Main Street location. At that time, the store would have been at the very northwest corner of the building in what came to be the processing room where the bread was cooled and wrapped. The rest of the building, including where the store was eventually located, as well as the entire upstairs living area where not part of Pilon's Bakery.

This all changed in the spring of 1941 when L.V. Pilon bought the entire red brick building at the corner of Main Street and Kirk Lane (Lot 3, Part 2 (the northwest corner)) (here's the deed).

The old store turned processing room was also where dozens of bags of flour were kept for daily use; flour, in later years at least, provided through the company that Vincent Pilon, one of L.V.'s sons, worked for, Maple Leaf Mills.

The store then moved to the left portion of the building and the whole family moved upstairs. Access to the living quarters was through the door in the middle of the picture on the left. This functional arrangement of the space in the building would last until Pilon's Bakery closed.

In the years since, the building's uses have changed significantly. It continued as a bakery for a few years before being split into a restaurant and a nail salon. The upstairs has since been divided into two appartments. Today the former store is a wool supply store and the processing room is a clothing store.

When you zoom into the large version of this image, notice the blackboard sign propped up against the building. Its annoncing an upcoming softball game. Bill Pilon was a longtime softball umpire at Vankleek Hill games. There was never any arguing with his calls!

While Pilon's bakery produced a wide range of baked goods, including many varieties of breads, cookies, pies, cakes, pastries, baked beans, it also sold other consumer items. For example, in this photograph we can see that Lowney's Ice Cream was actively offered to customers. In other times, flour, pizza dough, soft drinks and even cigarettes could be purchased in the store. L.V.'s earlier days as a salesman certainly led him to seize upon commercial opportunities!

Before L.V. Pilon purchased the entire building at the corner of Main Street and Kirk Lane, he rented the half running along Kirk Lane and built the shop behind it. They lived at the large two storey house that Émile Méthot lived in later; at what is today 30 Methot Street.

This photograph shows how the store was in the very corner of the building. That room would become the processing and flour storage room later.

In this photograph we see L.V. Pilon on the right and his brother Eugène (Pipe) Pilon on the left. Between them, from left to right are Vincent, Bill and Ambrose.

Aunt Rosa with Cécile, Yvonne, Patsy, Jeannette and Jack Lena and L.V. with Olly, Bill, Bob, Rosalie and Laurel Aunt Connie, Bill, Veronica and Biffy
Mary Helen Pilon, Bill Pilon (RCAF), Olive Pilon (Nursing Sister) Lena Pilon (née Marontate), L.V. Pilon, Rosa Long (née Pilon, L.V.'s sister) Ambrose Pilon and his god-mother Rosa Long (née Pilon) 		The sidewalk in front of the bakery was THE place for taking a souvenir picture. Here is just a small sample:
  1. (top left) Cécile Pilon (née Levac) with her daughters Yvonne, Pastie and Jeannette and her son Jack. They are with Aunt Rosa (L.V.'s sister). Her husband Vincent Pilon is absent.
  2. (top middle) Aunt Olly and Uncle Bob Sutherland with Bill Pilon and Grandma (Lena) and Grandpa (L.V.). Two of Olly and Bob's daughters are with them: Rosalie and the taller Laurel.
  3. (top right) Connie (née Greig) and Bill Pillon with their dauther Veronica and their oldest son, Biffy.
  4. (bottom left) Mary Helen Pilon (nurse), Bill Pilon (RCAF), Olive Pilon (Nursing Sister - RCAMC)
  5. (bottom middle) Lena Pilon (née Marontate), L.V. Pilon and Rosa Long (née Pilon)
  6. (bottom middle) Ambrose Pilon with his god-mother Aunt Rosa Long (née Pilon, L.V.'s sister)


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