Peterborough Blogs
Hi Tops Restaurant Sign Looking for Foster Home
/The famed and iconic Hi Tops Chinese Restaurant sign is looking for a new temporary home following the closure of Hot Belly Mama’s back in March announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
Hi Tops has been in business from 1908-2012 by the late Edwin Hum. Photo Courtesy of Bill Kimball.
Bill Kimball, the sign’s owner, made the post seeking a new storage spot for the sign with several suggestions from the community since it must be removed within the week. The sign does not have to be on display for fostering its storage.
The long-term goal is to have the sign restored but needs to be kept in a safe place in the meantime according to Kimball. During its storage, plans and funding for the restoration will be made.
Improvements include installing the neon, replacing any missing parts and a paint job. Fortunately, nearly all of the neon has been saved and will be reused once the sign has been restored. Kimball has had several offers from neon lighting experts to help restore the sign.
“It’s an exciting thing to view and quite pleasurable to look at it,” remarked Kimball. “It’s a work of art. I’m so impressed by the craftsmanship and artistry.”
While Kimball was asking for community suggestions, the Peterborough Museum & Archives was an option. After speaking with them, the sign would be displayed in its original state.
Several offers have been made to store the sign but a location has not yet been determined according to Kimball.
“I’m quite thrilled by the overall response and encouragement,” he exclaimed. “A solution for the immediate need for storage will come out of this. I’ve already had enough offers for space.”
Kimball is looking for a way to transport the sign once a storage location has been established. The iconic piece of lighting is in two pieces measuring roughly eight to nine feet long each.
Kimball volunteered to take the sign during the deconstruction of Hi Tops. He serves as the Public Energy Performing Arts executive director. Photo Courtesy of Bill Kimball.
Although concrete plans for funding the sign have not yet been made, now could be the time to begin its restoration process Kimbell tells PTBOCanada. A GoFundMe is a possibility that he would highly consider as a starting point.
Hi Tops closed in 2012 and is currently occupied by Real Thai Cuisine. The sign made its home at The Spill until 2017 followed by Hot Belly Mama’s.
“I consider it quite a commercial work of art,” remarked Kimball. That’s what it is and you know, the last remaining remnants of the heyday of neon signs.”
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Foodie Friday: Riley's Pub on Their Building Origins, Their Famous Wings and Riley's Sauce
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We talk with Riley’s Pub owner Jim Kakuorus about what Riley’s building was before the restaurant, their famous wings and what is behind the renowned Riley’s Sauce.
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Foodie Friday: Marty Moo's and Their In-House Made Food and the 20-Minute Food Challenge
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We talk with Marty Moo's owner Joy Bonham about her cooking background, how all the food is made in-house and the 20-minute food challenge.
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Foodie Friday: Sam's Place Deli On the Idea of the Restaurant and the In-House Food
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We talk with Sam's Place Deli manager Shae Doucet about Sam Sayer's story of creating the deli, the vast array of decorations and all the in-house made food.
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Foodie Friday: Lakefield Greek Restaurant on Retaining the Previous Owner's Menu and Traditions With New Management
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We talk with Lakefield Greek Restaurant manager Wayne Umphrey about the restaurant takeover over two years ago and how the menu was kept the same to honour the previous owner.
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Foodie Friday: Jesse's Tap & Grill's Food Being Passed Down From Generation to Generation
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We talk with Jesse's Tap & Grill owner Jason Julian about how Grandma Ella played a pivotal role behind the family-run restaurant!
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Foodie Friday: Addison Brown of Dr. J's On Becoming a Pitmaster and How All the Food is Made From Scratch
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This week on Foodie Friday, we speak with Addison Brown, owner of Dr. J's BBQ & Brews on how he became a pitmaster and how all the food is made from scratch.
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Foodie Friday: Dan Rennick of Apollo Grill Celebrates the Burger Joint's 10th Anniversary and Explains the Royal Burger Link
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This week on Foodie Friday in our first-ever episode, we speak with Dan Rennick, owner of Apollo Grill as he celebrates his 10th anniversary and how the storied Royal Burger's lineage lives on through his business.
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Local Café Hosts Hollywood Actress For Movie Scene Filming
/It is not every day you get a movie star like Anna Kendrick to appear in Peterborough but it was a lucky day for entrepreneur Helen McCarthy and her café, KitCoffee last Tuesday.
Helen McCarthy (left), KitCoffee owner with her employees and actress Anna Kendrick (middle right) after the Hollywood star finished filming her scene in Downtown Peterborough. Photo Courtesy of KitCoffee.
Kendrick was filming for her upcoming thriller movie, “Alice, Darling” at the Hunter Street café between Water Street and George Street in Downtown Peterborough.
KitCoffee had closed for the day but served coffee and snacks to the production staff in between filming. Some parts of the street were blocked off temporarily for the shoot.
Helen McCarthy, KitCoffee owner was not expecting as big a star as Kendrick when she agreed for her business to be used for a movie scene.
“I had walked right past Anna Kendrick who was sitting in the café,” she said. “I thought it was going to be a smaller film and I didn’t know anyone famous was going to be here.”
KitCoffee recently celebrated their second anniversary last Thursday. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
McCarthy admits that she often does not get starstruck but she and the staff had to contain themselves when the celebrity actress was in the café. They were rewarded with a photo with Kendrick when the filming had finished after showing tremendous restraint.
“The three of us who were there, we were trying not to be annoying,” she said. “We didn’t want to bother her but it would be really fun to get a picture so I ended up asking one of the crew members that we were interacting with more.”
KitCoffee sells food and drink such as coffee, tea, pastries, sandwiches and in-house made bagels. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
