“It felt like the eyelids had popped on all of these shops!” – Laura Ryan, Hamilton, ON

“There was a lot of vacant storefronts, and you would see people try to open up a business in some of those vacant storefronts, and they just wouldn’t survive.” – Joey Coleman, Hamilton, ON

“That neighborhood, James Street North, was our whole life. We didn’t venture out of it.” – Ron Corsini, Hamilton, ON

“He used to get the family all together, pile us in the car at home, drive down here and have gelato on a hot summer night.” – Roderick Noble, Hamilton, ON

“James Street,of course, it was Little Italy.” – John DiLiberto, Hamilton, ON