That's more or less where I was guessing--there's that section with a second floor where they now have offices. Most Sayvettes had at least two floors, I believe.
The Ajax Sayvette's had 3 floors. I remember it vividly, though I was only 8 when it closed.
The basement had a lunch counter that was framed by an overhead border (probably to hide the ductwork) of photos that appeared to have been cut from travel posters. There was one of an Ancient Greek tragedy mask that used to terrify me.
The elevator was huge, and had big square buttons and floor-indicator lights. I think it was either a hydraulic or a traction by Armor. (Armor Elevator Canada was located in Pickering, near Hwy. 2 and Liverpool.) The interior was decorated in a garish combination of vivid reddish-orange and vibrant cornflower blue. I shudder to think of it, to this day. Imagine if you got stuck in there with all that 1970s hideousness!
The candy counter (where a clerk scooped candy from bins, weighed it on a mechanical scale with a steel bowl, and sold it in little white paper bags) was in the middle of the first floor, and there was a small garden centre at the southwest end of the store, by the big windows. I think the rest of the first floor was devoted to clothing.
The second floor had toys, pets, and (I think) housewares.
Besides the lunch counter, I think the basement had the hardware department. We almost never went there.
The checkouts used big, electro-mechanical NCR cash registers (Series 51 or 52). I fell in love with the sounds of them, and I marvelled at how fast the cashiers' fingers flew up and down the rows of buttons. How I wished I could work one of those amazing machines...
About 10 years ago, I bought an old Series 52, but it was completely seized-up. (If anyone knows somebody who can repair one of those old beasts, please let me know.)
