Monica Lewis, the matriarch of Toronto's Little Jamaica neighbourhood has passed away
Honouring the life and legacy of the trailblazing entrepreneur behind Monica’s, the Eglinton Avenue West shop that helped define Caribbean music history in Toronto
Toronto ON (June 5th, 2026) — The family of Monica Lewis, the beloved entrepreneur and matriarch whose store on Toronto's Eglinton Avenue West helped give rise to Toronto’s Little Jamaica neighbourhood and Caribbean music community, announces her passing with profound sadness and deep gratitude for a life extraordinarily well lived.
Born in Jamaica, Monica was as a young woman given a rare opportunity, one afforded to only a single member of her family, to leave home for England in search of a better life. She carried her family’s hopes with her and eventually made her way to Canada. Together with George, she would go on to open doors for their loved ones, helping members of both their families who wished to follow make the journey to Canada and build new lives of their own.
Alongside her husband George, Monica opened the doors of Monica’s Beauty Supply on Eglinton Avenue West. In the late 1960s, the couple bought a property at 1553 Eglinton West and began a lifetime of serving the Caribbean community in Toronto and across Southern Ontario. Monica’s became Little Jamaica’s most long-standing cosmetics and hair store, carrying products for both men and women. For a time, it stood as one of the only beauty supply destinations of its kind in the city, drawing customers who travelled from near and far to shop with her.
The shop was far more than a storefront. Downstairs, George ran a legendary reggae record shop, marked to this day by its yellow “George the Record Man” sign, that became a gathering place and an important piece of Canadian music history. The basement served as the headquarters for George’s record label and shop, a store where most Black and Caribbean music enthusiasts and musicians from across the city of Toronto bought their music and first heard music imports from the United States, the Caribbean and the UK.
Monica's story is one that has reshaped how the roots of Canadian hip hop are understood, as it was in her shop, in 1979, that Mr. Q’s “Ladies Delight” was recorded, a song that is widely cited as the first known Canadian hip hop single. The records that flowed through Monica’s reached collectors and artists around the world, from neighbourhood regulars to international stars such as Lenny Kravitz. Plus, countless iconic Canadian musicians including k-os and Kardinal Offishall have honoured Monica's shop in their music videos.
"Those who knew Monica will remember her not only for what she built, but for how she treated people," says her son, Junior Lewis. A God-fearing woman of deep faith, she met everyone with the same warmth and dignity; whether it was someone who was homeless stepping inside to escape the cold, a young family, or a famous musician who had travelled across the world to find her shop. The City of Toronto and the Mayor formally recognized her on many occasions for her contributions to the community she helped shape. Even as decades of construction and change reshaped Eglinton West, Monica refused to be moved. “I am not going to let anyone push me out,” she said.
And she never did. Monica’s Beauty Supply remains on Eglinton Ave. West despite gentrification efforts, and Monica leaves behind a large family: those who share her blood, and the many more who became family through the kindness of her soul over the years. There will never be another Monica Lewis, and she will be missed beyond measure.
MONICA LEWIS FUNERAL SERVICE DETAILS
The viewing will be held on Friday, June 12, 2026 at York Cemetery and Funeral Center, located at 160 Beecroft Road, North York, ON M2N 5Z5.
Viewing times will be 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
The funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Revivaltime Tabernacle, located at 4340 Dufferin Street, Downsview Toronto. Doors will open at 10:00 AM, and the service will begin at 11:00 AM.
The family warmly invites all who knew and loved her to attend.
The service will also be live streamed at: bit.ly/RememberingMonica for those who cannot join in person.
