The intersection of Jane and Dundas is a busy one with a web of vehicles and construction equipment jostling for space. The fact that there's a scrapyard does nothing for the aesthetics.

But in the middle of this chaos, an ice hockey mural stands out. 

The mural is painted on the exterior of Newson's Bike and Skate Exchange, a family-owned business that has been operational since 1931.

"I hired an artist to do that because this is kind of an ugly intersection. We have a scrapyard and a train yard over here. And I thought the wall is such a big piece of real estate," said Justin Grimaldi.

It was his great grandfather, Wilson Newson, who started the business.

A mural shows the sports and gear in which the store specializes. 

A short flight of steps leads into the shop which is lined with bikes and biking gear, skates and merchandise. The repairs are done in the middle of the shop, while hockey gear is on the first floor.

"It started as a hardware store and tool and die making by my great grandfather. And that was kind of during the Great Depression. So, they were a hardware store, but they also did anything to bring in money," said Grimaldi who took over the reins in 2000.

He says that the store soon gained a reputation as a place that could fix any kind of machinery.

"It kind of morphed into a repair shop of sorts. Some time in the 50s, they got into small engine repair. And that's where the sharpening came in. They had to sharpen the appliances, all of the things that they were servicing," he said.

He says that when business grew, his great grandfather needed more hands at the store. Newson's two sons, Vernon and Grenville joined the business.

"Then the next generation came in the late 1970s, my parents, John and Wendy. My father was a professor, my mom was a nurse. They left their jobs to come here and help run the business," said Grimaldi who grew up in the neighbourhood.

Justin Grimaldi shows blogTO the middle shop where they do the repairs.

He says that it has always been a "very dynamic neighbourhood."

"It's a very family-focused community [with] very dense housing. I have families who have been coming here for generations. So yes, things change, but the neighbourhood, as far as I know because I grew up here, has largely stayed the same," he said.

The neighbourhood is situated close to the Junction and other growing neighbourhoods. Grimaldi says that because of this, they're able to serve a wide demographic that includes multi-generation Canadians and new Canadians.

"A lot of our customers come in here not being able to speak English and what's given us a good reputation is that we're welcoming. We know people by their names. We have managed to stay a very community focused store and very mom-and-pop shop," Grimaldi said.