About ELTE In 1919 in Paris France, Léon Tenenbaum founded a company that would eventually become a leader in retailing home furnishings. His vision, to bring unique home furnishings items from around the world, has remained true through the fourth generation. Elte's family legacy began 90 years ago when Léon Tenenbaum opened the original Establishments Elte in Paris. His initials LT formed the root of the firm's name. During World War II, Léon and his family fled soon to be occupied France and moved to Canada where they made their new home. In 1944, Elte and Sons launched on Toronto's Bay Street and has since earned a reputation as Canada's leading importer of fine quality rugs. In 1953, Elte moved to Wellington Street (now the TD Centre). In 1964, to Kendal Avenue just south of Casa Loma, and in 1978 to Eastern Avenue just north of the Distillery District, led by the successive leadership of Léon, his son Andre and son-in-law Fred Metrick who married Léon's daughter Cecile in 1953. Now in its fourth generation, Elte stands proudly at the corner of Castlefield and Ronald and is led by Ken, the founder's grandson. Elte's spectacular showroom is one of North America's largest retail establishments with over 200,000 square feet of space, housed in two buildings. Since 1944, Elte has grown to become one of the world's finest home furnishing suppliers, adding Furniture, Linens, Lighting along with Rugs and Broadloom, standalone store Ginger's, and has been honored as Retailer of the Year in both Canada and the United States. Léon was passionate about bringing customers the best products from around the world and we continue to follow his tradition 90 years later, procuring the very best in home furnishings for our customers.
