The man behind a Toronto retail store remembered for its fine furniture, John de Boer, has died unexpectedly near the family’s Port Carling cottage at the age of 74.

With its origins in the Netherlands, DeBoer’s Furniture closed last year after being in business in Toronto for 62 years.

The chain’s flagship North York  location on Yonge Street was situated in Toronto councillor John Filion’s ward. He said DeBoer’s Furniture was a landmark.

“It was consistently very high quality, and there was really nothing like it anywhere near here,” said Filion.

Paul Epp, an industrial design professor at the Ontario College of Art & Design University, said de Boer was a pioneer in the industry.

From the mid to late 20th century, DeBoer’s Furniture was one of the few Toronto furniture retailers that sold quality items, he explained.

“They carried a range of styles, but they sold good goods as opposed to simply selling cheap stuff,” Epp said.

At a time when there were not many furniture choices available, DeBoer’s offered imports from Europe, he added.