Worts had owned a mill in Diss, England, then moved to Toronto in 1831 and established himself in the same line of work.

With a surplus of wheat, Gooderham expanded in 1837 into brewing and distilling, and soon this lucrative trade became the primary focus of the business.

[citation needed] As well as keeping interests in the milling and brewing trades, the company expanded into other ventures.

The firm also relied on its other ventures, most notably the production of antifreeze, which was essential to the war effort and to the growing number of automobiles.

In 1926, Hatch purchased Canada's second-largest distiller, Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd., the makers of Canadian Club.

In 1927, at a hearing on tax evasion charges against Gooderham and Worts, notorious bootlegger Rocco Perri admitted buying whisky from the distiller from 1924 to 1927.

The site would eventually be converted into the Distillery District, including the Young Centre for the Performing Arts that opened in 2006.

The complex has been owned by a group called Cityscape since 2002; the owners were responsible for converting 24 buildings into spaces for artist and galleries.

[8] The Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery, now owned by Pernod Ricard, makes Gooderham & Worts brand whiskies but does so at its plant in Windsor, Ontario.