ISM: Difference between revisions

ISM had its humble beginnings in the south of what is now designated as Scarborough, Ontario. Ernest Higgins started the company in 1884 after building a small storefront for his newly founded company, Higgins Mechanisms, which mainly sold handmade farming equipment. Ernest also operated a side business of making and selling niche home baked foods, such as his famous Higgo Wiggo Potato Delicacies.  

As his business grew throughout the late 1800s and in 1907, Higgins bought a small storefront in Whitchurch, Ontario where he continued to grow his business. Just 5 years later, in 1912, Ernest sold the shop as customers were beginning to draw towards the many inner-city opportunities of Toronto. He bought a single story  building to work out of, and continued operations as normal. As of 1913, The business still wasn’t earning much of a profit selling farming equipment so in a desperate scramble for money, he turned to primarily the snack food industry. This new business practice did not come to fruition on Ernest’s hand, however, as in August of 1914 World War One began and Ernest enlisted with the British/Canadian army as a high ranking officer. Three weeks into serving in the war, Earnest’s 20 year old grandson Elliot Higgins was discharged from the military after being shot through the arm by a German soldier. It is unknown whether this act was intentional cowardice. He returned to his grandfather’s failing shop and took command of all operations. The store outside of Toronto was promptly closed in 1915, and with the money Elliot had stockpiled since he was 17 from unknown sources, an entire office was bought in the heart of downtown Toronto’s financial district for the now renamed New Higgins Mechanisms Company. Elliot switched his grandfather’s company focus from farming to advanced technology. Ernest returned from the war in 1918 following Germany’s defeat, apparently “outraged” at what his grandson had done to his company. He was presumed to have gone and confronted Elliot, but he was curiously never heard from again.