This is one of the first bars I ever went to - actually, it is probably the first place I was ever served beer. I love it like a dysfunctional uncle who makes lame jokes "pull my finger" and always smells like Canadian Club. It's hard for me to not get nostalgic every time I pass by.
I don't think anyone should be allowed to live in Toronto if they haven't had at least one drink and chat with the regulars. It is an institution onto itself.
And remember, this is the house of the blues (or so it claims - and really, why question it? Once you've hung out for awhile you become a true believer - just keep sipping the moonshine and everything will be ok). In many ways, it's a physical representation of 'suffering for your art'. Unlike other tourist attractions, there is no tidy aesthetic - that would be like trying to put a bear in a dress. It is what it is - and that's why it's been standing in the same spot since 1948.