Posts Tagged ‘East End’
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
Ever found an online Etsy store selling vintage and wished you could just rifle though all the retro goodies by hand?
A Touch of Vintage just happens to be one of those shopping places where you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak.
If you’re an online addict, shop away as co-owners Diane Coatsworth and Victoria Adilman-Chan post uber precise measurements for the vintage dresses they sell.
If you’re a Torontonian and prefer a good retail dig, email atouchofvintage@gmail.com to make a personal appointment in their Riverdale studio.
The gals stock vintage dresses from the 1950s to 70s for reasonable prices – ranging from $22-$50 or so, with a few extra special frocks going for about $65-$85 each.
There’s also some fab purses, scarves and accessories – the 1980s red leather purse shaped like a pair of lips for around $22 caught the attention of SheShops.
You can also find vintage housewares, everything from 196os highball glasses to retro clocks and glassware.
SheShops had a clock just like this one when she was growing up in the 1970s!
The girls also tie-dye retro full and half slips in funkadelic colours, and recently have transformed white slips into gorgeous pastel-hued creations.
Visit atouchofvintage.etsy.com to preview items, for sale in USD. If you pick up locally you save on the shipping!
Check out their Facebook for regular updates.
Tags: accessories, Dresses, East End, Etsy, Housewares, Online Shopping, Riverdale, Slips, Vintage, Vintage clothing
Posted in Bargain Hunting, East End, East Toronto, Etsy, Housewares, Online Shopping, Retro, Riverdale, Vintage, clothing | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
If you never thought there was a good reason to hit the edge of the Beach shopping district on Queen Street East just west of Victoria Park, stand corrected because that reason is Mira’s Vintage Boutique.
SheShopsTO expected Mira’s to be some tiny consignment shop.The outside looks so quaint, and that darling awning hanging over the sidewalk, with the words “One of a Kind Consignment Store” printed on it, is just the biggest invitation for deal divas to waltz right in….
But the inside is surprisingly large and jam packed with all kinds of fashion goodies. Presided over by owner Mira Staples, the shop carries ladies’ clothing and accessories on a consignment basis, both contemporary and vintage.
There’s also some new end-of-the-line fashions by the likes of Costa Blanca, Guess? and other fashiony labels, plus new costume jewellery, shoes, handbags and sunglasses at reasonable prices.
A whole wall is dedicated to vintage fabric and $20 a yard, and if you’re so inclined Mira can whip them up into a set of drapes for you. She also does custom work, mainly in the costume biz, for sports teams, skaters and those in need of uniforms, though she has done dresses too. If you’re lucky you may find the odd Mira original hanging from the racks.
You can bag a retro Simon Chang or Holt Renfrew blazer for under $50 or so, while the odd vintage wool dress can be had for $40. Make sure you take a peep in the glass counter as there’s a hoard of vintage brooches and rings for good prices. SheShops almost bought an antique gold-tone and jade pin for $40, but it didn’t fit into her life.
There’s also second-hand hats, blazers and skirts. Sizes appear to vary; this is one of the few consignment and vintage shops this shopper has seen where size 20 is not just an anomaly.
SheShops found took home an Art Deco enamel pin for $15; a Save the Queen top for $30; and a darling dress made in Italy for $20. Definitely worth a peep and regular visits. And if you’re there near close hit the nearby Vi Vetha Bistro at 2485 Queen Street East for a fab inexpensive dinner – you may be able to get a table without reservations.
2238 Queen Street East
416-699-4005
Tags: accessories, clothing, Custom-Made, East End, Jewellery, ladies, Second Hand, The Beach, Vintage
Posted in Bargain Hunting, East End, East Toronto, Jewellery, Second Hand, The Beach, Vintage, accessories, clothing | No Comments »
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
If you’re the type to walk along the street and never look up, you could be missing out on one of the neatest antique shops in east Toronto.
Correction: ascend the half staircase to the Danforth Village Antique Market, Finders Keepers for short, and you won’t find a shop per se. The Danforth and Pape Aves. antique abode truly has the look and feel of an antiques market.
Owner and antiques dealer Ali Medina has been plying his trade for over 30 years, between his European adventures and partaking in several antique downtown market ventures before opening his own on the Danforth.
No matter that what started as an antique market with 13 or so dealers about three years ago has shrunk to just Ali himself as a dealer. Don’t think for a second that that means the breadth of goods or knowledge is any the lesser.
In fact SheShops dares you to find an era or category that ISN’T represented at Finders Keepers:
Rare 18th century Minton china (pictured here; the platter is going for $245 and dinner plates are $125 each); retro glassware; antique lighters; lamps and chandeliers of various eras; enough vintage jewellery to sink a ship.
There’s more. Carved wood pieces; perfume bottles; clocks and watches; religious artifacts, artwork; pottery, dolls, crystal and brass.
On a recent visit there were books full of first-issue stamps (and postcards explaining their relevance) from Canada and the USA, with prices averaging $10 per envelope.
From the kitschy to the creepy, the elegant to the austere, this shop has it all. And if it doesn’t, let’s just say it’s Ali’s personal mission to find it for you.
He’s got a hoard of pickers finding stuff for him, and he’s pretty up on what things are selling for and what’s out there as a good portion of his biz is from online selling.
Prices aren’t bargain basement but they’re fair. And with an ongoing (at least for the last 6 months) 50 percent off jewellery sale, there’s extra incentive for bling lovers to loiter over the jewellery counters a wee bit longer than usual.
SheShops fell in love with an Art Deco brass and green cut glass choker, signed “Regina”, for $150 with the 50 percent off.
Other cool items: collectible handmade Canadian dolls by the Marina Guild of Handicapped Artisans, around $95-$110 each.
Definitely a shopping feat for the peepers. Hope you find some keepers like SheShops did.
715 Danforth Ave.
416-599-7072
www.findersantiques.info
Tags: Antiques, Art, Chandeliers, Collectibles, Danforth Ave., East End, Jewellery, Vintage
Posted in Antiques, Danforth Ave., East End, East Toronto, Greektown, Jewellery, Kitschy, Lighting, Retro, Vintage | No Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
If you’re a lover of the industrial-chic-meets-French country decor aesthetic cultivated by Stephan Howard of Flik and Company in Leslieville, be sure to pop into his new co-operative just down the street from his Queen Street East shop.
Pied-a-Terre opened in the fall of 2009 and is located under Almost Antiques, in the basement. The shop carries furniture and decor, some antiques that have been refurbished, and some new items, by four different dealers, including Flik.
The vibe is French country with some industrial elements thrown in. Do you like that chair to the far right? It was featured in the January 2010 edition of Canadian House & Home, in the home of Joyce Lo of the Drake Hotel General Store and her partner, industrial designer Matt Carr.
There’s a mix of pretty and gritty here. French-style chairs that have been reupholstered and refinished sit next to a worn wood harvest table with an old typewriter in it. An old green metal filing cabinet, about $1200, could be a funky storage unit or even a wine rack.
The handmade driftwood chandeliers, about $400-$700 each depending on their size, are a major steal, and the wood is salvaged from the shores of Lake Ontario.
What SheShops bought: retro blue velvet chair with the arms and legs stripped and distressed, $100.
1114 Queen Street East, lower level, 647-348-6025
www.flikandcompany.com
Tags: Antiques, Custom-Made, Decor, East End, Furniture, Good style eye, Handmade, Leslieville, Salvaged wood, Second Hand
Posted in Antique Row, Antiques, Custom-Made, Decor, East End, East Toronto, Eye for Style, Furniture, Leslieville, Lighting, Queen Street East, Salvaged wood, Second Hand | No Comments »
Saturday, February 6th, 2010
Seasoned thrifters out there know that having a thrift store in your neighborhood can be a wardrobe and decor godsend.
SheShops knows it too: she regularly pops into Stretch Thrift in Pape Village, and or she finds great stuff.
Thrift shopping isn’t for every one. There’s that thrift store smell, for one. But Stretch has these cool dispensers on the wall that shoot out stuff into the air to neutralize the funky second-hand scent.
Stretch has clothing for men, women (including a plus size rack), kids and babies, all sorted into sections. There’s a wall of textiles like bedspreads and such at the back, and the special stuff is either in the window, behind the counter or under glass.
In the basement there’s books, VHS videos, magazines, electronics, furniture and decorative items.
Prices are good, probably on par with Salvation Army Thrift Stores or less. SheShops found a yellow Bill Blass 1980s swing coat for $14.99; multiple leather and suede Made in Italy boots for under $20 each; and decent designer jeans for about $4.99-$10.99 – way cheaper than Value Village.
Selection may not be as up-to-date or current as Value Village as the store relies solely on donations (and donates a portion of its proceeds to the East General hospital), but there’s usually some gem to be dug up if you really look.
SheShops has also found wonderful furniture (solid wood retro table for $29.99), decorative accessories (German crystal lamp for the same price), and fashion accessories (retro jewellery and designer purses for a couple bucks). There’s even the odd vintage piece to be had.
874 Pape Ave.,416-425-0024
Tags: clothing, deals, Decor, East End, Furniture, Pape Village, Thrift, Vintage clothing
Posted in Bargain Hunting, Decor, East End, Furniture, Jewellery, Pape Village, Thrift, Vintage, accessories, clothing | No Comments »
Sunday, January 24th, 2010
Continuum Modern Vintage is SheShopTO’s new fave shop. It opened November 2009 on Pape Ave. at Danforth Ave. on the cusp of Greektown, in the space Jane Hall Design used to occupy.
It would be insulting to owner Daina Liepa to say that the creative pluck of Jane Hall hasn’t left the building – one look at the sumptuous melange of fabrics and colours melding into artfully arranged vignettes and one has to wonder – but Liepa has an eye for style and a creative Karma all her own.
The shop is difficult to categorize, which is why it’s so fab: first there’s vintage furniture, some of which has been fixed up – or upcycled, as Liepa calls it – by Liepa or her business partner, interior decorator Reg Dohms.
In store there’s a sampling of gorgeous fabric headboards, cushions and draperies created mostly by Dohms. Don’t worry if you have particular ideas on the fabric front – the store offers custom upholstery, slipcovers, bedding and draperies.
You’ll also find estate sale jewellery; a rack of carefully selected vintage and retro dresses; and heaps of decorative accessories, some new but mostly vintage, like Art Deco lamps, mirrors … and unique one-off pieces you’d do well to nab if you love ‘em.
Prices are fair. Dresses (in impeccable condition) are $100-$200; a velvet stretch curtain panel by Dohms is $125; and an original silk pillow in a bright green hue can be had for as little as $40.
Gift items like lovely Canadian-made candles, vintage plates, and the odd new bowl can be plucked up easy as pie for a gift on the fly.
But if you’re like SheShops, you’ll want to pop in regularly to check out what’s new, or simply to revel in and admire the lovely wares – there’s always a surprise (a three-tier floral vintage dessert plate? Gotta love it.).
707 Pape Ave., just steps south of the Pape subway station
416-778-1200
www.continuummodernvintage.ca
Tags: accessories, Custom-Made, Danforth Ave., Decor, East End, Greektown, Vintage, Vintage clothing
Posted in Antiques, Cushions, Custom-Made, Danforth Ave., Decor, Draperies, East End, Eye for Style, Gifts, Greektown, Jewellery, Lighting, Second Hand, accessories, clothing | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
Jewellery, glassware and other baubles in the window of Creative Cuts can lure in the most unsuspecting of shoppers.
Vintage baubles and a hair cut? Why not? Or how about just the vintage baubles?
Bling and deal divas alike will love browsing the inexpensive costume jewellery behind glass.
Petra, owner of Creative Cuts on Coxwell Ave. just a couple stores north of Danforth Ave., does men’s, ladies and kid’s cuts at her tiny shop. But she also buys and consigns second-hand items, mostly retro jewellery but also lamps and other tchotchkas.
It's the luck of the draw at Petra's: this sequined handbag is vintage and only about $35
Prices are good – pins start at around $8 and a retro necklace with a carnelian centre is $15. I get the feeling Petra will let go of items according to her whim.
Framed cameo-esque prints and retro and vintage tins adorn a small table beside a haircutting station.
Sometimes it can be intimidating going into a shop like this – particularly since its main purpose seems to be geared towards hair-cutting.
Easy viewing: Figurines and other knic-knacks in the window of Creative Cuts.
Thankfully the bulk of the goodies are in or viewable from the window, so you can take a good long gander before taking the plunge!
The shop is just across the street from the Coxwell subway station on Coxwell Ave. at Danforth Ave.
696 Coxwell Ave., 416-466-1958.
Tags: Bargain Hunting, Danforth Ave., East End, Gifts, Hair Cutting, Jewellery, Second Hand
Posted in Antiques, Bargain Hunting, Danforth Ave., East End, Gifts, Jewellery, Second Hand | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
Red Sable carries handmade items made by artisans living in the Danforth area neighborhood and beyond.
Red Sable on Danforth Ave. east of Coxwell Ave. is part gallery, part gift shop, and part indie boutique … with a hyper local flair to it.
Handbags, jewellery and pottery adorn fixtures and shelving like works of art at Red Sable on the Danforth.
The tiny shop carries handmade goods by Toronto and Toronto area artisans, many from the immediate neighborhood but some from southern Ontario as well.
There's no shortage of gift items here, including fashion accessories, wall art, and even industrial looking sculpture.
Open Thursday to Saturday (Sunday hours may start in warmer weather, so please call to confirm when open), the shop is presided over by East-end visual artist Julie Glick.
Pottery, coloured glass perfume bottles, and hand-crafted wood cutting boards are just some of the items you'll find in this tiny shop.
Supporting local artists has never been so easy on the pocketbook: the prices here rock, with most items under $50 and not much over $100 (excepting the wall art).
Handmade glass belt buckles can be matched with a leather belt made by another artisan at the shop.
Once every month or so the shop will feature the works of one artist on the gallery wall, and hold an opening reception for that artist.
1765 Danforth Ave. (east of Coxwell Ave. and subway station)
647-436-3722
www.redsable.ca
Tags: Art, Danforth Ave. Decor, East End, Gifts, Handmade, Jewellery
Posted in Danforth Ave., Decor, East End, Gifts, Jewellery, accessories | 1 Comment »
Monday, January 11th, 2010
All ... Most Antiques in Leslieville carries a good selection of mostly retro and modern furniture and accessories.
All … Most Antiques may not have the beautifully curated displays that have made other Leslieville second-hand and antique decor places in the ‘hood famous, but that won’t matter to those who love scouring second-hand furniture shops packed with stuff.
Sam Kumar's Leslieville shop has a great selection of wall mirrors and hanging lighting fixtures.
Owner Sam Kumar, who’s been in business in the area for 15 years, has amassed a solid collection of mostly contemporary, modern and retro pieces, but he has the odd vintage piece such as a huge French style armoire spotted there recently.
This blue arm chair in need of a makeover was priced at $79.
Prices are reasonable, not bargain basement but not uber high end either. Wall mirrors will run you about $100-$400 each depending on the style, while a large armchair is almost $300.
These Victorian hanging lamps were part of the owner's collection; they now sell for about $800-$1000 each.
What to look for: Victorian hanging hall lamps, collected by Kumar over the years and definitely antiques. On a recent visit there was also a good selection of art deco style vanity tables.
1114 Queen St. East, just up the stairs; 416-466-9724.
Tags: Antiques, Decor, East End, Furniture, Leslieville, Mirrors, Second Hand, Victorian lamps
Posted in Antique Row, Antiques, Decor, East End, Leslieville, Second Hand | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
The gingerbread house of all gingerbread houses in the window of Hansen's Danish Pastry Shop in Pape Village.
There are a number of European delis and food shops on Pape Ave. around Cosburn Ave. in what is known as Pape Village, located just north of Greekdown and the Danforth. But Hansen’s Danish Pastry Shop is an ultimate fave.
Not only does it have the best raspberry danishes around, but it also has a hoard of yummy Danish goodies ranging from traditional Danish wedding cake (on an order basis), and gingerbread houses around the holiday season.
The exterior of Hansen's Danish Pastry Shop in the twiglight of a new year, 2010.
I took a wander in the ‘hood in the new year and noticed there were some gingerbread houses left wrapped in cello for just under $20 (much smaller than the floor model in the window) – if you hurry you may still be able to find one.
The shop is closed Sunday and Monday so pop by Saturday before it closes at 5 p.m. and you’ll get baked goods at 50 percent off.
1017 Pape Ave., 416-425-8877 http://danishpastry.ca
If going by TTC get off at Pape subway station and walk north on Pape for about 20 minutes (past Mortimer) or take any bus going north from the station and get off at Floyd Ave. Stay on the east side of the street and walk less than a block.
Tags: Bakeries, East End, Pape Village, Window Shopping
Posted in Bakeries, East End, Pape Village | No Comments »