50 Favourite Canadian Businesses to Shop This Holiday
This year, as I’m sure many of you have been, I’m consciously making an effort to be selective about the businesses my dollars are going to this holiday season. So much of what makes the fabric of our cities fascinating and unique comes down to the success of these small, local businesses. They define our streetscapes and are third spaces outside our home and work where we can unwind or peruse. They are the cute coffee shops with the patios spilling onto sidewalks where you can meet a friend to catch up, or a small boutique apothecary with a passionate salesperson who’s dream it was to help people live healthier lives. I know it’s sometimes hard to remember all the great, small shops you love in your city, because so often they are just the ones we stumble upon or pop into while out for a walk. Also, because the Google algorithm really doesn’t favour a local bookstore over the Indigo titan (although, I still love you Indigo). If you’re finding it a bit tricky come up with ideas this year or are unsure about where to shop local, please enjoy this list I’ve put together as I’ve gone through my own brainstorms on this question:
Books:
A few of the books on my list for friends and family include the sci-fi classic Dune (in anticipation for the epic looking Dennis Villeneuve movie coming out next year), Happy Hour by Marlowe Granados (to bring a bit of sunshine and adventure back into 2020), and Home Body by Rupi Kaur (her poetry is a perfect balm for whatever troubles this year has brought). I also am a big fan of supporting the local publishing community and think a year subscription of The Walrus is an affordable gift ($30 for the year) for anyone who might be a New Yorker fan or a Sunday morning newspaper reader.
Food and Bevvies:
What else is there to do this winter but drink and eat?! These are a few of my favourite shops in Toronto and a few newcomers. Dish is a great spot to grab some specialty ingredients for the adventurous cook in your family. Cocktail Emporium has tons of beautiful glassware, mixware and non-alcoholic ingredients such as brandy cherries or bitters. I also found that they have butterfly pea flowers to make a special type of lemonade! Brodflour has a great selection of flours, spelt, and jam for your friend who hopped on the sourdough bandwagon this year. Willibald has a yummy looking gingerbread gin, that would look as pretty on your barcart as in your glass.
Coffee and Tea Paraphernalia
I feel like coffee and tea is a pretty failsafe gift. Pick up a nice bag of beans or some loose leaf tea from any of these above stores. Pro-tip, if you want a nice treat to enjoy alongside your tea, Kitten and the Bear also sells scone mix and incredible jams. For those who might just need the accessories or to liven up their coffee routine, Forno Cultura also has some beautiful mugs, coffee carafes and teapots.
Health, Wellness and Self Care
Particularly this year, we could all use some self-love. Light some candles, draw a bath, give yourself a facial or hair mask. A few products on my wishlist are the Greek Bust candles from East City and the Goop dry brush from Detox Market. I also recently purchased a gua sha stone and 8 Faces oil from Health Hut which I’ve been loving for dealing with jaw pain and face tension!
Art and Design
I don’t think there’s a better gift than a piece of art. I love these particular artists for a few reasons - A.S Kruse has gorgeous abstract pieces with beautiful colour selection. Quinn Rockcliff’s work is a beautiful appreciation for the feminine form (and comes both as prints or wearables). Natalie Czer is such a fun gift for any Torontonian - she illustrates Toronto mainstays like Sneaky Dees or the Rex. Choose a print or two of your friend’s favourite coffee shop or convenience store for a personal touch. Steaped Slow Ceramics are beautiful pieces, perfect for a cozy winter soup or hot chocolate.
Home Goods
This is a bit of a miscellaneous section but 313 Design Market has an interesting selection of home goods for your bold, contemporary friend. Rose City Goods is more for the 70s hippie friend. If someone needs kitchen goods, Tap Phong is an awesome spot to look at, with a massive selection of industrial-kitchen grade cooking and serving ware. Tosho Knife Arts was the Japanese knife locale which garnered Anthony Bourdain’s stamp of approval during his Layover.
Records from Sonic Boom, Stendig Calendar from 313, any sort of cooking utensil imaginable from Tap Phong.
Flower Shops
This one is pretty self-explanatory but these a few of my favourite florists across the city. Unique, loose bouquets with a splash of colour or a fun feather popped in for good measure. Check out the wreaths from Euclid Farms as well - they are a perfect winter gift.
Euclid Farms dried bouquet
Clothing and Accessories
I discovered Fermé at the beginning of quarantine and fell in love with her pieces. An art designer by trade, Anjela Freyja started Fermé in March 2020 with all profits from online sales being donated to Feeding America and Red Cross. Stylish and doing good. Courage, My Love is full of amazing vintage treasures - beautiful coats, amazing cashmere, and bold sweater dresses. The Wanderly and KOTN are both great options for the eco-conscious shopper amongst us, and La Petite Garçonne is a super cute Monotreal-based boutique with pretty great prices (I found this incredible chunky cream knit sweater for $45!).
Staycations
For those who are feeling a bit travel-deprived, may I suggest a staycation (pending local health guidelines). It’s a great way to explore a new part of the city and take a little break from cooking and cleaning your own place! Plus these spots are filled with art, beautiful architecture and local touches around the hotels.
Special Exceptions
Although these two particular shops aren’t local, they are slow shops and support artists. Everpress is a marketplace for independent t-shirt designers with unique designs. Graypants is a design firm focused mainly on lighting products, my favourite of which is the Wick, a rechargeable imitation candle brass.