Michael Shneer remembers being shocked the first time he went to American self-serve frozen yogourt shop Menchie’s. “I saw these huge crowds lined up out the door,” says Shneer. Last month, he and his brother David brought us our first location in Yorkville (511 Bloor St. W., 416-645-0222).  

Although North 44 has long been a top Toronto restaurant, chef and owner Mark McEwan says it didn’t start that way. “There were terrible over-budget issues: it took way too long to build it,” says McEwan. “I made all the mistakes you do the first time around.” However, 20 years after opening, the restaurant is still going strong (2537 Yonge St., 416-487-4897).

Rio Souza first fell in love with the bold shirts from Credo while on a trip to Barcelona. "I kept seeing people wear these shirts with vibrant, dynamic colours," he says. Determined to bring more fashion to the Toronto menswear scene, he approached Credo’s owner. Last month Souza opened up the shop’s first international location (114 Cumberland St., 647-352-6272).

Alvaro Baena is no stranger to flowers. After all, the owner of new floral shop Gilded & Green grew up on a rose farm in Colombia. His family-run shop continues the tradition, offering more than 20 types of flowers, including roses. The store follows an open market concept, meaning customers can customize their bouquets (3232 Yonge St., 416-488-8987).

While Cheaters Tavern has been gone for some time, bottle service will soon be available at the spot that once housed the iconic strip club. A temporary LCBO location is set to open there in February, while the nearby Davisville LCBO searches for a new home (2087 Yonge St., 416-365-5900).