After papered-over windows and a cheery turquoise paint job piqued the curiosity of many a Junction resident, The Beau & Bauble finally opened this past week. With her own experiences in girldom still fresh in her mind, owner Kate Elia’s shop is aimed towards those like her younger self, offering up romantic and fantastical items that run the gamut from classic novels to tiny skull beads.
“Girls need places to go to keep their imaginations alive — I wanted to have a shop that’s quite magical,” Elia says. The store’s location in the Junction is part of its charm; Elia wished for it to be slightly out of the way, in an up-and-coming area filled with potential.
Pinpointing favourite items is somewhat difficult, since we fell for almost everything. Elia clearly has a fondness for the slightly macabre, with plenty of skeletal items dotted about. We discovered a hanging blue tin skeleton ($15.99), soft skeletons with movable limbs ($9.99), skull and bone beads ($1.50), cards with skeletons ($5.50) and Day of the Dead embroidered skull ornaments ($11.99).
Those who do not possess the same fervour for bony objects may enjoy fanciful cards featuring cats with hats from local artist Nikki Robb ($4.99); a fair trade stuffed frog handmade by women in Kenya ($47.99); or a bottle begging to be filled with some love potion ($4.99). The iPad cases made from recycled Vietnamese rice bags ($12.99) are wonderful and are hard to come by in Toronto (we last spotted them in Cambodia).
Other rarities include the milagros (Spanish for miracle), which are symbolic prayer symbols from Mexico; Elia has stocked up on heart-shaped ones, perfect for making sure your (almost) 13-year-old crush will come true ($4.99-$10.50).
The Beau & Bauble, 3092 Dundas St. W., 416.904.6136