The retail industry certainly took a hit from the pandemic, but that didn’t stop these new stores from opening during the past year – to great success! From a spacious Queen West plant shop to luxury Italian linens to a top-rated sneaker brand, check out the best and newest that Toronto has to offer.
BEST NEW LIFESTYLE BOUTIQUE
Founder Leah Miller hand-selected the variety of ceramics, accessories, clothing, candles, home goods and more that you’ll find at Rosedale’s newest boutique, Wolf and Moon. The store’s space may be small, but its interior is airy and filled with items that you may not find anywhere else in the city.
1128 Yonge St.
BEST NEW COMIC BOOK STORE
Silver Snail may not exactly be new, but the recent move from its Yonge & Dundas location to the Queen West area has revitalized it. Comic book lovers will no longer have to climb a flight of stairs to peruse some of the coolest finds in Toronto’s oldest comic book store, and you’ll be greeted by a mural along the storefront.
809 Queen St. W.
BEST NEW PET PLACE IF PRICE IS NO OBJECT
Wag Swag is Toronto’s answer to the booming luxury pet care trend. The boutique offers sweaters, scarves, leashes, harnesses and more, including an entire vegan leather line. If you’re the type to spoil your pets, you and your dog might just have to stop by this spacious and elegant storefront.
131 Bloor St.
BEST NEW WELLNESS SHOP
Wellness and health solutions of all kinds have really taken off this year, and Good Goddess: The Nest is offering a whole host of products, services and more as answers. This multi-brand concept shop combines natural spray tanning, acupuncture, chiropractic services, apparel, skin care and even a broth bar.
101 Yorkville Ave.
BEST NEW PLANT PARLOUR
This new Toronto store will be there for all your plant care needs. Chive has made the new Queen West storefront its Canadian headquarters. You won’t be able to resist stepping into the shop after passing by the floor-to-ceiling windows displaying some of the store’s coolest greenery, including tiny succulents and massive monsteras.
837 Queen St. W.
BEST NEW FITNESS STUDIO
This fitness studio is quite new to Toronto, and it’s bringing a unique approach to working out. Burnout Fitness features the VersaClimber, the machine equivalent of climbing up a mountain. If you’re looking for a more interesting alternative to more basic workouts at your gym, this is the place!
2581 Yonge St.
BEST NEW FOR THE HOME
IT’S A TIE
Luxury Italian linens might sound like just that — a luxury — but you won’t be able to resist the selection at Yorkville’s Maison Busatti. Offering bedding, tableware, towels and more to brighten up your home, this brand has graced the houses of A-list celebrities, including Steven Spielberg and Ralph Fiennes.
136 Avenue Rd.
Rosedale will be welcoming a new furniture and home decor boutique. James Perse, a Los Angeles fashion brand, already has an apparel-focused storefront in the Yorkville area, but the new location opening soon will focus on the company’s home collection. That includes bedding, rugs, decorative storage and more at luxury-level prices.
18 Hazelton Ave.
BEST NEW GLAM RETAIL
Luxury brands that tickle your taste for the finer things in life.
BEST NEW EXCLUSIVE RETAILER
High-fashion multi-brand purveyor The Webster is bringing its unique approach to Toronto with its first location outside of the U.S. The company plans on bringing in a selection of luxury goods to the city that will be tough to find anywhere else.
thewebster.us
BEST NEW SNEAKERS
The year 2021 saw the arrival of luxury Italian fashion brand Golden Goose to Canada for the first ever in a stand-alone store operating out of Yorkdale. The brand offers its own line of sneakers of in their signature “aged” style— at a steep price!
3401 Dufferin St.
BEST NEW MENSWEAR
Keep an eye out for a new menswear shop that’s set to open up any day now in Yorkville. Isaia, a luxury Italian menswear brand, will be opening its very first Canadian location here in Toronto. The Toronto location will also include a Vesuvius Lounge and tailor shops.
77 Yorkville Ave.