Sure, Crown Flora Studio is a floral store, but calling it that might be selling the place short. Owners and partners Adam Mallory and Davis Khounnoraj have set up something wholly unique in their 450-square-foot space in Parkdale.
In terms of goods, Khounnoraj and Mallory focus on bags and terrariums, both assembled by hand in the store’s open studio. Khounnoraj handles the waxed-canvas-and-leather bag line called Lines by Davis ($45 to $75 for the smaller ones, and $175 to $225 for the larger totes), a creation of his that’s the culmination of 10 years of self-instruction in stitching, cutting and sewing techniques. Mallory has more of a traditional floral background, with experience working on arrangements for a few hotels and events.
Both men dreamed of owning their own store one day, but instead of chasing that goal separately, they decided to pool their resources and open up a shop together. So far, it’s worked for them.
“Each of us brings in our own clientele and balances the business when one of us has an off-week,” says Mallory. “Last week I was really selling high on the florals, but the week before that Davis’ bag sales were through the roof.”
In addition to showcasing their own talents, Khounnoraj and Mallory also carry several products that are made in Toronto, including ceramic mugs ($48) by Lana Filippone. Much of the terrarium glass is hand-blown by local artist Nick Chase.
Aside from featuring as much local talent as possible, Mallory and Khounnoraj are taking full advantage of their space: they host workshops, take care of floral arrangements for events and produce custom cards on a 100-year-old Chandler & Price tabletop press.
“The great thing about having a smaller space is that it changes regularly,” says Mallory. “We’re doing a lot of workshops and a lot of work with other artists in Toronto. It allows us to change our window display every two weeks, so it feels different every time you come in.”
Crown Flora Studio, 1537 Queen St. W., 647-861-5799