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Toronto prides itself on having some of the finest shopping in North America. Indeed, most of the world's name boutiques have branches here, especially in the Yorkville area, where you can find such luxury labels as Chanel, Prada, and Cartier. For those a little leaner of wallet, you can join in one of Torontonians' favorite pastimes: bargain hunting. Locals wear discount threads like badges of honor and stretch their dollar at Winners—where overstocked and liquidated designer pieces and last-season fashions are slashed to a fraction of their original retail prices.
Toronto has a large arts-and-crafts community, with numerous art galleries, custom jewelers, clothing designers, and artisans. Sophisticated glass sculpture and Inuit art are ideal as gifts or for your own home. A few record stores are still going strong despite the dominance of digital music. The survivors’ trump card has been focused inventory and knowledgeable staff—head to Rotate This for alterative and indie music or Atelier Grigorian for classical and jazz. Bookstores such as Indigo have lounge areas where you can sip a coffee from the in-store café while perusing books by Canadian authors such as Alice Munro, Ann-Marie MacDonald, and Rohinton Mistry; don’t miss favorite independent Book City.
When it comes to department stores, all roads lead to Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street West, the epicenter of Toronto's designer shopping. A mere block east is the more mid-price department store The Bay. A second Bay can be found across from Eaton Centre, a sprawling shopping complex with multilevel parking in the heart of the city.
Determined vintage buffs hunt through the racks of band T-shirts, faded jeans, worn shoes, and biker jackets in this unfinished upstairs warehouse-style location. It's also famous for its signature in-house screen-print tee designs.
The best-dressed Torontonians clear out their closets at this consignment store, which always has something cheap and cheerful on the racks. Brands range from fast-fashion to vintage to designer; the eagle-eyed might even spot some Marni or Max Mara.
The best and longest-running vintage store in Kensington Market is crammed with the coolest retro stuff, from sunglasses to sundresses, plus an ample supply of cowboy boots and gently used Birkenstock sandals for guys and gals, all at low prices. Not everything is secondhand here: there's a wall of sparkly Indian-inspired clothing, lots of costume jewelry, Mexican luchador masks, and a selection of unique buttons.
It might take some digging but Shoney’s no-nonsense, uncurated collection of vintage wares is replete with diamonds in the rough. The stock is frequently replenished so you never know what you'll find among the obscure band tees, gently used Roots hoodies, and glamorous silk bathrobes that share the racks with Italian military surplus, flashy '70s furs, international soccer kits, and cycling jerseys. Their outside $5 rack is often bursting with snaggable deals.
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