538 Best Places to Shop in Canada

For more than 15 years, Toronto’s go-to destination for premium men’s clothing, footwear, and accessories has offered such sought-after Japanese labels like BEAMS, NEEDLES, and KAPITAL. The 1,500-square-foot store features high ceilings, natural light, and a sleek, modern layout. In-store only, you’ll also find HAVEN’s namesake brand—utilitarian pieces made from cotton, wool, and Gore-Tex, inspired by classic Canadian design and built for the local climate.

A tried-and-true spot for cool and cute footwear for any gender, Heel Boy stocks unique styles by well-known brands like Hunter, Alohas, Vagabond, Sam Edelman, Saucony, G.H Bass, as well as on-trend bags and accessories.

This designer boutique carries lots of prints, bold designs, and an eclectic mix of accessories from high-end labels liked Sonia Rykiel, Paco Rabanne, Christian Wijnants, and Issey Miyake. 

The Parisian design house caters to the upscale horse- and hound-loving set, with classic sportswear, handbags, and accessories.

Traditional paintings and stunning quilts along with sweet souvenirs of wooden houses and homemade pickles and preserves can all be purchased and appreciated in this homey store and gallery. The quilts display stunning originality and beauty.

Located south of Highwood Pass on Highway 40, this site has a gas station and grocery store that's open Friday to Sunday from May to June; daily from July to September; and Saturday and Sunday, October to April.

A pleasant place to stroll through some of the city's oldest buildings, this delightful complex also houses interesting shops and restaurants.

Though it's off the main shopping drag, Hollace Cluny is a must-visit for modern design aficionados looking for that special piece. Along with classics from brands like Knoll, they carry a huge array of pieces from contemporary designers, with everything from ceramics to eye-popping statement lighting fixtures.

Two iconic Canadian department stores (Holt Renfrew and Ogilvy) merged into one luxury brand. Unveiled in 2019, the posh department store is connected, physically, to the equally glamorous Four Seasons Hotel, also opened in 2019 via an indoor passage on the hotel's third floor. The exclusive megastore's interior features loads of clean, white-on-white décor showcasing fashions and accessories for men and women from the world’s premier designer labels. Many of these are housed in intimate, partitioned boutique settings within the larger department store. On the fifth floor, clients can enjoy a private shopping experience in one of five personal shopping suites. Especially noteworthy is the Café Holt, all 1940s Hollywood-inspired glamour, with a remarkable central light fixture that recalls a solar orb set above a square orange bar. The café menu emphasizes fresh, local ingredients highlighting contemporary Canadian cuisine with international influences.

This large, contemporary gift shop offers everything from soap and bath items to decorating, housewares, candles, women's clothing (some locally made), fashion footwear, jewelry, and novelty gift items.

This homegrown womenswear label counts some of Toronto's coolest artists, musicians, and actors among its fans. The tiny flagship shop stocks the latest in Horses' limited-run pieces, all hand-sewn in Toronto. The chic, albeit pricey, modern staples include smoking dresses, stylish jumpsuits, and patterned jackets.

The best in town, this boutique record store has been curating and collecting popular and underground records for more than four decades. While they specialize in high-quality used vinyl, they also carry CDs and cassettes. Ask to peruse the treasure trove in the basement.

The Bay, formerly known as the Hudson's Bay Company, was incorporated in 1670. It is Calgary's—and Canada's—oldest retailer and a good source for extra-warm clothing.

Hudson's Bay department store is a descendant of the Hudson's Bay Company, the iconic 17th-century fur-trading company that played a pivotal role in Canada's development. The Bay, as it's known by Canadians, has been a department store since 1891 and is known for its duffel coats and signature red-, green-, and white-striped blankets. Besides fashions, housewares, and toys, there's also a beauty salon and spa, an optician, and watch and jewelry repair services.

The immaculately restored picks in this upscale consignment shop include familiar names such as Pucci, Hermès, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. Gentlemen can head next door to I Miss You Man for vintage Versace button-downs, gently used Acne jackets, and Dior jeans—all in near-mint condition.

Only the works of more than 80 local artists and artisans are displayed in this gallery run by the North Coast Artists' Cooperative. Items include paintings, jewelry, weaving, beaded doeskin slippers, quilts, wood carvings, glass, and pottery.

If the friendly and knowledgeable staff don't win you over, the vast collection of Inuit art certainly will. Images Boréales represents the best-known Inuit and First Nations artists while also making a point of working with young, emerging Indigenous talent with strong potential. With more than 2,000 pieces of sculpture in soapstone and serpentine, the biggest challenge at this gallery-boutique will be deciding what to buy.

This fun boutique filled with gorgeous frocks and accessories is known for being size-inclusive. They started as a mobile boutique in a bright pink van but moved to bricks and mortar in 2020. 

Looking for a vintage jacket bearing the logo of your favorite sports team? You'll probably find it at this Parkdale boutique, which stocks retro clothing at reasonable prices. Vintage denim, broken-in concert tees, and even vinyl records are on the shelves. It's a good place to find clothes you won't find anywhere else, with ultra-knowledgeable owners willing to tell you the whole history of the items in great detail.

This Canadian megachain bookstore has stores all over the country, but it's headquartered in Toronto. It has a huge selection of books, magazines, records, and gift items as well as Toronto's own Dark Horse Espresso Bar and occasional live entertainment. Increasingly, it's becoming a lifestyle store with items such as housewares, mugs, pillows, blankets, and cookware taking up prime in-store real estate.

The Vancouver flagship of this Canadian chain stocks a vast selection of popular books and plenty of giftware, too. Check out the display tables for hot sellers, local authors, and bargain books; the attached Starbucks makes a handy reading nook. Other branches around town include a smaller outlet on Robson Downtown.

Bright and fun store that sells letterpress artwork and stationery, as well as modern handicrafts—many of which are made by local artists. This is the perfect place to pick up cool and unique gifts that reflect Halifax's artistic vibe. 

In addition to quality Inuit art like the signature carvings in soapstone and antler, there's also an excellent collection of Northwest Coast native art such as baskets, totems, bentwood boxes, and masks.

If you like kitchen gadgets, you might lose a couple of hours here. Check out the rainbow array of Le Creuset enamelware and design-forward cooking tools. There's also a vast selection of insulated lunch boxes, funky Popsicle molds, barware, and any other obscure item your kitchen may be lacking.

In addition to the metal sculptures with engaging and elegant forms, this gallery features photographic art and craft items.