From a Prada-style pet boutique offering high-end dog accessories to a coffee shop-turned-skateboard-haven to a Yorkville pop-up art gallery, check out some of the greatest (and kookiest) boutiques and business innovations coming to Toronto this summer.
Wag Swag
Toronto’s luxury dog brand Wag Swag has opened a storefront location at 131 Bloor St. W. In business since 2016, the brand offers high-quality, fashionable and affordable accessories for pooches of all sizes. The new spacious and glamorous boutique shows off the adorable colourful sweaters, outerwear and even stylish bow ties made for our best friends. Wag Swag also offers a vegan leather collection of collars, leashes and harnesses that are entirely waterproof, odour proof and dirt resistant.
The Brockton HauntÂ
Over the last eight years, the Brockton Haunt has gained a reputation for friendly staff and products made in-house. But now, the Brockton Haunt, located at 1150 College St., offers more than coffee and baked goods. In the back, Brockton Haunt is now a full skateboard shop, offering trucks, decks, bearings, safety gear and everything else needed for ollies and kickflips. At Brockton Haunt, it’s all about coffee in the front and skating in the back.
Domaine MaMo
At the end of June, midtown welcomed a new diner at 581 Mount Pleasant Rd. Domaine Mamo is inspired by French-Italian regional cuisine and offers dishes influenced by the Maritime Alps and the Mediterranean coastline. Owner Robert Prete has been serving guests in midtown for 30 years, and master chef Didier Leroy was born and raised in France, having worked in Paris’s best Michelin-starred restaurants. Domaine Mamo has a patio out front and offers private dining and catering.
Heritage Antique Market
The first Heritage Antique Market of 2021 and the first since the start of the pandemic will run on Aug. 1 at the southeast parking lot backing onto Yonge Street at Centerpoint Mall. The Market is Toronto’s longest running antique market with up to 70 antique and vintage dealers from across Ontario and Quebec selling paintings, silver, fine jewellery, decorative arts, vintage clothing and more. The market will run outdoors at 75 per cent capacity with a mandatory mask policy.
Collective 131
A group of seven local artists have come together to form Collective 131 and open a pop-up gallery in the heart of Yorkville. Located in the Colonnade at 131 Bloor St. W., the gallery features a variety of art styles ranging from sculptures to paintings and photographs. Collective 131 is formed by artists Todd Monk, Mark Gleberzon, Adrienne Jackson, Vanessa Drew, Huy Lam, Morgan Jones and J&J Photo. The pop-up is open seven days a week until the end of August.
Anne Fontaine
Anne Fontaine is an upscale French fashion brand set to open its first Canadian location at 110 Bloor St. W. in the Bloor-Yorkville area. Anne Fontaine began with a simple women’s white shirt before expanding to an entire feminine boutique selling accessories, shoes and handbags. The first boutique opened in 1994 in Paris before expanding to 60 retail spaces across the globe, including boutiques in Asia, Europe and the United States.
