After landing the lease to its Queen Street location in September, then opening shortly after for Nuit Blanche, F As In Frank’s entrance to Toronto’s vintage fashion scene was anything but tame. But considering the excitement that has surrounded the vintage clothing company since its 2007 retail debut in Whistler, B.C., this should come as no surprise. Opening its doors on the evening of Oct. 1, not even the rain could stop the celebration (although, for the B.C. based company, it must have felt a little like home).  

Throwing a store together in less than a month might seem like a daunting task. But the team behind F As In Frank was hard at work, down to the last possible minute, before its grand opening (7:59 p.m. exactly, says visual merchandiser Amanda Holloway). You wouldn’t be able to tell walking into the store.

Much of the décor is simple and designed by the owners themselves, Ontario-born brothers Jesse and Andrew Heifetz. White walls are accented by tree logs (from B.C., of course), as well as old plumbing pipes redesigned as clothing rails and other antiquities. Planks from an old fence adorn one wall, while at the back of the store an antique sewing machine is on display. According to Holloway, both these pieces were found in the basement. These historical touches add some extra character and rustic appeal to the store.

Carrying an array of vintage snapback hats (they are the top wholesaler in North America), clothes, dead-stock vintage and frames sourced by celebrity sunglasses guru Corey Shapiro, along with their own clothing line, SNAP Reconstructive Surgery, F as in Frank’s first Toronto retail location has plenty of great finds to offer. 

If the Heifetz brothers were looking to make a strong impression on Toronto’s vintage fashion scene, they’ve managed to do it.

F As In Frank, 418 Queen St. W., 647-341-6606