Toronto Uncovered

Labour Day weekend blessed us with some of the most beautiful weather of the summer.  I spent most of the weekend outside, either at a pool, the beach, or on a patio. When Monday rolled around, bringing with it another spectacularly sunny, warm day, I took to the streets on my bike. I was in search of somewhere to wander and shop while I killed time – Kensington Market was calling.

My favourite area of Kensington is Baldwin St to Spadina and Kensington Avenue to Dundas. I feel like this L-Block embodies the real Kensington vibe: ridiculous costumes; great vintage finds; cowboy boots and sunglasses galore; and all the trinkets, jewellery and buttons you could ever ask for.

Baldwin provides necessary nourishment before you hit the shops on Kensington Avenue. Any street that has a chocolate shop (Chocolate Addict), cheese store (Cheese Magic) and bakery (Cobs Bread)  within a 50 foot radius of each other is good in my books.

Vintage Depot is at the top of Kenington Avenue, filled with racks and racks of clothing from all different eras and fashions. Whether you’re looking for tassels or jump suits you’re sure to find it here. Just South of Vintage Depot sits Exile. This store seems small from the outside, but is actually endlessly long. The best part of this store is that everything is somewhat organized: Glitter, Wigs, Printed Tees, Boas, Glamour and so on. For any homemade costume or themed outfit Exile is a great place to start – it really has everything. As you continue South down Kensington you’ll find Butterfly and Ego which are also great for those rare vintage clothing and jewellery finds. Clic Klak Fashion Studio is filled mainly with accessories – bracelets, leggings, hats, etc.  This vintage wonderland continues South until just before Dundas. By this point, if you have any room left in your hands to carry more items, you weren’t looking hard enough.

What are your favourite shops to hit in Kensington Market?