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heads up
Gwendolyne Hats, the retail identity of ace local milliner Lezlie Preboy, turns 10 in 2001, and Preboy is hell-bent on celebrating this landmark with some of her most exciting one-off creations. Gwendolyne’s headquarters, at 401 Richmond West, isn’t normally open during peak weekend retail hours but makes an exception for the 401 Richmond building’s ArtsWeek open house, today (Thursday, September 27) through Sunday (September 30). It’s a great chance to see if Preboy’s chapeaux are as good as promised, and everything from the new scarf collection is promotionally priced at 15 per cent off. 416-351-1219. And don’t miss the sidewalk-sale atmosphere permeating the rest of the building!
much music
The Village’s newest retailer, Music Authority, holds a grand opening bash this Saturday (September 29) that’s packed with freebies and great deals. They’re promising free T-shirts, key chains, squishy balls and CDs, as well as meet-the-artists with George Evans and Rita di Ghent. Plus, their mandate is to offer more-than-competitive pricing on CDs, songbooks and songsheets and music-related DVDs. 500 Church. 416-646-2121.
dishy deals
In a near-anonymous Richmond West office building, an elevator ride up from street level, lurk some of the city’s best deals on Japanese ceramics. Grocery and takeout mecca Tokyo World (where a generous portion of vegetarian sushi goes for $2.40, also a great price) has a huge selection of items like five-bowl sets and beautifully boxed sake services at half-price, some as low as $15. Our favourite: five small bowls shaped like neon-coloured fruit, which at $15 would make a primo gift. 205 Richmond West. 416-971-5628.
mirror mirror
Fair Trade Federation member and Riverdale retailer Blue Moon is clearing out Celtic mirrors at 40 per cent off. Regularly priced from $10 to $38 in small, medium and large, they’re now selling for $6 to $22.84. 375 Danforth. 416-778-6991. DH
WANT IN? Fax suggestions to Sweet Deals, NOW Magazine, 416-364-1166, or e-mail deirdre@nowtoronto.com. Deadline is noon Friday.
