Rating: NNNNN
CLOTHING
CHOCKY’S 352 Queen West, 416-977-1831 2584 Yonge, 416-483-8227
Chocky’s has been the hookup for cheap PJs, onesies and undies for more than 50 years. The old Chocky’s has been replaced by two new stores at two locations, so don’t go looking for the old spot on Spadina.
ENDS 1930 Queen East, 416-699-2271 140 Avenue Road, 416-968-7272 3376 Yonge, 416-486-0591
Just like it says in the name. You never know what retail remains you’ll find at this end-of-the-line emporium.
COURAGE MY LOVE 14 Kensington, 416-979-1992
A Kensington Market landmark since 1977, Courage is the one-stop shop for neo-hippies and fashionista trendsters searching for killer one-of-a kind vintage threads and accessories.
TOM’S PLACE 190 Baldwin, 416-596-0297
Get that big promotion by out-dressing your business-casual contemporaries – in a suit sourced on the cheap from this long-valued Kensington spot.
BLACK MARKET 38 Kensington, 416-596-6461 319 Queen West, 416-591-7945
With weekly two-for-one sale days, Black Market couldn’t be a better score for second-hand fashion necessities. BM also hawks awesome silkscreens and a signature brand of reworked vintage, if sloppy seconds don’t appeal.
McGREGOR SOCKS OUTLET 30 Spadina, 416-593-5353 ext 344, and others
You can have too many socks, but when they’re practically giving them away, consider disposable a concept. And for all you colour-conscious buyers, this store displays its stock by hue, so you can make a match with just about anything.
HOLT RENFREW LAST CALL 370 Steeles West, 905-886-7444
If you thought designer shmattes were beyond your off-the-rack reality, this ultimate ends source provides the price point of a lifetime on Armani and the like.
DECOR
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE 29 Bermondsey, 416-755-7353 1120 Caledonia, 416-783-0686
They say “recycled,” you say “retro.” Call it what you will, Habitat sells salvaged home components – think fireplaces, sinks, lighting – at thrift-store prices. Plus, the proceeds go directly toward helping the community.
HONEST ED’S 581 Bloor West,416-537-1574
The old standby continues to offer one-step shopping at its best. Housewares, carpets, hardware – all dirt cheap.
ADDISON’S 41 Wabash, 416-539-0612
Here’s a rescue mission for vintage plumbing. Whether you’re looking for a claw-foot tub or just a claw foot, this is the place to score both.
JONG YOUNG 128 Avenue Road, 416-922-4421
KAY AND YOUNG 136 Avenue Road, 416-922-5651
We’ve searched everywhere for a way to get more bloom for your buck, but nothing beats these perennial faves at Av and Dav.
DOLLAR JOINT 1499 Gerrard East, 416-465-0915
Dollar stores are a neighbourhood thing, but with two stories of $1 goodies – from barware to underwear to hardware – Dollar Joint is the classic old-school dollar store.
THE ELEGANT GARAGE SALE 1588 Bayview, 416-322-9744
If mishmash rocks your world, this retail and consignment store is the place for you. From junk to treasure and every variable in between, it’s worth the scavenge.
PAUL WOLF ELECTRIC 775 King West, 416-504-8194
DIY electrical can be a dangerous oxymoron, which is why the pros at Paul Wolf don’t let you finger the quality-on-a-budget merch. Custom service – à la Consumer’s Distributing – prevents any MacGyvered home jobs.
DESIGNER FABRICS 1360 Queen West, 416-531-2810
Making your own clothes or window treatments is a very smart move, economically speaking. Whether you’re buying a little ribbon or a room’s worth of chintz, Designer Fabrics has the best textiles for less.
BOOKS: New
BOOK CITY 501 Bloor West (and other locations), 416-961-4496
Over 25 years old, Book City is a bookstore with history. It offers a terrific $15 annual membership deal ($7.50 for teachers and senior citizens) that gets you 10 per cent off regularly priced books and – get this – 20 per cent off new-release hardbacks. Spend $300 and they send you a $5 certificate to spend during your birthday month – a nice personal touch. Plus terrific discount bins.
TORONTO WOMEN’S BOOKSTORE 73 Harbord Street, 416-922-8744
Specializing in women authors, women’s issues, academic texts, children’s and parenting books, cultural diversity and queer issues, the Women’s Bookstore also does some of the best programming in town. Pick up a free club card and after the purchase of 10 books costing more than $10, get a $20 book credit.
PAGES 256 Queen West, 416-598-1447
This is the place for counterculture, design, art, small press releases and a kick-ass magazine collection. You get 10 per cent off if you show a student card, and if you’re not a student but are a frequent buyer and they get to know your face, you’ll get a 10 per cent discount card, too. Sorry, no discounts on mags.
ANOTHER STORY 164 Danforth, 416-462-1104
Terrific store with a very knowledgeable staff focuses on social justice, equity and diversity and has an excellent kids’ collection and educational materials. The discounts here are for educators, as in teachers, librarians, community centres, daycares and libraries, to the tune of 10 per cent.
BOOKS: Used
BALFOUR BOOKS 601 College, 416-531-9911
This place really scores with its location on the College strip, where the clientele is walk-in and loves to bliss out on books. Specializing in architecture, photography and design and texts from university presses. Browsing encouraged.
THE RECYCLED BOOK SHOP 162 McCaul, 416-351-0802
Dig into piles of old industrial design books and lots of cheap soft-cover fiction. Membership is free: buy five books and get a book credit for the average price of those five purchases. This is a find-it-yourself treasure-hunting place, so don’t expect the staff to tell you what’s buried in the bins.
TEN EDITIONS 698 Spadina, 416-964-3803
An excellent source of literature, Canadian history, children’s classics and hard-to-find childhood faves. No discounts, but prices include GST, and the staff know their stuff.
GOODWILL BUY THE POUND 234 Adelaide East, 416-362-4711
Get here before the dealers do. This is where they go for their big finds, because just about anything might turn up. The staff put out a continuous flow of books priced from 25 cents to $1. Be prepared for a struggle, though – book dealers don’t give in gracefully.
