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Lifestyle

Little Italy

Just as it seemed there’d be nothing but clubs and bars on College, a refreshing retail wave has taken back the old strip

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Fashion designer Trish Ewanika remembers College Street’s heyday in the early 90s, when Russell Smith heroines threw on their black motorcycle jackets for drinks at Bar Italia (582 College, 416-535-3621). The infectious neighbourhood spirit lured her to live in a Little Italy basement apartment complete with a next-door nonna who passed her tomatoes over the fence.

At the end of the decade, she opened her own boutique and studio, Ewanika (490 College, 416-927-9699), at College and Palmerston and was soon joined by shops like Wenches & Rogues, Sim & Jones and Lilliput Hats. Ewanika just marked her store’s 10th anniversary, and though Lilliput (462 College, 416-536-5933) is the lone other leftover from those early days of retailing, she senses another upsurge on the horizon.

College between Bathurst and Ossington is one of Toronto’s most dynamic strips. The neighbourhood accommodates its immigrant locals, afternoon shoppers, date-night diners and the weekend club crawl with minimal friction. It’s that motley mix that keeps College perpetually fresh.

Back at Ewanika, that sense of renewal fills the shop with painterly florals, lightweight suiting and other spring arrivals debuting daily on her racks. Also new for the season are Jessica Jensen handbags and all-natural scents by CB I Hate Perfume.

Ewanika’s fashion neighbours include jewellery at Mink (550 College, 416-929-9214), scooter streetwear at Motoretta (554 College, 416-925-1818), boots and shoes at Balisi (668 College, 416-532-1074), womenswear at Girl Friday (776 College, 416-531-1036) and stylish specs at Rapp (788 College, 416-537-6590).

Kitty-corner from Ewanika is the strip’s largest new arrival. Structube (507 College, 416-929-2423) takes up almost an entire city block and fills its mammoth showroom with furniture and accessories scaled from super-sized to petite for the area’s duplexes and open-concept condos.

Flowers at Jackie O have European flair.

Photo By Ethan Eisenberg

College and Clinton is Little Italy’s main intersection, and enough restaurants are squeezed onto its four corners to absorb most of Friday night’s dinner crush. Mini Market (596 College, 416-531-2822), Capitol Pizza (597 College, 416-534-2942), Trattoria Giancarlo (41 Clinton, 416-533-9619), Olivia’s (53 Clinton, 416-533-3989) and Café Diplomatico (594 College, 416-534-4673) all compete for your taste buds.

The Diplomatico in Little Italy kick-started T.O.'s cafe culture.

Photo By Ethan Eisenberg

A few steps east are Utopia (586 College, 416-534-7751), Kalendar (546 College, 416-923-4138) and Grace (503 College, 416-944-8884), while walking west takes you by Sicilian Ice Cream (712 College, 416-531-7716), Il Gatto Nero (720 College, 416-536-3132), Regina Pizzeria (782 College, 416-535-2273) and Boom Breakfast & Co. (808 College, 416-534-3447).

College and Euclid

Photo By Ethan Eisenberg

Balfour Books (601 College, 416-531-9911) is part of the College Street dining scene, too. Post-dessert, window shoppers flood into this open-late used bookstore to thumb through heavy design tomes and second-hand paperbacks.

Last summer, Jackie O (626 College, 416-901-7346) arrived on College and caught the neighbourhood’s eye with its minimal storefront and European flower market feeling. Instead of the usual bank of floral fridges, colourful orchids are out in the open for shoppers to smell and feel. Arrangements average $75 to $100, but you can also grab a single bud for a frugal, mid-February pick-me-up.

Get campy and colourful gifts at Red Pegasus.

Photo By Ethan Eisenberg

If you’re a flower fanatic, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses at Pink Twig (711 College, 416-537-7465).

Gift shopping is Little Italy’s greatest retail strength, and Red Pegasus (628 College, 416-536-3872) is every card hunter, secret Santa and birthday party goer’s first stop. Baby buys ranging from newborn duds to plush toys are guaranteed to earn giddy shower drools. Accessory lovers will appreciate jewellery and handbag finishing touches.

Double your chances of capturing the perfect greeting tone by casing the card stock at Ivory Parade (760 College, 416-533-4144).

Booklovers can browse late-night at Balfour Books.

Photo By Ethan Eisenberg

At the opposite end of Little Italy from Ewanika is Ziggy’s at Home (794 College, 416-535-8728). When Julie Fass opened it three and a half years ago, her focus was on neutral, monochromatic housewares, but she quickly realized the neighbourhood loves colour. Now her bestsellers include soaps with green scents like kale and watercress, packs of reusable Envirosax bags and striped rugs and doormats by Chilliwich.

Julie Fass (right) has added soaps to the houseware's at  Ziggy's at Home.

Photo By Ethan Eisenberg

Fass has her own long-time connection to College. Her grandfather used to sell leather goods from her storefront. His old customers still visit, happy to see she’s carrying on the business while doing her own part to freshen Little Italy up.

Structube ‘s Danny Donaldson shows off furniture of all sizes.

Photo By Ethan Eisenberg

fashion@nowtoronto.com

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