Thankfully, Toronto has not succumbed to mall culture to the same degree as its neighbors in the USA - most malls tend to be firmly located in the suburbs, although there are a number of shopping concourses at the bases of the larger downtown office towers, linked by underground passageways.
The one important mall that has managed to take root downtown is the
Eaton Center, located at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets. The Eaton Center is a mall for non-mall types - lots of shopping in a more soothing environment, with a huge fountain, a ceiling that is a vast barrel vault
of windows and a famous sculpture of flying Canada geese.
As a vital, densely populated hub, the city center is filled with open-air shopping streets, each with its own character. Queen and College streets attract style-conscious 20- and 30-somethings. Fashions are original, often with an emphasis on obscure labels, both domestic and imported. Queen Street West also is home to a variety of furniture shops, some offering cutting-edge modern designs and others displaying second-hand pieces from 10 to 50 years old.
Some gentrification is taking place, as in the ‘West Queen West' district, beyond Spadina and Bathurst streets. Yorkville features more upmarket shopping -
Prada,
Chanel,
Louis Vuitton - including
Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor Street West, the Canadian equivalent to New York's Saks or London's Harrods. Yonge Street offers shopping of every variety from its beginnings near the waterfront right to the northern edge of the city.
The bounty of the vast Canadian landscape can be appreciated at
St Lawrence Market, at the corner of Jarvis and Front streets. Here, visitors can take in the sight of piles of fresh fish laid out on beds of ice, pick among butcher shops, choose between delicatessens, bakeries and a host of fruit and vegetable shops overflowing with produce. The market is open Tuesday to Thursday 0800-1800, Friday 0800-1900 and Saturday 0500-1700.
Across town,
Kensington Market, tucked in just behind Chinatown (west of Spadina Avenue, between Dundas and College streets), gives a sense of the city's multicultural make up, with residents from over 30 cultural backgrounds. The market has been around since the 1790s and its narrow streets are filled with fruit stands, butcher shops, cafes, Asian markets and local fashion designers. Normal shopping hours (see below) are observed.
Good gifts and Toronto souvenirs are Canadian and Inuit art, local designer threads, Hudson's Bay point blankets and maple syrup products.
Shopping is available seven days a week and stores are generally open 1000-1800, although it is common to find some open as late as 2200, especially on Thursday and Friday.
In addition to the 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST), a provincial sales tax of 8% is added to the listed price of most purchases. Please note that as of April 2007, GST can no longer be redeemed by non-residents.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Toronto Content
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Ontario Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Ontario Airport Guides:
|
Ontario City Guides:
|
| Ontario Attraction Guides: |
|
|
|
|
