Toronto Retail and Restaurants Thread

[Travis007]

I know there's a thread in the Canadian section but I don't think we've had a thread yet about Toronto specifically. This is a thread for general Toronto (and metropolitan area) retail/restaurant news, openings/closings, opinions, and experiences, etc.

[Travis007]

http://www.blogto.com/design/domison-toronto

Domison Furniture Boutique

Posted by Robyn Urback / REVIEWED ON APRIL 10, 2011

Photos available on the article link.

Domison Furniture Boutique has opened a showroom in Toronto - branching out from its flagship store in Montreal. The furniture strikes me as part comfy/classic, part modern, and part retro. Impossible? No. It seems for Domison, it's all about the mix of textures, colours, and shapes, making a piece that's somehow both timeless and edgy.

Domison was opened in May 2008 by Thein and My Ta Trung on Saint Laurent in Montreal, showcasing both independent local design along with the signature collection. They're hoping to incorporate the same sort of mélange for this Toronto showroom, on Jarvis south of King.

[Travis007]

http://www.blogto.com/design/boconce...niture-toronto

BoConcept Toronto

Posted by Robyn Urback / REVIEWED ON APRIL 24, 2011

Photos available on article link.

BoConcept has arrived in Toronto, bringing with it its contemporary line of functional furniture. At Adelaide and Jarvis, the Denmark-based furniture chain, has more than 340 sales units worldwide, and opened its doors on the ground level of the Vü condominium just two weeks ago.

"Toronto needed this," BoConcept design consultant Brad Karsh tells me as he leads me through the store. "It's well-designed furniture, but at reasonable price points."

Most everything in the store can be customized in terms of colour, material, and size. BoConcept works with five grades of leather, various surface finishes and materials, and a whole spectrum of colours, as evidenced by its fabric wall. As well, the staff at BoConcept is specially trained and offers personalized design consultations by appointment.

BoConcept furniture strikes me as perfect for urban condos, trendy, but not transient.

[Travis007]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1995849/

Bloor West Village: The city’s newest film strip

SCOTT MACDONALD
From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Apr. 22, 2011 2:52PM EDT

In the stretch between High Park and Mississauga, there is exactly one multiplex, the Queensway Cinemas in Mimico. The only other option, for a long time, was the historic Kingsway Theatre on Bloor Street near Royal York Road, a mouldering outpost of the now-defunct Festival Cinemas repertory chain. When the chain folded in 2006, the Kingsway went dark, seemingly for good. Two years ago, however, a former architect named Rui Pereira leased the theatre, renovated it, and, despite tense negotiations with investors, quietly re-launched it. Though he didn't know it then, it was the first step in the creation of a burgeoning west-end movie-house revival.

The latest comeback story is the Humber Cinema at Bloor and Jane, set to re-open Apr. 29 after having been out of commission for nearly a decade. It, too, is Mr. Pereira's baby, and the affable 44-year-old has big ambitions for the 1940s-era space, which he describes as more architecturally significant than the city's other remaining single-screen cinemas. “The Kingsway, the Bloor, the Fox – those are all really just neighbourhood houses. The Humber was a neighbourhood house, too, but it was built on a bigger scale and was always more of a premiere theatre,” he says. “With the [re-launch], we're trying to replicate that post-war era of movie-going, which really has been lost in Toronto.”

According to Paula McInerney, who runs the nearby McLellan Jewellers and chairs the Bloor West Village BIA, everybody in the local business community is “very excited” about the Humber's return, and the hope is that it will bring more pedestrian traffic to the neighbourhood.

So far, the theatre – which Mr. Pereira describes as having “a kind of nautical look, with lots of curves” – has a new screen, sound system and projector, as well as all-new seats, candy counter, and accessible bathrooms. The last step before the grand opening is to install new carpeting.

In one of Mr. Pereira's few concessions to modernity, the decision was made to retain the “twinned” format Cineplex Odeon introduced in 1975, which saw the 1,200-seat space cut into two smaller theatres. “It just makes better financial sense to have two screens,” he says. At the launch, only the smaller upstairs auditorium – which has about 300 seats – will be open; the 500-seat downstairs auditorium will debut a couple of months from now.

The Humber, however, is far enough away from any multiplex that it can show whatever it wants, and Mr. Pereira intends to screen mostly younger-skewing blockbusters. The debut feature, for instance, will be Fast Five (a sequel to The Fast and the Furious, starring Vin Diesel), and three weeks later will be Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

“These old theatres are now very rare and they should be considered premium spaces,” he says. “They're an alternative to the big-box experience. It's the same as when you go to a fancy restaurant – you pay more for the experience, not less.”

[Filip]

BoConcept is not a reasonable pricepoint! It's even higher priced than places like EQ3...

[ACT7]

Ben Sherman is opening his first Canadian store at Queen and Niagara, Louis Vuitton seems to be expanding their Yorkdale store, and there is hoarding up on Bloor St. West where Feet First used to be. It's a 1,700 sq. ft. space so it doesn't fall into any one of the previously confirmed openings that are expected on Bloor by the fall. Could be a surprise store coming.

[Mollywood]

Did you guys hear that Tim Horton's is coming to The Gay Village, in the old Zelda's space?

[Taller, Better]

NO!!!

That is a surprise!

I'm glad Feet First left Bloor, and wonder what is replacing it? Where is LV expanding to? Where can they add on to that little house?

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by Taller, Better

NO!!!

That is a surprise!

I'm glad Feet First left Bloor, and wonder what is replacing it? Where is LV expanding to? Where can they add on to that little house?

The rumour was that they were taking some of the 30,000 sq. ft at 150 Bloor, which means the LV house will be available for the taking.

[ladyscraper]

http://www.eyeweekly.com/food/crumbs/article/113421

Sausage party coming to Thuet’s old haunt
Chef Aldo Lanzillotta's WVRST to open in former Conviction space at 609 King St. W.


This place sounds really good! Focus on real sausage and local beers. I hope it will live up to my expectations.

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by ACT7

The rumour was that they were taking some of the 30,000 sq. ft at 150 Bloor, which means the LV house will be available for the taking.

Ah!! FANTASTIC NEWS!! I've never been a fan of that little butchered Victorian house for LV. It would make sense for more of a small jewelry boutique.

@ Ladyscraper, you got me all thrilled with news of a big sausage party, and now I find out it is about food??

[current]

newswire.ca online article:

Toronto's First Sake Brewery to Open This Weekend

TORONTO, April 26 /CNW/ - The Ontario Spring Water Sake Company, located in downtown Toronto's Distillery Historic District, will be opening its brewery, retail store and tasting bar to the public on Friday April 29, 2011. This brewery is a first for Toronto, and indeed for all of eastern North America.

"Our sake's fresh and delightful flavour is enhanced by using a very special spring water chosen among the abundant water resources of northern Ontario," says Kaz Hayashi, General Manager of the company and formerly a key member of the team responsible for Ontario distribution of Gekkeikan, a major Japanese sake brand, while working at a large Toronto wine agency. "All of our sake is hand-prepared in the "Junmai" pure rice style in several varieties, including unpasteurized "Nama-Nama", for sale at the Distillery location brewery store and tasting counter," he continues.

The brewery commenced operations in February 2011 with advisory assistance from the venerable Miyasaka Brewing Co., Ltd., whose operations in Japan date back to the 1600's, currently producing sake under the MASUMI and MIYASAKA brands. It was via Miyasaka's team that the new brewery was able to connect with consulting master sake brewer Yoshiko Takahashi, an award winning brewmaster from the Nagano region of Japan, who arrived in Toronto several months ago to support the start-up.

The commencement of retail operations this weekend will be followed shortly by a delivery service to a select group of local restaurants, as well as listing applications at the LCBO for one or more of its products.

A unique offering at the brewery's retail store is its freshly pressed, unpasteurized and unfiltered sake, an exquisite beverage which is currently not available anywhere in Ontario or the eastern seaboard, making the new brewery in the Distillery a fascinating and delicious experience for sake, food and fine wine lovers alike. Other unique items available in the dramatic high stone-walled retail area of the brewery will include a variety of sake serving accessories and decorative items imported from Japan. Many available items will be labeled with the "IZUMI" brand (which means "spring water" in Japanese) which is the principal brand name used by the Company for its sake beverages.

Ontario Spring Water Sake Company is a member of the Brewing Society of Japan, and the first member of the Society located in Canada.

More information on the company can be found on the company's website: www.ontariosake.com.

Read more: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/a.../26/c7086.html

[Marcanadian]

The Humber opening with Fast Five? Ugh, not a good start. I'll see Pirates of the Caribbean there though. I live only a 5 minute walk from the theatre, I used to love going there.

[spongeg]

Hot Topic is opening in eaton Centre!

[spongeg]

Originally Posted by Filip

BoConcept is not a reasonable pricepoint! It's even higher priced than places like EQ3...

they have some really nice stuff though - its quite pricey though - they have store inside selfridges in london UK

[Taller, Better]

I've never liked sake, I'm afraid, even the very expensive stuff. There is a guy in Vancouver who makes it, around Granville Island, I think, and I never liked any of those, either. Not my cup of tea.

[Epi]

Will have to check out BoConcepts. Still need to get that new coffee table...

Looks like Toronto's furniture stores are getting more international with this and the recently opened Calligaris store!

[Filip]

I do not remember where I ran into this coffee table (possibly in Ottawa, Montreal or even Madrid!) but this coffee table was basically a concrete cube, with a large concrete slab on top of it. This slab had glass covering the surface with chrome brackets on the corners.. Basically my dream coffee table when I move into my condo!

[BrandonK]

A lot of changes in the Yorkville retail scene. Max Mara and Marciano currently empty. It'll be interesting what new fashion houses might open up next.

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by BrandonK

A lot of changes in the Yorkville retail scene. Max Mara and Marciano currently empty. It'll be interesting what new fashion houses might open up next.

I believe Michael Kors will be taking the old Max Mara space and Max Mara will be returning to Bloor so one of those spaces will be going back to them.