Shop these Toronto Pop-Up Shops!

We all have those people where just the mere thought of shopping for them turns us into McCauley Culkin from the Home Alone poster. Whether they have particularly “quirky” tastes or just plain have it all, shopping for them is an annual exercise in anxiety management. There may be answer to your woes though you’ll have to act fast.

A recent trend among retail outlets is the pop-up shop. In today’s highly competitive market of small shop versus Walmart versus Amazon, the idea of a short-term outlet that generates a decent amount of buzz and may feature products not normally seen in more permanent fixtures is kind of brilliant. Also, because these outlets tend to feature more unusual or artisanal products, they’re perfect for those people in your life who you have no idea how to shop for. To make things easy for you, here are some of the funky pop up shops you can visit in Toronto right now. Don’t wait too long though, as much like Frosty the Snowman and your available credit, they will soon be gone.

For That DIY, Arsty-Fartsy Friend… BRIKA (176 Yonge Street, in the Bay)

Link: Brika.com

If Etsy could be housed in 4 walls, it would look something like this pop-up. Brika, a Toronto-based e-retailer specializing in Canadian-made home décor, jewelry and stationery, has opened up shop in the Queen Street Hudson’s Bay (176 Yonge Street) in a space composed of clean white walls, geometric shapes, and bold colour accents. They’ve got goods from 40+ Canadian makers included vases, hand-dyed scarves, and clay jewellery and everything in store can also be purchased online.

Catch them before they’re gone: January 5th, 2014

For the Uber-Trendster… POP UP 120 – GANNI (120 Ossington Avenue)

Link: Pop-up 120

If you have that Euro-fab gal-pal who is obsessed with looking ahead of the game, Ganni and Pop Up 120 is definitely where you’ll want to have a look. Pop Up 120 is the wholesale/ retail hybrid creation of fashion vet, Agency One director Ken Georgopoulos. The so-cool-it-hurts concept of the store is to feature a different brand from Agency One’s ten clients for 4 to 6 months in rotation. Ken enhances this by creating an entire experience surrounding the brand, heavily influenced by quirky décor and an emphasis on music. Currently, Pop Up 120 is showcasing Danish art fashion line, Ganni, which Georgopoulos describes as, “a true Northern hemisphere brand for the fashion-forward girl who needs outerwear, sweaters, and knits for cold weather climates… like Toronto!” It’s sophisticated, modern and there’s a furry gold sweater that is PERFECT for winter 2014.

Catch them before they’re gone: Spring 2014

For the Boy Who Needs Some Basics: FRANK & OAK POP UP (737 Queen Street West)

Link: Frank & Oak

We all have that brother/ boyfriend/ coworker/ sexy neighbour who would look SO much better with some new threads. Enter the Frank & Oak pop-up. The Montreal brand is most famous for their down-to-earth, good lookin’ man fashions online (though they just opened up a new retail showroom in Montreal’s hipster mecca, the Mile End). They have a full menswear line from bags to blazers to button-ups so you can have that sartorially sucky man in your life looking sharp in no time. Personally, we are seriously jonesing for this black, quilted and waxed hunting jacket. SO masculine, classic, yet trendy. The best part of it? The prices are extremely reasonable and if they don’t have the size you want in-store, everything can be ordered online.

Catch them before they gone: January 12th, 2014

For The Person That’s TOO Cool – CAPSULE STUDIO CORP (74 Bathurst Street)

Link: Capsule Studio Corp

For that person who HAS to have to the coolest stuff that nobody else has, there is Capsule Studio Corp. Located just across Bathurst from the Thompson Hotel, the pop-up is housed in the studio of fashion photographer Mathew Guido (www.mathewguido.com). Within the large, dark space grows a pop up shop featuring one of a kind vintage jewelry pieces by Violet Grey, trendy threads from Joeffer Caoc (http://www.joeffercaoc.com/), and super modern accessories from Blackbird (http://www.iheartblackbird.com/home/).  Besides the disturbingly awesome stuff they’ve already got, Mathew intends on adding more collections to the shop so you should check their site or visiting frequently!

Catch them before they gone: January, 2014