Must-see shopping in Canada

  • Basement

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Keep your eyes peeled for the easily missed doorway that leads downstairs to this exposed-brick subterranean store. You'll find artfully arranged racks of…

  • Cherry Bomb Toys

    Victoria

    The nostalgically inclined will love this large toy emporium of collectibles, especially if they head upstairs to the mezzanine-level toy museum. It's…

  • Holt Renfrew

    Vancouver

    High-end-label lovers flock here to peruse the artfully presented D&G, Armani and Issey Miyake togs and accoutrements arrayed over several brightly lit…

  • Blue Heron Creamery

    Vancouver

    A tiny, small-batch vegan cheese shop that'll challenge your deepest dairy attachments. Arrive early to avoid the crush during its limited opening hours…

  • Granville Island Licorice Parlour

    Vancouver

    A satellite branch of Commercial Dr's popular candy store, this sweet-tooth pilgrimage spot serves up dozens of jars of serious licorice (anyone for salty…

  • Rogers' Chocolates

    Victoria

    This charming, museum-like confectioner serves the best ice-cream bars, but repeat offenders usually spend their time hitting the 20-flavor-strong menu of…

  • Au Papier Japonais

    Montréal

    You might never guess how many guises Japanese paper can come in until you visit this gorgeous little shop, which stocks more than 800 varieties. Origami…

  • Grundy Lake Supply Post

    Northern Ontario

    Now located 1km off Hwy 69 down Hwy 522, the renovated Grundy Lake Supply Post has everything one would need for a camping adventure, including boat and…

  • Gallery Indigena

    Old Town, Corktown & Distillery District

    Specializing in indigenous Canadian art, this Distillery District shop sells original works by Inuit and other Aboriginal artists, along with some mass…

  • Mintage Mall

    Vancouver

    Comprising seven super-cool vintage vendors offering everything from 1970s outfits (at Thirteen Moons) to antique taxidermy (Salamander Salt Curio), this…

  • Cassis Monna & Filles

    Québec

    Learn all you ever wanted to know about cassis (blackcurrant), also known as gadelle noire in Québécois, and pick up some treats to go, including jam …

  • Cross

    Vancouver

    Not everything is white at this huge, high-ceilinged interiors store but it certainly veers toward the cooly pale. From perfect wine glasses to chic…

  • Faulkner Apparel

    Gastown & Chinatown

    In the heart of the Downtown Eastside, this unexpected upstairs spot has a cult-like following among vintage-clothing fans. Lined with brilliantly curated…

  • Walrus

    Fairview & South Granville

    A small but brilliantly curated store teeming with must-have accessories and home wares, mostly from Canadian designers. Form meets function with…

  • Gandharva Loka World Music Store

    Vancouver

    From rainsticks to mandolins, visitors are encouraged to try out the unusual instruments in this welcoming, family-friendly store. Need a new instrument…

  • Mo's General Store

    North Shore

    This is a browser's paradise of quirky gifts, arts and crafts, and must-have trinkets you never thought you needed. The heritage building once housed…

  • Duchesse Vintage

    Gastown & Chinatown

    One of the highlights of an emerging rack of vintage stores recently popping up in Gastown and Chinatown, Duchesse is a warm, brick-lined spot that's…

  • Bay of Spirits Gallery

    Kensington Market & Chinatown

    The works of Norval Morrisseau – the first indigenous artist to have a solo exhibit at the National Gallery of Canada – are proudly on display in this…

  • Starlit Citadel

    Vancouver

    Descend the stairs to enter this Narnia-like magical world of amazing board games. Vancouver's favourite game shop is a warm and welcoming venue crammed…

  • Hunter & Hare

    Vancouver

    A lovely little store specializing in well-curated consignment clothing and accessories for women, this is the place to head to if you've left your summer…

  • Y's Books

    Vancouver

    Covering everything from food and drink to narrative nonfiction, this cozy general-interest-used bookstore is a highly inviting browse magnet. The…

  • Goorin Bros Hat Shop

    Vancouver

    This welcoming hat emporium can transform your tired old look in an instant. An outlet of a funky US family-run business, it caters to men and women, and…

  • Good Omen

    Lower Mainland

    A bright, checkerboard floored store lined with an array of jewelry, crafts and aromatic aromatherapy preparations made by independent artisans in the…

  • Silk Road Tea

    Vancouver

    Plunging into the scalding hot Kitsilano tea-boutique wars, this satellite branch of Victoria's favorite fancy-tea emporium combines superbly friendly…

  • Arc'teryx

    Vancouver

    Flagship branch of Vancouver's high-end outdoor-gear store. Expect to pay a premium for the best waterproof jackets and weather-resistant pants. The…

  • Baker's Dozen Antiques

    Vancouver

    One of Vancouver's most interesting vintage and antique stores. Nose around the creaky-floored interior and you'll start to mentally redecorate your…

  • Woo To See You

    Vancouver

    Smily, genuinely friendly service is the approach at this tiny womenswear boutique where you should give yourself plenty of time to browse the racks of…

  • Vancouver Studio Glass

    Vancouver

    Peer through the windows at this intriguing artisan glass studio and watch the team blow and twirl their stuff. There are plenty of works to purchase in…

  • Les Fromages de l'Île d'Orléans

    Québec

    This fromagerie doesn't just serve and sell you cheese – it serves and sells you cheese in period costume in an ancient stone farmhouse. The range is wide…

  • Circle Craft

    Vancouver

    This large, bright cooperative gallery hawks a highly diverse and ever-changing array of BC arts and crafts, which could include bat-patterned ceramics,…

  • Mink Mile

    Toronto

    Often compared to NYC's Fifth Ave, Toronto's Mink Mile is home to well-known luxury stores such as Tiffany & Co., Prada, Hermès, Louis Vuitton and more…

  • Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery

    Gastown & Chinatown

    This two-level museum-like store showcases an eye-popping array of Inuit and Northwest Coast aboriginal jewelry, carvings and prints. On the high-art side…

  • Noize To Go

    Gastown & Chinatown

    Like hanging out with a buddy and checking out his cool record collection, dropping in for a chat with store-owner Dale at this tiny, vinyl-lined store is…

  • Chocolaterie de l'Île d'Orléans

    Québec

    Using cocoa beans from Belgium, the chocolatiers above this delightful shop in a 200-year-old house churn out tasty concoctions, including almond bark and…

  • Armchair Books

    Whistler

    If your idea of après-ski is curling up with a book beside a hotel fireplace, body-swerve the noisy pubs that populate the gondola base-stations and head…

  • Mink Chocolates

    Vancouver

    If chocolate is the main food group in your book, follow your candy-primed nose to this choccy shop and cafe in the downtown core. Select from the…

  • BRIKA

    East Toronto & Rosedale

    A bright and airy boutique, BRIKA aims to inspire and create good mojo with its well-curated products, mostly home goods and beautiful accessories. What…

  • Salt Spring Mercantile

    Salt Spring Island

    Eclectically stocked country market lined with everything from local produce to artisan knickknacks and even Trader Joe's products from the US, this is a…

  • Galiano Island Books

    British Columbia

    Sometimes the best bookshops are in the most improbable places. Servicing Galiano’s 1000+ residents and a flurry of summer visitors, this small but…

  • Net Loft

    Vancouver

    An indoor array of creative boutiques just across from the far-busier Public Market. Highlight stores include arts-and-crafty Paper-Ya, cave-like…

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