In sad news (for us), Dani just blogged that she will be closing her flower shop/furniture store, Jaiden’s Petals Cindiloowho, at the end of June. She has been a supporter of new businesses, a purveyor of top-notch goods and services, and a wonderful neighbor, and we will miss her and her store. She is going to expand her career with Jazz FM 91, so it’s good news for Dani. Stop by before she closes to wish her well and get some of her beautiful arrangements while you can!
Dani does note that someone already has dibs on her space, in fact, two someone’s, Teo and Chasen from Union. So, in the “when one door opens, another closes” philosophy, just as Dani is moving on to an exciting new venture, so too is 130 Ossington. We wish Dani and Teo and Chasen the best of luck.
Also closing, actually already closed, is The Port at 1179 Dundas Street West. We wrote about the pinball machines and pool tables, and mostly about the beef on a sword,but it didn’t last. We are not sure what will rise in it’s stead, so if you do, please let us know.
Town Moto opened on Ossington this week, and we got a chance to meet Marika, the owner, and check out the wares of this fresh new retailer for all things related to the motorcycle. Town Moto is located at 132 Ossington, formerly occupied by Virginia Johnson. The store is full of gear, clothing, accessories, magazines, and more, all dedicated to motorcycles. You’ll now see some nice bikes parked outside and the staff are full of considerable knowledge on the topic. For those who are interested, Marika let us know that neighbours have pointed out that there are now a lot of good looking guys – often in stylish leather jackets – who are stopping by. So even if you aren’t into motorcycles there may be other reasons to stop by and browse the shop.
They’re open daily, so while you’re strolling the neighborhood, stop in and say hi. Keep an eye on their blog for the latest fashions and products they have in stock.
Spotted at 80 Ossington: A liquor license application for Mamakas Bakery. Formerly the home of Ministry of Interior, the space is now covered in drawings offering hints about the new inhabitant. A google search yielded minimal results, so all we know is what we know on the signs which is the application for a license for a Greek Bakery and these clever drawings.
Can anyone give us more hints into this Greek mystery? At this point it really is all Greek to us.
Well-timed for Fashion Week, two Ossington retail spaces made changes this past week.
Philip Sparks moved from his pop-up shop down the street to Ossington and Foxley, and I Miss You Vintage didn’t let that space go to waste!
You may have read, because it made a splash in the localpress, Philip Sparks not so quietly opened at 162 Ossington Avenue, behind I Deal Coffee. We stopped in for a visit yesterday, and the space looks lovely, with hanging ranks of Sparks’ men’s and women’s wear and some unusual vintage decor throughout the store.
At 63 Ossington, Emporium by I Miss You expanded into the space vacated by Philip Sparks’ pop-up, with purses, luggage, belts and jewelry spread out in the updated room. They still have all the beautiful vintage dresses and other clothing next door, but now there is more room for the remaining items.
With the changing demographics of the neighbourhood there are also a lot of new canine residents. And, like the restaurants popping up to serve the humans who’ve moved in, there are businesses catering to those humans’ best friends, the dogs. Recently we had the opening of the Dog Bowl on Dundas north of Trinity Bellwoods. Most recently at 45 Ossington we saw the launch of Unleashed in the City, which provides a range of doggy services including dog walking, dog ‘playcare’ as well as overnight stays – for those who need their pooch looked after while they are out of town.
With Trinity Bellwoods close by, there’s a great place for Unleashed to take the furry guest for company and exercise. Unleashed goes farther than that, taking their clients on longer hikes to farther reaches of the city, including the beaches, where they can make friends with other dogs and explore new territories.
You can follow them and their adventures in the business on facebook and twitter
Over the past year, we welcomed a number of new businesses to the neighborhood, not as many as in 2010, but quite a few! We hope they’ll grow and succeed, so to help, we’ll remind you of these restaurants, stores and art galleries. If you haven’t visited them, you can add them to your “check out” list for 2012.
More than Pasta opened it’s doors officially at 121 Ossington in March 2011, but we got an advance look at the delicious pastas, sauces and prepared foods they make in-house.
Fishbaropened in May, serving happy hour and dinner at 217 Ossington Ave, and since then they’ve added a lunch menu for all the fish lovers around. Also in May, the Lakeview Storehouse opened, selling produce and groceries, along with poutine, adjacent to the Lakeview Restaurant on Dundas.
Just in time for summer, Eagle’s Nest Espresso and Ice Cream opened at 1199 Dundas Street West.
November was a busy month for openings: we noted the return of Lennox Contemporary, now at 44 Ossington, and the opening of The Dog Bowl at 984 Dundas West. Also new is G Gallery in the back at 134 Ossington.
In December we welcomedtwo of the newest businesses on the street: Yours Truly is now open 6 nights a week (closed Tuesday) for dinner at 229 Ossington, and Don’t Tell Mama is a gallery and art space.
There are also a lot of places we’ve been talking about opening but are still waiting for - like Amaya, The Saint and Bellwoods Brewery. More to look forward to in the new year!
We sadly convey the news of the loss of Gabriella Carmena Micallef, known to our community as the friendly and approachable owner of More than Pasta, at 121 Ossington Avenue.
Gabriella passed away on Tuesday, December 13. She was diagnosed with advanced, non-small cell lung cancer in 2006, but continued to run marathons and set up businesses while fighting the disease.
Since opening More than Pasta last March, Gabriella embraced our community, throwing open houses and donating to local schools and charities. She quickly became a respected presence, and we will notice her loss.
A memorial service will be held at St. Alphonsus Church, 540 St Claire Avenue West, on Saturday, December 17th at 11:30am.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you generously support Lung Cancer Canada
1896-A, Avenue Road, Toronto ON, Canada M5M 3Z8
We continue our gift guide series for Ossington Village with a cute and affordable gift.
The gift: A piggy bank. These adorable little ceramic pigs with painted flowers come in various sizes and colours, and even different animals – we spotted some cute cows too!
Where to get it: Papelaria Portugal, 200 Ossington Avenue
Price range: Ranging in price from $6.99 to $18.99
Who would like it: Lovers of adorable animal artifacts, and people who want to store their coins in a cute receptacle.
In today’s edition of our Ossington gift guide, we go back in time to some classic memories of childhood.
The gift: A classic children’s book
Where to get it: Frantic City, 123 Ossington
Price range: Starting at $10
Who would like it: Children, their parents for encouraging their children to read, and adults who would like to be reminded of a simpler time when they read books instead of tablets. Frantic City has a fantastic range of titles for kids and adults, so you’ll be able to find a classic for everyone on your shopping list.
