What’s your business?

Imperial Tattoo

How is your business unique?

I guess the nature of tattooing as a business is founded on the idea that people want to make themselves more unique. We’re the only tattoo shop in a sea of bars, galleries, and restaurants.

How long have you been in business here?

We opened in January of 2008, so we’re two years deep now.

What drew you to be here on Ossington?

A bit of luck and intention. We knew that Ossington was an ‘up and coming’ neighbourhood and it just happened that we were looking at just the right time. Rent was affordable, and we found a great space for a great price that we couldn’t overlook. I have lived in and around the neighbourhood for the past 15 years, it felt like home.

What changes have you seen on Ossington since your business has been here?

Lots of upperscale restaurants and bars have popped up. The night life dynamic here has become somewhat surreal. The CAMH building has been demolished, and so has the Generator Club that stood empty for years. We anticipate many more changes over the next few years. I’d like to see some more variety to develop day traffic and community, however.

How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

Honestly, I can’t and won’t make a prediction. The amount of changes we’ve seen in the two years make 5 years seem like a decade. I can only hope for good things.

What is your favorite spot on Ossington, other than your own? and why?

Sweaty Bettys. We’re right next door and we’ve become somewhat symbiotic.

If there’s anything else you want to add, feel free. We’ll add it.

Please stop with all the condos already…

We are not the only media to cover Telegramme Prints. There has been a lot of enthusiasm for the opening, and we think they add to the perfect blend of retail, dining, service and arts on the strip.  And now, Ian from Telegramme Prints and Custom Framing answers our 8 questions:

What’s your business?

  Our business is really two businesses: sourcing hard to get limited edition prints and posters that you can’t get anyplace else, from Parkdale and Kensington Market to Mexico and Japan. The second business we’re in is custom framing services for artwork we sell, and for artwork that clients bring in for framing. We have all kinds of custom framing services: plak mounting, canvas stretching, any kind of unusual job, but our focus is custom framing of prints and posters.

 How is your business unique?

 There are lots of poster shops and framing shops, but few places like ours in North America. We really work hard at positioning ourselves as an alternative to a bland mall experience. That doesn’t mean our posters and prints are expensive: 80% of our inventory is $25 or less. We have an awesome conservation custom framing package for $99 that is popular. And our prints and posters are the some of the best you can get, we’re always amazed and dazzled by the skills and talents of the designers and printers in the shop.

  How long have you been in business here?

  We’ve been in business since Sept 11, 2010 at 194 Ossington. We’ve also operated a shop since 2006 at 1103 Queen Street East in Leslieville.

  What drew you to be here on Ossington? 

 Much of our requirements involved the space having a specific criteria: parking, space, rear door access etc. We’d had our eye on this spot for 2 years, when it was another custom framing shop. When we saw the For Lease sign this summer, we moved really fast to get a deposit on it. It has everything we need and a lot more. We looked at a few other neighbourhoods, but this is the best.

  What changes have you seen on Ossington since your business has been here?

 Not very many, because we’re so new. But I remember about 3-4 years ago, I was having drinks with friends around here. It was dark and cold, kind of menacing. This summer, the streets were full of smart people at night, lots of laughter and a total absence of any grim foreboding like before.

  How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

 I expect it the retail end things to develop more, it will complement the nightlife. Having small independent shops, restaurants and bars run by passionate people is what gives a neighbourhood like this its soul and quality of life, and I hope that continues. I really feel terrible for some of the small businesses on the street that have been stifled by the moratorium on bars. I can’t imagine putting so much time, energy and borrowed money into an enterprise, only to have the city pull the rug out, long after the point of no return. I hope five years from now, city dickering is not the story like it is now.

 What is your favorite spot on Ossington, other than your own? and why?

 Having the Home Hardware so close and with such a nice staff, I think of them as one of my favorite spots because they always save our bacon. There’s a lot else I haven’t seen yet, but I always like going into I Deal Coffee. Sometimes we have meetings at Pizza Libretto, it always feels special. I like BQM and Crafted too; like our shop, they set up their initial location in the east end and opened up another space on Ossington. I have a long list of places that I want to spend time in: Foxley and Crooked Star are at the top of that list… so is Xpace Gallery, one of our employees Tobias Williams, a printmaker, designed a window there recently.

 Even though our doors have only been open five weeks here, all of us at the shop have commented how fantastic the neighbourhood businesses and residents have been. We totally love it here.

What’s your business?

Christian McLeod’s arts studio.

How is your business unique?

My situation is unique in that there is no seperation of gallerist and or gallery presentation of works from the viewer, the visitors and collectors see finished works and works in progress,  this is a unique experience as the viewer rarely get a chance to walk into an artists work space.
I have lived off and on all over this area going back to High school and Art School, when The Toronto School of Art was at Queen and Dovercourt back in the early 1990′s.
The gallery scene on Ossington gives way to bars, gives way to fancy restaurants with fancy cars in them. That’s how it goes.
Luft becomes Sweaty Beaty’s, and on up the money chain.

How long have you been in business here?

I have lived and worked on this street for 5 years now. My location is a live/work storefront arts studio. I moved here from the Dundas st. and Ritchie st. building, yet another building that turfed out the artists to make way for Authentic Loft Dwellers.

What drew you to be here on Ossington?

I was drawn to Ossington by a cheap studio for rent on Craig’s list. The studio buildings where for the most part all converted so i jumped at the chance. Frankly  after having moved further and further west as the buildings where converted, it was funny to me that i got to move back down here, felt like the Jefferson’s.

What changes have you seen on Ossington since your business has been here?

During the day and early evening the changes on Ossington are, for the most part good changes, its harder to find a spot to get the oil changed in the car and parking is scarce now that 905 is here to play.
But later in the evening that drunk fools who think the parking lots and fences are their washrooms is disgusting.
The Galleries that have moved onto the street are a great addition, they are serious professional galleries who have years of experience and are very serious about their work.
Two of the best restaurants in the city are on this street, so how can i complain about that, except when i don’t have the coin to enjoy them.
.

How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

Converted into condo’s.

What is your favorite spot on Ossington, other than your own? and why?

Fav Spot is Foxley, its all about the staff.. oh ya and the food that will leave your mouth begging for more. And their list is good too.

What’s your business?
How is your business unique?
How long have you been in business here?

YogaSpace is an established Toronto Yoga studio in it’s 15th year (on the Ossington strip for 6 years).  We offer a wide variety of Yoga classes on an extensive drop-in schedule.  We also offer specialty pre-registered classes and workshops including monthly Introduction to Yoga and Therapeutic Yoga workshops.  We lead two teacher training programs anually and host workshops featuring internationally
renowned  Yoga Teachers.  Our senior teachers lead Yoga retreats annually both locally and abroad.  We are also home to a clinical team who offer integrated therapeutics including registered massage therapy, shiatsu, acupuncture, naturopathy, osteopathy, lifestyle coaching and thai massage.

We are a community made up of people from all walks of life who come together to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the space,  the attentive, down to earth and friendly manner of our staff, and our strong teaching team.  YogaSpace offers something for everyone.  We see Yoga as a therapeutic tool that can
become a foundation for health.  While  some people come to the studio for exercise or to tone, strengthen and increase flexibility, others are working to overcome challenges such as insomnia, anxiety, depression, stress and low energy.  Whether you are looking for a vigorous vinaysa class, a gentle introduction to yoga, a meditative hatha class or a deeply therapeutic restorative class, our approach is therapeutic, and our intention is to provide students with a wide variety of opportunities to heal mind and body.

What drew you to be here on Ossington?

We wanted to be in the centre of our Queen West neighborhood and we saw Ossingon as the new frontier. We were one of the first businesses to open up here, and it has been exciting to see our vision of the strip manifest.

What changes have you seen on Ossington since your business has been here?

Everything has changed. Ossington went from being one of the ugliest, emptiest streets to a thriving, funky happening strip.

How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

We are constantly growing and expanding, and so is Ossington, so we are really excited about the next 5 years.

What is your favorite spot on Ossington, other than your own? and why?

We love Jaiden’s Petals and Cindy Loo Who and they provide us with all of our flowers and furniture. We also love the pizza at Libretto!

Sandra from C1 answers our 8 questions:

What’s your business?

I run C1 art space, an art shop, art school and clay studio, with my husband Ross Bonfanti for the past 5 years. I am also a cofounder of a second business on Ossington,  AWOL Gallery and Studios, with a collective of seven artists for the past 11 years.

How is your business unique?

C1 art space is a community hub of creativity for all ages that allows people to see art items, buy them or learn to create and appreciate various processes. We have a fun blend of mixed media, clay and silk screening courses offered that draw people of all types of backgrounds.

How long have you been in business here?

5 years with C1 art space and 11 with AWOL Gallery and Studios

What drew you to be here on Ossington?

Initially back in 1999 it was affordability as we were fresh out of school. We needed a large space to house multiple art studios and the commercial/industrial aspect of some of the larger spaces on the street worked out perfectly. Now it’s grown so much and there is such versatility of businesses opening up. This street essentially became our home and where we wanted to remain when Ross and I deciding to open up C1 art space.

What changes have you seen on Ossington since your business has been here?

Many. The street was mostly karaoke bars with very little daytime traffic. It’s developing into an entirely new street.

How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

I would hope that  Ossington continues to develop into a community village of sort, like Roncesvalles, that will remain long term and be integrated with the surrounding neighbourhood community. Ross and I hope to still be making things and showing Canadian artists work and handmade gift items we love so much.

What is your favorite spot on Ossington, other than your own? and why?

Jaiden’s Petals and Cindiloohoo. Dani and Stefano are rays of sunshine on the street and have always been about old school  community. You can go in and get one of Dani’s lovely bouquets and chat for a bit about life. They care.

What’s your business?

Cantadora Naturopathic Healthcare Centre

How is your business unique?

We are a community-based wellness centre with a collective of therapists offering services such as naturopathic medicine, registered massage, acupuncture, shiatsu, craniosacral therapy and osteopathy.  We have a small natural products shop, a book-lending library, and offer some educational
programs and cooking classes.

How long have you been in business here?

Since April 2008

What drew you to be here on Ossington?

I lived in the area for years – it’s where I walked everyday, got my coffee, pho, saw live music, and so on.  This area is a beautiful melting pot, with a variety of ethnicities; people of all income levels (all the way from absolutely nothing to too much); musicians, artists & creative people…all kinds of perspectives and states of mind converge here.  All are welcome.

What changes have you seen on Ossington since your business has been here?

There is a lot more foot traffic than there used to be, especially during the daytime, which is great.

How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

My hope is for it to be more like Kensington or Roncesvalles (or that it become it’s own special and unique community with a broad range of businesses and residents) and less like Yorkville or King West.

What is your favorite spot on Ossington, other than your own? and why?

Frantic City, formerly Babel Books, is great for unique and cheap finds in the books and music department.  I think Dakota Tavern is brilliant for live music and it’s family-style Bluegrass Brunch is a good time.  Yet I Deal Coffee takes the prize, because it’s delicious.

Located at 15 Ossington, just north of Queen, Silver Falls Vintage is an upscale vintage shop with art gallery Hunter and Cook in the back.

We asked Lindsay from Silver Falls Vintage our 8 questions about her business and here are her answers:

What’s your business?

Silver Falls Vintage.

How is your business unique?

I sell vintage clothing and my boyfriend Jay runs an art gallery in the back called Hunter and Cook.

How long have you been in business here?

Just over a year.

What drew you to be here on Ossington?

The action!  I couldn’t think of another spot to be really.  We got in at the right time before the rents started going crazy.

What changes have you seen on Ossington since your business has been here?

The weekends in the summer are nuts on this strip!  I used to live on Argyle Street 15 years ago and the neighbourhood was super sketchy. I would run home from the bus stop.  Now the only thing you have to be afraid of are drunken, suburbanite douchebags.

How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

We are closing the gallery in the spring and will be converting the space into an antique shop.
I hope Ossington gets a few more cheap, daytime food places.  More daytime business in general.

What is your favorite spot on Ossington, other than your own? and why?

I love the Vietnamese restaurant Pho Tien Thanh. I probably eat there too much……
And TAN coffee! My pal Marilyn is the owner- I probably drink too much coffee as well.

Appropriately, our first profile is on Sweaty Bettys, one of the first hip places to be on the strip. Sweaty Bettys has been around since before Ossington was known by the rest of the city, and was an out-of-the-way place often frequented by celebrities who wanted to find a more secluded place to go. It’s still small and quaint, but busier with a broader audience. It’s still one of my favourite patios in the city.

So here it is: 8 questions with Pol Cristo-Williams, from Sweaty Bettys:

What’s your business?

Sweaty Betty’s

How is your business unique?

We tell people to piss off and they still keep coming back. Totally unique.

How long have you been in business here on Ossington?

5 years for Sweaty Betty’s, and my wife had an art gallery at the same location for two years before that. And we had The Sparrow Restaurant for a couple of years before it became Delux.

What drew you to be in the neighbourhood?

My wife. She’s cool. (see above)

What changes have you seen since your business has been here?

People shoot each other way less.

How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

Probably knocked down and turned into a Starbucks. That, or it’ll be full of aging hipsters who don’t really like Betty’s, but agree to still go there because the beer is cheap and it’s walking distance from home.

What is your favorite spot on Ossington (other than your own, of course)?

Downtown Lumber. They sell everything. And Jaiden’s Petals. Flowers are nice.

Any other thoughts on the neighbourhood you’d like to add?

Um, if Pantalone leaves, do we get our street back?