If you’re the type that likes to get ahead of the crowds for holiday shopping, you’ll be happy to hear that an iconic toy company is opening a pop-up shop in Toronto for all your gifting needs!
For its second year in a row, Fao Schwarz is popping up at the Hudson’s Bay flagship store on Queen St. West.
The Fao Schwarz Toronto pop-up will open to the public on November 23.
If you haven’t heard about the iconic toy company, Fao Schwarz has been around for over 100 years — you might remember it as the toy store with the seven-foot-long floor piano that Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia played “Chopsticks” on in the movie Big.
now shoppers in the GTA will get to experience the store’s magic in real life.
The Fao Schwarz Toronto pop-up will feature all sorts of toys and collectables for the little ones in your life. In addition, the store will also host more hands on events and activities for families to take part in. Think drum lessons, holiday crafts, and holiday card making.
Just make sure to register for these events in advance to avoid disappointment and guarantee a spot.
The pop-up will be open from November 23 to December 7 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Be sure to check it out! Or if you can’t fit it into your schedule, shop Fao Schwarz online at thebay.com.
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November is a super exciting month, not only because Christmas and the holidays are around the corner, but it seems to be the ultimate cozy month. Before winter comes in full force and drowns us in a sea of snow, ice, and slush, make sure you get out to check out all the fun pop-up shops and markets that Toronto has to offer.
Here are 9 pop-up shops to check out this month in Toronto!
Nespresso Nordic Garden
Open in the Distillery District from November 14 until December 22 is the Nespresso Nordic Garden pop-up! When you check it out, expect to find all things cozy as Scandinavian cultural trends Hygge and Fika are major inspirations behind it. The pop-up will be closed on Mondays, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays folks can stop by for free holiday workshops including festive DIY ornament making and holiday card designing.
Zvelle Pop-Up Shop
Globally-inspired accessory brand, Zvelle, has just opened its pop-up at Yorkville Village and it’s filled with the brands collection of footwear, newly launched handbags, and accessories. The brand launched in 2015 and founder/designer Elle AyoubZadeh, is committed to producing statement pieces that are made to last. The pop-up is open from November 1 until December 31 in the upper oval of Yorkville Village and also offers customers a unique gift station, where they can purchase presents in-store and have them shipped them anywhere to Canada and the United States at no charge.
Nobis Laundromat Pop-Up
Need to get your hands on a winter coat? Head to the Nobis Laundromat pop-up located at 277 Queen Street West from November 2 until November 10. This pop-up is designed to show off the fact that Nobis’ jackets can be home-laundered but also encourages folks to donate gently worn winter jackets that will be donated to New Circles GLOW (Gently Loved Outfits to Wear). Guests can receive express jacket refreshes courtesy of LG Electronics Canada and also have the chance to win gifts through a custom vending machine!
COUPLE
Thinking of popping the question or just need a jewellery refresh? Head to the COUPLE pop-up at 131 Bloor Street West. From November 6 until February 28 to browse the brands entire collection and have one-on-one consultations to find the perfect engagement ring, wedding band, or even pair of earrings. COUPLE is an independent company that exclusively sells lab-grown diamonds that are totally identical to mined diamonds, except these diamonds are conflict-free and much better for the environment!
Club Monaco x The Ordinary
Two great Canadian companies, Club Monaco and The Ordinary, have come together to bless us with one fab pop-up. Open from October 21 until January 31 and located at 157 Bloor Street West in Toronto, this pop-up features an assortment of The Ordinary’s cult faves as well as trusted essentials from Club Monaco, with an exclusive co-branded set being introduced for
holiday that’s only available at the pop-up. The Club Monaco x The Ordinary pop-up shop isn’t exclusive to just Toronto — it’s open at Club Monaco’s Vancouver store on Robson, N. Beverly Drive store in Beverly Hills, California, and its Fifth Avenue store in NYC.
Kanuk
Open from October 17 until November 15 is Kanuk’s pop-up shop that’s situated right at 54 Ossington Avenue. The Montreal-based brand is well known and highly revered for its top-quality puffer coats that keep folks warm and toasty during the chilly winter months. Head to the pop-up to shop the brands newest collection and with the purchase of any Kanuk coat at the pop-up, you’ll receive the Liv scarf in a colour of your choice as a gift (value of $130!)
Kombi
If it’s winter accessories that are missing from your wardrobe, head to Yorkville Village at 55 Avenue Road to shop the Kombi pop-up. The brands selection of cozy mitts, functional gloves with touch technology, and more will have you staying warm this season while still looking super cute and stylish. The pop-up is located in Yorkville Village’s main hall next to the food hall, and is open from October 1 until January 4th.
FAO Schwarz Holiday Pop-Up
Is there anything more magical than stepping inside a huge toy store during the holiday season? We didn’t think so. This year from November 23 until December 7, you and your kiddos can take in all the holiday spirit at the FAO Schwarz pop-up at Hudson’s Bay on Queen Street. There’s fun for the whole family with its in-store drumming lessons, DIY holiday ornaments, a holiday photo booth, and card making!
Brando’s Fried Chicken x Don’s Restaurant
Love fried chicken? Then you won’t want to miss out this fried chicken pop-up lunch (yes, you read that right) happening on November 12 at East Room from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. In addition to the fried chicken being prepared by Toronto chef Brandon Olson, you’ll also enjoy complimentary Ace Hill beer, a vegetable side made by Don’s Restaurant, and all the good vibes and great music. Tickets for this delicious experience are just $12 so make sure you grab ’em before they’re gone!
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Back in the day, returning home with some solid closet additions you couldn’t find anywhere else was reason enough to make a trip south of the border. With the recent arrival of great retail options in Canada, the increase in popularity of online shopping, and the decline of the Canadian dollar, crossing the border to shop is no longer necessary – completely fun, but not necessary.
It wasn’t too long ago that you needed be on American soil to step inside your nearest Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstrom location. Of course, both luxury department stores made a long awaited and well-publicized arrival in Toronto in 2016, followed by their ever-popular off-price stores, Saks OFF Fifth and Nordstrom Rack (once major draws of a U.S. shopping trip) shortly after.
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Now, the U.S. is no longer the only option for designer loving bargain hunters – especially with the arrival of Black Friday in Canada.
Not only is the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) home these coveted (and much appreciated) new affordable retail additions, we’ve also seen the arrival of shiny new outlet malls – something that was always a lure of Buffalo, New York for GTA residents.
A far cry from the once-tired Dixie Outlet Mall or the designer store-lacking Tanger Outlets in Cookstown, Ontario that the Toronto kids grew up with, the GTA’s outlet malls are now filled with all the luxe options your heart and closet desires.
Facebook/Toronto Premium Outlets
The sprawling Toronto Premium Outlets features retailers like Gucci, Prada, Burberry, Jimmy Choo and Rudsak.
Opened in 2013, it very recently underwent a 140,000 square-foot expansion to include 40 more designer outlets. The recent expansion even features Aritzia’s first North American outlet. Located just a 40-minute drive from the downtown core, this mall is definitely worth the trip to Halton (trust me).
Further removing the need for a trip across the border, American stores to touch down in Toronto in the past two years include Seattle-based heritage retail brand Filson (694 Queen St. W), Burton Snowboards (98 Ossington), and UNTUCKit (Sherway Gardens), the later of which features Wayne Gretzky as a brand ambassador.
Courtesy of Filson
The seemingly perpetual revamp of Yorkdale Shopping Centre has also made it easier for Toronto residents to get their hands on things like Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery, with the arrival of its first Canadian boutique in summer 2017. On the furniture front, the beloved Restoration Hardware opened the first Canadian super-sized flagship concept store in Yorkdale Shopping Centre in fall 2017. The first Canadian freestanding Dyson store – the fourth in North America – now also occupies real estate in the upscale mall.
Some of the world’s largest retail brands are even choosing our home and native land as the first North American standalone locations, bypassing our friends south of the border all together.
For example, in 2017, UK-based fashion brand Hunter – makers of the popular go-to rain boot – chose Toronto as the home of its first North American location, making it only one of three globally.
On a temporary basis, the rise of the popularity of the pop-up in Toronto has also reduced the need to cross the border to find unique items. For example, iconic U.S. toy brand – and a longtime holiday staple – FAO Schwartz has popped up in Hudson’s Bay stores for the season, removing the need for a pre-Christmas trip to New York City.
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Of course, we can’t forget that the mass popularity of online shopping makes a shopping trip to the U.S. increasingly less worth the effort, even when shipping costs are included in the equation.
With a physical trip, there’s the added cost of gas or transportation and accommodation if you plan to stay the night – and if a major shopping spree is what you’re in the market for, you will probably want to stay as long as possible to (legally) increase your duty-free limits – you’ll have to add the hotel or Airbnb stay to the tab, too. You are not entitled to a duty-free allowance on trips less than 24 hours. For longer than 24 hours, your duty-free allowance is $200, a figure that increases to $800 per person for trips longer than 24 hours.
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Finally, we need to consider the state of the dollar, which is always a little depressing as of late when it comes to converting Canadian cash into U.S. dollars.
Admittedly, even with the currency conversion, you can still sometimes find better discounts in the U.S. – if you’re willing to put in the effort.
So, is cross-border shopping still worth it for you? Well, if you have a soft spot for Target (the retail giant failed miserably in Canada, as you’ll recall), then maybe. Otherwise, keep your dollars for local finds.
Featured image: Instagram/@nikahv5
Our friends at Retail-Insider are reporting that retailer FAO Schwarz has announced it will be taking part in a massive Canadian expansion in the upcoming year. Although FAO Schwarz closed their iconic 5th Avenue store, it doesn’t look like it will slow the company down at all. FAO Schwarz is arguably the most famous toy store in the world and has appeared countless times in movies and pop culture. From Tom Hank’s Big to Miracle of 34th Street, FAO Schwarz has captured the imagination of toy lovers since 1862.
Recently, FAO Schwarz has signed an agreement with Hudson Group, to open a chain of FAO Schwarz-branded airport shops in Canada later this year. There is no official announcement of which airports will get an FAO Schwarz, but it would make sense that Pearson, Vancouver International and Pierre Elliot Trudeau would all receive a location.
Source: Retail-Insider