The trendy premium activewear brand Alo Yoga – or Alo for short, is opening a brand new location in Toronto, which will mark its 4th location in the city!
Alo already has 3 existing locations in Toronto, with a total of 6 stores in all of Canada!
The Toronto stores are located at Yorkdale, Toronto Eaton Centre, and Bloor. Its newest location is coming soon to Sherway Gardens!
The activewear brand has been seen on celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Gigi Hadid, and Kendall Jenner – so it’s safe to say that it’s ‘celeb-approved’.
Alo is known for its fashion-forward and high-performance designs. The brand states on its website, “Creating garments that carry over to the street, into a life lived consciously, takes mindful movement one step further: a beautiful life celebrated with forward design. Capturing what’s trending in contemporary fashion with both the women’s and men’s collections is how Alo and mindful movement can travel beyond the studio. Luxury meets performance in every collection.”
The exact date for the new Sherway Gardens Alo Yoga location is yet to be announced, but we can guess it to be sometime in the new year. Stay tuned!
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Restrictions caused by the pandemic haven’t been ideal but there have been some fun things to come out of businesses pivoting their strategies. One of these things is drive-in activities, which are perfect for a little socially distanced fun.
Drive-in movies have been popping up in parking lots and parks all over the city, and now a popular Toronto mall is transforming its parking lot into a nostalgic attraction.
Sherway Gardens will be hosting drive-in movies in its parking lot this summer.
As part of the city’s outdoor movie program, DriveInTO, Sherway Gardens will begin screening films on July 30. Each night, there will be back-to-back screenings of two different films. And while you’ll need tickets for each screening and car, tickets are just 10 bucks and all proceeds will be donated to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
The movies start at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. each movie night and will run for three weekends.
Gates will open one hour prior to the screening and you’ll want to arrive early because spots are first-come-first-serve. Be sure to stuff your car with snacks because no food or drink will be served on-site. There will be bathrooms, so remember to bring your face mask in case you need to use them.
Here are all the films you can catch at Sherway Gardens drive-in movies this summer:
Thursday, July 30 – Saturday, Aug. 1
The Nut Job 2 (PG) – 6 p.m.
The Hustle (PG) – 9 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 6 – Saturday, Aug. 8
The Wild Life (PG) – 6 p.m.
Long Shot (14A) – 9 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 13
True North (GA) – 6 p.m.
nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up (PG) – 9 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 14
Mighty Jerome (GA) – 6 p.m.
True North – 9 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15
The Wild Life (PG) – 6 p.m.
Long Shot (14A) – 9 p.m.
Get full details and purchase your Sherway Gardens drive-in movie tickets on the Sherway Gardens website.
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In this day and age, stores and restaurants seem to be closing left, right, and centre. So whenever there are new openings, they become a thing to celebrate. This month, Toronto is being graced with a handful of new openings from restaurants and apparel, to gyms and even a spa.
Regardless of if you’re obsessed with all things new, or you’re looking for new spots to shop for holiday prezzies, these 6 new Toronto openings should definitely be on your radar.
ZWILLING
ZWILLING’s first Canadian flagship, located at CF Markville Shopping Centre, is the ultimate foodie destination. The 2,500 square foot spaces sits in the malls new ‘luxury fashion wing’ that includes other high end stores like Michael Kors and Coach. The store is focusing on giving customers a unique shopping experience by having the whole ZWILLING J.A. Henckels catalogue of products available to purchase. To further celebrate the new store, there are a handful of sweet in-store deals to take advantage of!
Province Of Canada
If you’re in search of a spot to get your hands on some actually cute Canadiana, then you’ll want to get your butt over to Province of Canada’s new digs at 1004 Queen Street East. The brand launched in 2014 and this space is the brands first bricks and mortar location. Expect to shop Province of Canada’s well-made basics, dresses, rugby shirts, toques, totes, and candles.
Canada Goose
Winter is in full force with temps steadily dropping so if you’re finding yourself without a warm parka, then it’s time to head to the new Canada Goose store at CF Sherway Gardens. This new location is part of the brands major expansion and it’s also the first store of its kind. What’s so cool about this store is that it features a cold room where you can actually experience your jacket keeping you warm in winter conditions. Plus, you’ll order your coat on a digital screen and it’ll be shipped right to your door!
Yves Rocher
If botanical beauty is your thing, then Yves Rocher should be on your radar. The France-based brand is known for how it uses active ingredients from plants in its products and it’s newest store just opened on December 4th at CF Sherway Gardens. It’s there that you can find Yves Rocher’s lineup of quality skincare, body care, haircare, makeup, and even fragrances.
Hammam Spa by Céla
Need a little pampering before the stress of the holiday season? The Hammam Spa by Céla just opened at Bayview Village and let us tell you: it has everything! In addition to being a tranquil escape, the space is beautiful and but offers a ton of different treatments like medical procedures that include injectables, laser, and skincare treatments. The spa also features faves like its popular Turkish Bath, Seed to Skin Ritual, and full body wraps using products by Céla.
Sweat and Tonic
If you have a gym membership, you probably feel guilty for wanting to try different classes. That’s why Sweat and Tonic needs to be on your fitness hit list. This new space just opened across from the CF Toronto Eaton Centre and it features a spin studio, hot room, and a HIIT room. S&T offers more than just fitness classes, too. Visit the Nutbar cafe for a snack or post-workout smoothie and even indulge in some self-care at the spa for a massage!
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For the past few years, J.Crew has been quietly closing stores across Canada, including a Toronto location that was deemed to be one of the brand’s most profitable. Even more recently, the brand closed its Sherway Gardens location, which saw its final day on June 23 following a massive clearance sale. The two most recent closures follow a string of others, including the shuttering of CF Chinook Centre, CF Fairview, and CF Markville.
As it currently stands, J.Crew has two full-price store locations in the greater Toronto are: Bloor St. West and Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
It also has three factory stores in Ontario, with locations at Toronto Premium Outlets, Vaughan Mills, and the Outlet Collection at Niagara.
Google/Sandy Singh
Initial excitement of the retailer’s launch in 2011 helped J.Crew gain some momentum, but unfortunately, a past decision still haunts the brand.
With help from TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners, J.Crew was able to take the company private in 2011. However, since the $3 billion leveraged buyout, the retailer has been drowning in debt. In 2018, the Washington Post reported that J.Crew had nearly $2 billion in debt.
Instagram/@lakegirllove
With that being said, J.Crew Group reported a rise in revenue for its first quarter this year.
According to a press release, the J.Crew Group saw revenue jump 7%, mostly impart to Madewell, which saw sales rise 15%. J.Crew, however, saw sales fall 4%.
J.Crew sales have tumbled for more than three years, and in addition to the debt, the company’s merchandise suffers from poor design and inconsistent quality, resulting in once-loyal shoppers abandoning the brand. Retail Dive reports that executives at J.Crew will “continue to rationalize its footprint” and plan to close 20 J.Crew and factory stores by the end of 2019.
With only two full-price stores left in the greater Toronto area, it will be interesting to see what’s ahead for the brand.
Featured image: Bargain Moose
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Located on the western edge of Toronto, CF Sherway Gardens is a large upscale shopping mall that has been given new life over the past few years.
It’s one of our favourite one-stop shops in the GTA for clothing, makeup, accessories, shoes, and a whole lot more. With more than 1-million square feet, Sherway Gardens is the eighth largest mall in Toronto!
The mall’s recent expansion included over 200 stores, the much-anticipated opening of Saks Fifth Avenue, a brand new Sporting Life, three new multi-story parkades, new resting areas, and three new full-service restaurants.
The expansion also included the opening of a 140,000-square-foot Nordstrom. Over the years, Sherway has had a lot of dramatic changes to make it the west end hub for high-quality fashion and luxury.
There are also a ton of other unique features about Sherway Gardens that you’ll find out if you keep on reading!
Instagram/@cfsherway
Shopping at Sherway Gardens
Sherway Gardens offers a variety of stores that carry fashion for all genders and ages, as well as a variety of different price ranges. Some of these include Aritzia, H&M, Lacoste, Nike, and Tory Burch, to name a few, and Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom acting as luxury anchors.
If you’re shopping for home furniture or decor, Pottery Barn Kids, Drake General Store, and Williams-Sonoma are great and loaded with stunning pieces.
In terms of electronics, there is a Samsung, Rogers, Bell, and an Apple Store.
For the beauty-obsessed, around the mall, retailers like like Kiehls, Sephora, The Body Shop, MAC, and more.
Visit their website to see the full list of all the stores open at CF Sherway Gardens right now, and take a peek at which retailers and brands are having promotions. There are constantly new ones that will save you lots of cash, so make sure to check regularly.
Instagram/@cfsherway
Eating at Sherway Gardens
There are a ton of different food options to choose from when dining at Sherway Gardens, whether you want a quick bite or to sit back and relax for a full feast.
Fast food options like Jimmy the Greek, Chipotle, Big Smoke Burger, Mcdonald’s, and more are in arm’s reach.
You also have the option of picking up gourmet groceries from Pusateri’s Saks Food Hall or dining at their in-house eatery.
If you’re looking for something more than fast-casual, you can also choose between the Oliver & Bonacini owned Beaumont Kitchen, Union Chicken, Joey’s, The Keg, or the newly opened Cactus Club Cafe.
Instagram/@cfsherway
Instagram/@quintinaaa
Additionally, inside Nordstrom on the upper level, you can enjoy Bazille restaurant which serves breakfast alongside an all-day bistro menu and bar services. There is also Nordstrom’s Ebar if you’re looking to grab and go treats like freshly baked pastries, made-to-order smoothies, or packaged sandwiches and salads.
Getting to Sherway Gardens
If you’re traveling via car: Sherway Gardens sits just north-west of the junction between Highway 427 and the QEW/Gardiner. If you’re coming from the north or east, you can exit the highway at Sherway Gardens Road.
If you’re traveling via the TTC:
- The 15 Evans runs from Royal York Station to Sherway Gardens.
- The 80 Queensway runs between Keele Station and Sherway Gardens.
- The 123 Shorncliffe runs from Kipling Station to the Long Branch Loop, making a stop at Sherway Gardens.
Instagram/@ttczone
Both the TTC and Mississauga Transit have buses that run to Sherway Gardens.
- The 4 Sherway Gardens runs between the Dundas/Mavis area of Mississauga and Sherway Gardens, also stopping at Dixie Outlet Mall.
Instagram/@kitchener_canada
Sherway Gardens Perks
When it comes to visiting, great stores aren’t the only thing that Sherway Gardens offers. The west end mall offers free wifi, so you can roam on your phone without draining your data. Be sure to download the CF SHOP! App for access to mall maps, promos, and more at your fingertips.
Clusters of lounge chairs are featured around the mall for those who want to rest in between stops. For those who like to be active and on their feet, the mall offers a Mall Walk program that’ll help get in exercise before the mall opens.
Additionally, Sherway also offers personal shopping services. And if Sherway’s range of stores isn’t enough for you, make sure to cross the road, where you can find retailers like HomeSense, Saks Off 5th, Walmart, and more.
Featured Image: Instagram/@cfsherway
Born and raised in Toronto, Desiree Girlato is the utmost definition of a girl boss.
The 28-year-old jewelry designer has been in the fashion business for the last six years, opening her Dundas Street West jewelry store ARMED while in her third year of Humber’s Fashion Management program. The tiny jewelry boutique is nestled along a row of residential houses across from Trinity Bellwoods Park — but don’t let that fool you, because what’s inside is unapologetically bold and unforgettably unique.
“Predictability is the cousin of death [in fashion], you never want to be predictable,” says Girlato, and her jewelry is anything but. From delicate gold chains to rare megalodon shark teeth and brass cuffs adorned with amethyst, Girlato’s collection has something for everyone and is gradually becoming a Toronto jewelry go-to.
Although these pieces may sound extravagant, Girlato doesn’t consider wearing jewelry to only be limited to special occasions. She sees jewelry as necessary accessories that can take someone’s outfit to the next level, and her pieces are ones that redefine personal style.
Image: Toytose Photography
“Jewelry is always seen as an afterthought or a luxury, but what we try to push at the store and what the brand is all about is elevating your everyday, and really putting your best foot forward because you never know what the day has in store,” says Girlato.
The name ARMED is based off the idea that jewelry can be treated like a level of protection: “It’s something that separates you from everyone else, not in a negative way, but in a way that you’re putting on who you want to be for the day.” For Girlato, ARMED is about waking up and owning each day by harnessing the power of style.
“When I first started the brand, our tone was a lot more badass; being you unapologetically — and we still very much are that — but when you wake up in the morning, it’s like you’re getting armed for the day,” says Girlato. “You’re mentally preparing, you’re putting on all your jewelry, your clothes, you’re really prepping yourself to go out and kill it.”
Inside ARMED’s flagship store (Image: Sarah Okafo)
Whether it’s making a plain t-shirt more exciting or giving office attire more attitude, ARMED is about creating jewelry that can be worn over and over again with a variety of different outfits. Girlato says she wants women to feel like they aren’t trying to adhere to mainstream fashion trends, but are rather wearing the jewelry they want to and how they want to simply because they love the piece.
“What makes us different is that our jewelry is not necessarily focused on being trendy, but more focused on being a staple in your wardrobe… Our focus is on dressing women who want to still be feminine but be interesting and kind of badass at the same time,” says Girlato. “I want people to enjoy life through their style and be proud of who they are.”
Image: Toytose Photography
Inside ARMED’s flagship store (Image: Toytose Photography)
But Girlato isn’t all business, the designer values genuine connections and real interaction with those interested in the jewelry over selling to the masses.
“When you go to the store, you meet me, you buy a piece, or maybe you don’t, but at the end of the day you’re going to leave with a good vibe.” And those people will soon be able to experience ARMED in more than one place.
Girlato has opened a pop-up shop in CF Sherway Gardens and it will remain open until the end of December.
“It’s a really big leap to take local talent onto a corporate stage, but I’m really excited for it. I feel more than ever a lot more organized and a lot more prepared. I feel that after six years of running a business, I’m really coming into my own,” says Girlato. She also said this could be the beginning of many new opportunities for ARMED as Cadillac Fairview has been known to groom local talents into much larger businesses — one major example being Oak + Fort.
Inside ARMED’s flagship store (Image: Sarah Okafo)
While jewelry has been a way for Girlato to express herself, it has also provided her a platform to empower local girl bosses and women like herself.
“It’s really important as women and business owners that we come together to support each other because we are all an outlet for help and advice,” says Girlato. “When you start to run your own business, you realize it’s a never ending to-do list… But it’s important for women to [feel] empowered by their business and really embrace the business side of things.”
Whatever the future holds for ARMED, Girlato is ready for it and remains true to the essence of her brand by upholding its sense of originality in everything she does.
“My whole motto is just elevating the everyday because wearing jewelry on a special occasion is so predictable… We’re trying to bring some beauty into the mundane,” said Girlato. “The entire purpose of the brand is to make you’re everyday that much more beautiful, and beautiful is whatever to you.”
To learn more about ARMED, follow the brand on the website, Instagram and Facebook.
Featured Image: Toytose Photography
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Happy New Year! We’re anticipating some pretty big store openings in 2017, as international brands continue to open stores in Canada. Here are 10 Canadian store openings that we can’t wait to come this year:
Off-White
Operated in partnership with Yorkville retailer CNTRBND, Kanye West’s creative director Virgil Abloh ‘softly opened’ his first Canadian store just before Christmas — but the store’s official opening date isn’t until February of 2017. We’ve had a peek inside the narrow retail space which is very cool, featuring men and women’s fashions along a walkway framed with sand. Toronto can proudly say that it’s officially got North America’s first freestanding Off-White store!
Herschel Supply Co.
2017 is going to be a great year for Herschel fans! The hipster-friendly backpack and accessory brand, based in Vancouver, will open its first global flagship in Vancouver this year! Located in historical/trendy Gastown, Herschel‘s flagship will span 5,000 square feet. They won’t tell us the exact address yet, and we’re hoping to see more of its stores in Canada soon.
Woolrich
The American heritage brand has become cool (and expensive), and it recently announced that it plans to open stores in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. A recent report in the Halifax Chronicle Herald said that Woolwich is negotiating for a 2,000 square foot retail space at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, making us think that we’re going to see Woolwich stores in Canada some time this year.
Muji to Expand Westward
After successfully opening 3 stores in the GTA, minimalist Japanese retailer Muji will announce its entry into the Vancouver market in early 2017. Vancouver residents will be happy to know that there will be more than one Muji store that will be announced — details to follow!
New Chanel Flagship
In the summer of 2017, Chanel will open its largest Canadian store — as well as its only freestanding Canadian store — at 100 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto. There’s been a delay in building the 8,700 square foot store and in the mean time, Yorkville Chanel fans will have to get their fix with a substantially expanded selection on the second floor of Holt Renfrew at 50 Bloor Street West. Chanel has been expanding in Canada and several months ago, opened a 5,000 square foot shop-in-store within Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew.
Yorkdale Luxury Expanding… AGAIN!
Just when you thought Yorkdale couldn’t become any more luxurious, five Richemont-owned luxury boutiques have put up construction signage in the mall. Watch for the openings of Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Officine Panerai and IWC Schaffhausen over the summer. These won’t be the last luxury brands to open in the mall in 2017, either — watch for a huge announcement for a major brand to go into Birks’ formers space, next to the recently-opened Saint Laurent.
Vancouver will get more luxurious, too
Richemont is also expanding further into Vancouver. In 2017, watch for Van Cleef & Arpels and at least two of the company’s other brands to open on Alberni Street. Close by on West Georgia Street, Italian super-luxury brand Stefano Ricci is about to open a store, right beside the new Trump Tower, and Tiffany & Co.’s expansion/renovation will be done in the spring as well — it’s going to be huge, and amazing!
COS
H&M’s pricier fashion brand, which stands for ‘collection of style’, will open its first Vancouver store in 2017, after a bit of a delay. COS won’t be done expanding into Canada after that, however — a little bird told us that residents of Mississauga might expect an announcement for a location in the near future, as well.
Nordstrom CF Sherway Gardens
Nordstrom still isn’t done with Canada, which is terrific news! The Seattle-based department store will open its 6th Canadian store, also its third in Toronto, on Friday, September 15, 2017. The 140,000 square foot store will anchor the south end of the mall, and a really big Zara store will join it in the new wing, as well. 2016 was a big year for CF Sherway — Saks Fifth Avenue opened at in February of 2016, followed by a spectacular new expansion wing anchored by Sporting Life and Harry Rosen.
If only we could say that Nordstrom Rack was opening in 2017 as well… we’ll have to wait until early 2018, however, for Rack’s first Canadian location to open at the southeast corner of Yonge and Bloor in Toronto.
Saks OFF 5TH
Saks Fifth Avenue’s off-price concept Saks OFF 5TH plans to operate 25 Canadian stores by 2018. So far it’s opened nine, and in 2017 parent company Hudson’s Bay Company has revealed that at least six more locations will open this year — in Brampton, Pickering, Quebec City, Winnipeg, West Vancouver, as well as a second Edmonton store. We can’t wait for more store announcements!!!
Which of the most anticipated Canadian store openings are you most excited for?
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