Buying gifts for your loved ones is one of the greatest pleasures in life.
Seeing their face light up when they open up the present you expertly selected is almost as good as getting a gift yourself. But where should you go to find those truly unique and one-of-a-kind gifts that will really make their jaw drop? Fear no more readers, we’ve got you covered.
Check out the best places to snag that unique gift in Toronto for your friend, family, or for yourself (because you work hard and deserve it).
Tokyo Smoke
For the cannabis enthusiast, Tokyo Smoke has the best and most unique items. Crystal pipes, trendy candles, sleek bongs and one-hitters, and even 24K gold rolling papers are all available at the Queen West location, and are sure to make your cannabis-loving friend squeal with joy. As the cannabis industry blooms, the tools we use to consume cannabis are being elevated to suit the growing acceptance and demand, and the best of the best can be found at Tokyo Smoke.
Drake General Store
The ultimate unique gifting hub, Drake General Store is full of oddities and trinkets for all. The second floor (at their Queen West location) is currently home to a collection of second-hand pieces that the Drake General Store team personally scoured the city to find, so you know you’re getting a truly one of a kind piece. The retailer host pop-ups with local creatives on a regular basis, giving them the opportunity to sell their merchandise (so you can snag something truly unique!), and have an eclectic selection of books, puzzles, and Canadiana merchandise.
Black Market
What’s better than finding your best friend a pair of authentic vintage Levi’s for their birthday? Finding them for $10, that’s what.
Black Market, located at Queen and John, is a thrifters dream. The store has an amazing selection of items, from vintage winter coats to Levi’s jeans to old band t-shirts, and the best part is that EVERYTHING is $10 or less! That’s right, $10 or less. They house a massive selection of sunglasses to play around with (and even stock up on for festival season), a small record store with a selection of new and old tunes, and a barber shop that’s always bustling. Black Market is a Toronto staple and home to some of the best deals in the city.
Blue Banana Market
Right in the heart of Kensington Market, Blue Banana is a maze that you want to get lost in. Truly embodying the feeling of Kensington itself, as soon as you step inside their doors you’ll feel the beautifully chaotic mix of cultures and ideas colliding. The store is filled with curiosities, from Spock socks (complete with ears) to decorative whale butter dishes, to watermelon keg tapping kits, and they have an incredible hot sauce selection unlike anything else in the city.
They also have a ton of gag gifts, which are always fun! Our favourite is the “tasty buds” package that looks like a bag of cannabis, but is actually just chocolate — if you really want to get Mom’s heart pumping for her birthday this year, include this in her gift bag.
Chapters Indigo
Chapters Indigo goes way beyond just books. The company’s selection of home, kitchen, and fashion merchandise is massive, and they’re always adding new unique finds. They keep their finger on the pulse of what their customers are looking for, and are fast to get things to market.
Cocktail Emporium
For the loved one that considers themselves a cocktail connoisseur, or just enjoys the beauty of great bar accessories, Cocktail Emporium is a gift destination that shouldn’t be missed. Shop sets for speciality cocktails like Mint Juleps, Tiki Cocktails, Manhattans, and more, or individual items like glassware, coasters and trays, and flasks. Whatever your budget, you’ll find something unique and brag-worthy here.
Featured image: Instagram/@drakegeneralstore
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