Mercer and Prince brings chic home accessories to Yonge and Eglinton
The place: Named after the hip Soho intersection, this Yonge and Eglinton shop offers home accessories similar to what you might find at Restoration Hardware or Teatro Verde for significantly lower prices. Having opened just in time for the Christmas rush last year, the store is offering discounts of up to 50 per cent on many items as it restocks for 2011.
The stuff: Picture frames, housewares galore and candles line the walls. Not staid pillar candles, mind you, but items like the Paddywax soy selection (also available as diffusers) in such fruity scents as limoncello, mint mojito, cucumber, grapefruit and blood orange; and Napa FireLites, which come with a ceramic basin you fill with citronella oil. Also a great place for last-minute gifts, Mercer and Prince has a well-curated selection of wrapping paper, bows, bags and cards, making it a one-stop shop for forgetful friends and family.
The shoppers: The store caters to uptown shoppers looking for knick-knacks to festoon that new side table from the Art Shoppe. We could easily imagine HGTV host Sarah Richardson loving the French country pieces, like ceramic flour pots and overstuffed accent pillows.
Our favourite things: The ceramic, baby blue and white polka dot whale ($42.50) and elephant ($38.50) piggy banks are cute pieces to add to the baby’s room. And as a stand for those Paddywax candles, the art deco–inspired nickel-plated candle holders ($60), with transparent cubes running up the base, would look brilliant in any modernist living room.
Mercer and Prince, 2503 Yonge St., 647-288-9600, mercerandprince.ca.
Oh. A New York allusion. Lame.
January 14, 2011 at 12:29 pm | by AdamI have been in this store a few times and it is beautiful. The candles and accessories I purchased are exquisite. And their full range of inspirational books are just the right gifts for my family and friends.
January 15, 2011 at 8:00 am | by SarahWhy would a baby need a 38 dollar piggy bank?
January 17, 2011 at 7:21 am | by ScottAnd a ceramic piggy bank at that. Not exactly safe for the bank or the child.
January 17, 2011 at 2:57 pm | by john p“significantly lower prices”?
$60 candle holders, and $38 piggy banks probably aren’t the smartest follow-up items to that statement
January 19, 2011 at 9:29 am | by Kate10 out of 10 sensible TL readers who’ve read this article state a 0% chance of visiting this store due to the lame assed article
Of those, 8/10 people are not suitably persuaded by the use of random New York street names to infuse non-existent cool.
Why don’t you just call the store Yonge and Eglinton? What? The truth hurts? You don’t want to seem douchey?
Too late.
January 20, 2011 at 9:00 am | by ShannonWow…I am surprised at toronto life allowing such negative posting to occur??? This is a truly beautiful store, beautiful product, the staff is very helpful and knowledgable and personally I love the name. It is creative, and sophisticated. The only critiscism I have is that the front of the store is a little crowded with stuff. Other than that it is definitely worth a visit!
January 20, 2011 at 2:52 pm | by Michelle@ Scott and John…Walmart has some piggy banks you might find more affordable. Being a mother most of my child’s nursery is done to inspire me, my family and my friends. My baby could care less.
@ Shannon…is “douchey” even a word? The last time I checked Ass wasn’t a verb.
Mercer and Prince is a breath of fresh air at Yonge and Eg. I have been waiting for a store like this for a long time. And they give my dogs treats too!!!
January 20, 2011 at 3:50 pm | by SusanI have to agree with Susan, the store is awesome on many levels. The location is very conviently located along the subway line, the staff actually interact with you (How many times have you gone into stores these days and not even got greeted or noticed til you had arms full of product to buy), and the prices are very manageable considering there are discounts with them. I bought the blue polka dot elephant bank @38.99 yes but apparently “everything regularly priced in the store is 20% off” as told by the Owner Sam. We really in society have to stop judging a book by it’s cover on the basis that something is not our thing/or for us BEFORE we try it/look at/watch/visit .
January 20, 2011 at 6:17 pm | by KrisAll the best to Mercer & Prince.
These rude people that feel the need to write these nasty blogs about Mercer & Prince should have a reality check this is an amazing store. The customer service is beyond amazing and that goes hand in hand with the products. This store is a 1 stop shop, you can find stationary, candles, frames and many accessories. When i went in there with my girlfriend we were warmly welcomed by Greg he showed us different products and even took the time to help us accessories our living room for free. If anyone wants to go and have an amazing experience go to MERCER & PRINCE, one of the finest gift stores north of Eglington on Yonge.
Mercer & Prince, you will be great.. ignore these rude people !!!!
January 20, 2011 at 6:50 pm | by MikeMercer & Prince is an exquisite store with high-quality products & exceptional customer service. The owners are extremely friendly and helpful, and they have always gone above and beyond to make my shopping experience enjoyable.
I love this store so much that I have decided to write about them in my own blog, which features my favourite places in Toronto. As someone who has worked in retail for numerous years, I can appreciate the quality, service, and prices that Mercer and Prince offers. And to all of those people who have been complaining about the prices, if you want a cheap piece of crap that will fall apart on you the second you bring it home, there’s an Ikea out in Etobicoke. Happy shopping!
January 20, 2011 at 6:57 pm | by CarrieI was also surprised that Toronto Life would allow such rude comments to be posted. I have not been to the store as of yet. I plan to this week. What I do know is that $38 is not out of line in terms of current prices for ceramic piggy banks. These are not toys. They are keepsakes. Considering the price of rental spaces at Yonge and Eglinton I’m surprised that the prices are not higher. If you don’t want to pay this price, than yes, Walmart is an option. Individuals are paying for a quality product and the experience of shopping in a beautiful space in a convenient location.
January 23, 2011 at 1:45 pm | by Lauren“ceramic flour pots”? or FLOWER pots?
January 24, 2011 at 9:31 am | by NevilleWent to Mercer and Prince yesterday. I bought a candle, some stationary, and a travel mug. All three are beautifully designed. Two of the three items were 50%. I believe the third item was 30% off. You can’t find stationary of this quality anywhere in the city for 6$. Similarly, the candle is of exceptional quality. The scent from the candle could be smelled through half of the main floor of my home. For those who hate buying scented candles only take them home, light them, and then find out they smell stronger in the box–this was a huge delight. I will without a doubt shop at Mercer and Prince regularly.
January 25, 2011 at 8:52 am | by LaurenI shop at Mercer and Prince and have received fabulous customer service from all of their staff, including the owners and others. Recently an item I had seen previously and wanted as a gift had sold out by the time I went back to purchase. They made a call, had the item sent to the store just in time for my event and set it aside for my arrival. Good customer service in an era when a lot of retail stores would just tell a customer to “keep coming back to check if they get it in again”. Thanks so much Mercer and Prince – I’ll be back!
June 2, 2011 at 2:07 pm | by Kimberly