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The hordes of shoppers at the Eaton Centre are a study in Toronto sociology: a utterly heterogeneous mix of loitering teens, buttoned-down office workers, gawking tourists and commuters just trying to get into the subway. Here, our favourite looks from a recent trip to the mega-mall.
Condo developers aren’t the only ones salivating over Toronto’s buoyant economy. A raft of international retailers set up shop this year, hoping to capitalize on the city’s boom times. They flocked to malls and retail strips, and every month brought another announcement of a big brand heading this way (with Nordstrom and Target also slated to open Toronto outposts, the trend isn’t showing signs of slowing). Below, a roundup of the most high-profile stores that opened in the last 12 months.
With American Thanksgiving nearly here, it’s time to brace for rampant, riot-like shopping. Yes, November 23 is Black Friday, the infamous American sale event when crazed holiday shoppers buy enough merchandise to put retailers “in the black” for the year. In recent years, the idea has migrated north, giving Canadians a chance to cash in on the often ridiculous discounts. Stores frequently try to keep the details of the sales hush-hush until the big day, but we’ve rounded up some of the spots in the city where you should be able to score a sale. Here, the best Black Friday deals in Toronto.
Women’s office-wear retailers are battling it out on the third floor of the Eaton Centre: international chains J.Crew and Massimo Dutti both recently opened outposts there, and U.S. retailer Ann Taylor launched its first international store along the same corridor early last month (that’s in addition to the existing Club Monaco and Banana Republic locations). Ann Taylor is generally thought to be stodgier than the other two new brands, which probably compete more directly with its more casual spinoff, Ann Taylor Loft. However, the the well-constructed suits, separates, accessories and shoes are hipper—and the clientele younger—than its reputation would suggest.
(Image: Oxford Properties Group)
The city’s councillors and columnists are now debating the benefits and drawbacks of the second downtown mega-plan to be unveiled in as many weeks. On Friday, Oxford Properties unveiled a (previously leaked) proposal for a $3-billion revamp of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre that would add two office/residential towers, a hotel, a new Eaton Centre–esque retail space and a strip of parkland. Of course, the entire plan is contingent on Oxford getting the go-ahead to build an on-site casino—a crucial detail we imagine is meant to put pressure on casino opponents (and to position Oxford as the logical choice to build it). Unsurprisingly, politicians and pundits jumped at the fresh opportunity to weigh in on the casino debate.
J.Crew isn’t the only high-profile international brand to recently open in the Eaton Centre—Massimo Dutti, a Spanish chain from the same parent company as Zara, has launched its first North American store on the third level of the mall (it already has locations in more than 50 countries around the world). The clothing for both sexes is slightly more expensive than it is at Zara, and features more tailored shapes and higher-quality materials than the fast-fashion brand (though the font on the price tags is strangely familiar).
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Toronto’s male preppy set was dismayed when J.Crew opted to sell only womenswear at its Yorkdale Mall store, meaning they’d still have to to go online (or trek to Buffalo) for Cape Cod-style basics. Happily, the retailer’s second Toronto location, which opened yesterday in the Eaton Centre, has enough room for a substantial menswear section with a separate entrance. All told, the new store occupies nearly 9,000 square feet, compared to Yorkdale’s 5,000. (Don’t expect the controversial pricing to change, though—the Canadian prices are still marked up over their American counterparts.)
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This Saturday, September 29, hordes of art lovers, all-purpose revellers and the generally curious will take to downtown for the seventh iteration of Nuit Blanche. The fun kicks off just as the sun goes down (7:03 p.m. this year), and continues until the sun rises the next morning (and if past years are anything to go by, the crowds will stay strong into the wee, wee hours). Essential provisions for the night: warm clothing (or better, layers), a little sustenance (liquid or otherwise) and this guide of the top 20 things to see, in which we translate the oft-baffling art-speak used to describe the various projects into plain old English. This year, the fest is divided into four areas: City Hall, Zone A (downtown south and west), Zone B (central downtown) and Zone C (east of downtown).
(Images: J. Crew)
We finally have an opening date for Toronto’s second J.Crew store, which will be on level 3 of the Eaton Centre. As of October 3, J.Crew lovers of both sexes can rejoice (and shop) since, unlike the Yorkdale Mall location, this store will also include a men’s shop. Preppy layered looks for all!
A look from the brand’s fall 2012 campaign (Image: Massimo Dutti)
Ladies and gents looking for urban professional attire can now add Spanish retailer Massimo Dutti (owned by the same parent company as fast-fashion clothier Zara) to their list. The brand has stores in over 50 countries and is set to launch a trio of North American outposts this fall, including a store in the Eaton Centre that will open August 30 (the other two stores will be located in New York and Washington D.C.). Massimo Dutti produces men’s, women’s and children’s attire at a price point a bit higher than Zara (women’s jackets start at around $155, men’s shirts around $85), and it’s known for its tailored garments and made-to-order shoes.
Sporting white loafers and a summer suit, Harry Rosen himself cut the ribbon at the opening of his namesake chain’s massive new digs at the Eaton Centre yesterday morning. (The ribbon was made of Glen plaid suiting fabric, prompting Rosen’s eldest son, Larry, now CEO of the sartorial empire, to quip, “I hope this wasn’t expensive cloth.”) The new space, on the upper level of the mall overlooking Queen Street, has a tailor shop, private shopping suites and over 15,000 square feet devoted to making guys look good. The opening is the first phase of an aggressive expansion in Toronto for the menswear institution: a store twice the size of the Eaton Centre location will open in Yorkdale Mall in 2013, and the renovation at the First Canadian Place location should be revealed later this summer.
(Image: Ivy Cuervo)
Another shooting in a crowded public place has rattled downtown residents—and ensured that the debate over gun control in Toronto will continue to rage. Yesterday afternoon, just over two weeks after the fatal Eaton Centre shooting, a shooter in construction worker garb killed a 35-year-old man and injured another in an apparent targeted shooting at the Sicilian Sidewalk Café in Little Italy. The area was busy with EuroCup soccer fans watching the match between Italy and Ireland (several Italy fans at Il Gatto Nero, a few doors away, continued to cheer on their team, even as police taped off the corner and addressed media). The gun control talking points started almost immediately: councillor Mike Layton, who lives in the area, blamed access to guns as the principal problem and called for stricter legislation. What form that could take remains to be seen: Adam Vaughan’s recent proposal of a gun and bullet ban has had mixed reviews, and though council has asked the province to maintain data from the newly dismantled federal long gun registry, it has little control over the matter. [National Post]
(Image: Christopher Drost)
—Giorgio Mammoliti, on why Canada should start handing out death penalties in response to two terrible, highly publicized and very different crimes: the Eaton Centre shooting and the Montreal murder and dismemberment allegedly committed by Luka Rocco Magnotta. Pointing out that the perpetrators “don’t have any morals,” Mammo said execution would be a fitting end for murderers, cop killers and pedophiles—though, as a city councillor, his opinion has no influence over the federal policy on capital punishment. Horrible crimes usually spark tough-on-crime rhetoric from politicians, but Mammoliti has outdone most by advocating for a justice system that looks a lot less like Canada and a lot more like Texas. [Toronto Sun]
The central seating area of Dine on 3: not a plastic chair or styrofoam plate in sight
More often than not, eating at a mall food court entails styrofoam plates, disposable cutlery and, at best, indifferently prepared food. But take heart: Yorkdale Shopping Centre’s new elevated food court Dine on 3, taking a cue from last year’s Urban Eatery makeover at the Eaton Centre, is on a mission to change all that. Flooded with daylight and peppered with refined, semi-secluded seating areas, Dine on 3 creates a laid back, luxurious atmosphere that’s a far cry from the crowded, plastic ambience of a traditional food court. Anthony Casalanguida, the general manager of Yorkdale, wanted to create an “oasis” for weary shoppers looking to “refresh and recharge,” and after 14 months of work and a $35-million investment, he’s betting he’s accomplished just that.
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Outside Eaton Centre on Saturday evening (Image: Nourhane)
Almost two days after the Eaton Centre shooting that killed 24-year-old Ahmed Hassan and injured six others, Toronto police confirmed this morning that they have a suspect in custody. A man turned himself in to police around 2:30 a.m. in connection to the shooting in the crowded food court on Saturday, an event that has horrified the city and unearthed memories of the 2005 shooting that killed student Jane Creba. An upset Rob Ford said it was “very hard for me to accept what happened downtown last night,” and insisted that Toronto is “the safest city in the world” (though the stats tell a more complicated story, with lower homicide rates but more shootings since the start of 2012). Meanwhile, some columnists took up the topic of the “persistent sore” of gang activity, which is believed to have played a role in the weekend’s shooting, while others expressed palpable outrage or commended the police for being on the “right track.” Deputy Chief Jeff McGuire said Toronto’s collective shock is understandable and fitting: “I hope you’re shocked. If we ever get to the point when the shock is not there, then we’ve really lost the battle.”
Update: Police have identified the suspect as Christopher Husbands, a 23-year-old who is believed to have gang affiliations and who was supposed to be under house arrest at the time of the shooting. He will be charged with one count of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder. The Globe and Mail reports that Husbands met Hassan at the Eaton Centre to discuss gang turf, but the discussion got out of hand.
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