Leslieville

Often referred to as Toronto's Brooklyn, Leslieville used to be a working class neighborhood of light industry factory workers. Now this East-end community is slowly being gentrified but has still retained its quaint village feel with locally owned stores selling vintage and mid-century antiques, furniture and clothing. Residents have fought to keep out big box stores so you'll find truly unique shopping in this area. Look for indie-designer boutiques such as Nathalie-Roze & Co which sells upcycled clothing made from eco-friendly fabrics. Find gems from the 50's through to the 90's at the Thrill of a Find Shop. Both Gadabout and A Matter of Time are stores crammed with the good, the bad and the ugly. Take some time to scour everything to find some real gems. At Jaws Antiques, you'll be greeted by four wisecracking birds, one will sing you the them from Hockey Night in Canada. The real draw at this store is the excellent selection of vintage furniture and dishes. There are some great bargains to be found in Leslieville.