ONTARIO’S POET LAURE ATE: THE FOOTPRINTS WE CALL HOME QUEEN WEST GOES POP ACCESSIBILITY AND STOPGAP SUMMER COCKTAIL RECIPES
MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2022
W hat ’s In si de The Footprints we call home…4 Queen West Vintage Style...6 Celebrating Local Businesses...8 Cocktail Recipes...10 Queen West Banners...12 Queen Goes Pop...14 Bubble Tea Crawl...16 Long Live Queen West...17 How To Report...18 Queen West Bikes…19 Bell Box Spotlight...20 Accessibility and StopGap...22 Directory…24 Comics…31
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Me s s a g e fro m Th e B o a rd ‘Taking Stock of Who We Are and Thinking Forward’ is the theme of this edition. As we continue to emerge from this pandemic, we’re reflecting inwardly a bit to think about what’s important as we re-emerge like a butterfly to bring life back to our main street. In this ongoing Year of Public Art in Toronto, which has launched a decade of investment in the arts and culture sector, this fourth issue of Queen West Magazine highlights some of the many different forms of public art in our business community, while continuing to highlight the diversity and individuality of businesses and locals that make Queen West strong. This theme permeates these pages - from the poem by Randell Adjei, Ontario’s first Poet Laureate, which is illustrated by celebrated artist Joseph Bonsu (pgs 4 & 5), to the Bell Box Art Spotlight (pgs 20 & 21), local street banners by artist Sarah Sandham (pgs 12 & 13), and new artistic bicycle racks (pg 19) - we include reflection inward and are outwardly celebrating different forms of street art along Queen Street West. As always, we celebrate the stories of diversity of some incredible small familyrun businesses on Queen Street West (pgs 8 & 9). We also reflect and think forward with our feature of StopGap Foundation and resources for reducing barriers and improving accessibility inside and outside main street businesses (pgs 22 & 23). Last but not least, we’re bringing to you a collage of Queen West, a little bit of what makes this area fun: local Cocktail Recipes (pgs 10 & 11), Bubble Tea Crawl (pg 16), our Queen Goes Pop feature (pg 14), locallyinspired comics (pg 31) and more! Plus, we’ve updated the convenient local business directory to our 300+ local businesses at the back (pgs 24 to 30). As we continue to emerge into the new normal, Queen West is embracing and walking the talk on a commitment to diversity, accessibility, and expression through 2022 and beyond. #LongLiveQueenWest
Board of Directors Chair: Arthur Geringas Vice-Chair: Shamez Amlani Treasurer: Elana White Jebril Jalloh Ian Harris Ira Band Olga Novokchanova Gene Hughes Alan Liu Magazine Team & Credits Co-Editors: Meg Marshall & Jennifer Lay Printer: Moveable Inc. Graphic Designer: Sonya William Contributing Writers: Grace Cameron, Jennifer Lay, Meg Marshall, Michael Cavanaugh, Randell Adjei Contribution Illustrators: Darren Leu, Joseph Bonsu, Leanne Maldin, Sarah Sandham Photographers: Kimberly Simmons, Richie Dos Santos, Selina McCallum Cover Photo and Back Cover Photo Credit: Selina McCallum Questions & comments, please contact: Queen Street West BIA www.queenstreetwest.ca queenstreetto@gmail.com #LONGLIVEQUEENWEST | QUEENSTREETWEST.CA
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WRITTEN BY: RANDELL ADJEI I L LU S T R AT I O N S BY: J O S E P H B O N S U
Th e Fo o tp r i n t s we c al l h o m e A community is not simply formed by people and places. It is also formed by the memories and stories etched on walls and the footsteps gracing pavement. These footsteps map out our longing to belong to something. Something bigger than us. The necessity of community is like a breath of air entering and escaping lungs. A community wraps itself around our collective journey and reminds us that home is also a matter of who, and not just where. The memories etched on walls tell stories of moments we gathered, and the laughter that still lingers in the air. It is a recollection of the spaces we shared. Queen West intersects as the heartbeat and veins of downtown Toronto. A neighbourhood that is our nightlife destination and the entertainment hub, decorated with cultural expressions and an international assortment grub. Between Spadina and Bathurst, you’ll find global textiles that weave us together. Threaded by the cultures that keep us tethered to the fabric of our core a 27 minute walk from Bathurst to Simcoe is itself a world to explore. Also known as the Art & Design district, a casual stroll once helped me feel uplifted to cultivate my purpose and mission. Beyond the intersections is the art that transpires and the creativity that the Queen West Art crawl inspires through galleries and exhibitions, art has long been a Queen West tradition.
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There is so much to be said about the places we call home and their presence, and the future we have yet to create. Despite the adversities, the challenges cannot stop our fate from reaching our destiny Because sometimes it is the downfall that builds up our legacy. It is our ability to get back up when we are knocked down afterall, it is the very ground and soil that helps us grow and allows us to see beyond what we’ve known. After the fog of uncertainty we will see the light on the other side. It takes the consideration of darkness to truly shine. I once observed this wisdom on a 501 streetcar ride heading towards Trinity bellwoods park, gathered in grassy circles, I saw community at its heart rooted in the things that kept us grounded. It was the descent that helped us scale the mountain. The streets missed the regular hustle and bustle of moving feet. Despite a temporary hiatus, the future feels more concrete and is ready for new footsteps to trace and grace those both familiar and new. We, the community, are the seeds that help Queen West bloom. We have the opportunity to write about the future together. Despite the current weather and what has passed, our footprints map out the potential of our potential paths. These footprints tell stories of where we’ve been and where we’re going. They circumvent the wisdom of an internal knowing, of what the community looks like with all hands in. The future it not to be sought after, It is right where we are standing. Right where we are —- in the footprints of what we call home. Despite the uncertainty of the unknown, and much like the changing of seasons These are the transformative memories that make these footprint home.
Randell Adjei is an Author, Inspirational Speaker, Arts Educator and Community Leader who uses the spoken word to empower and transform through Edutainment. He is the founder of one of Toronto’s largest and longest running youth led initiatives; Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere (R.I.S.E Edutainment). Among many other accolades, Randell was named Ontario’s first Poet Laureate in 2021. Learn more about Randell Adjei, his story, and his work at randelladjei.com and @randelladjei Joseph Osei Bonsu is a Toronto-based illustrator specializing in comic book art and editorial art. @jayoh83
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I NT E RV I E W W IT H: LU C K Y C H A R M V I NTAG E PHOTOGRAPHY: SELINA MCCALLUM @SHOTBYSELINA
Qu e en We st Vi nt a g e Fa s hi o n
With vintage fashion culture firmly entrenched in Queen West and growing locally and globally, the Lucky Charm Vintage team is a newcomer on the scene of the vintage fashion movement. Opened in January 2022, it’s run by team members and sisters Kerry, Casey and Lauren who have always wanted to open a vintage store. When they found a space had opened up on one of the city’s most prominent blocks, they knew it was a now-or-never opportunity. With the opening of Lucky Charm, they’ve turned their hobby into a business. Family has been instrumental: with their family background in owning restaurant businesses and each sister bringing a different skill set to the table (business development, thrifting, 6
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and customer service), it was a good time for them to turn their passion into a full-time career. Their support network helped them bring everything together quickly when the opportunity came up. Here’s what the Lucky Charm Vintage team had to share: Why did you settle in Queen West and how did you choose your business name? It’s the history of Queen West Vintage that drew us in. We have long-time vintage lovers coming in and they are getting excited that vintage is back. And contrary to what you would think, it’s actually beneficial to have many vintage stores in one area, for people to shop among them all.
[Our name] was inspired by that feeling of finding that one-of-akind item at a vintage store that you know was destined for you. ‘Lucky Charm’ was inspired by that feeling of finding that one-of-a-kind item at a vintage store that you know was destined for you. Plus, it’s a nod to our Irish background. Why should people shop vintage? There’s the sustainability and environment aspect. Sadly, so much of clothing that’s produced ends up in landfill. Vintage finds can also give you amazing quality and unique silhouettes. You can find those one
of a kind pieces that express your personality. Customers often have a story behind their special piece that will stay with them for a lifetime. What’s passe, what’s current, and what’s in the future of vintage clothing trends? The 60s and 70s vintage stock is dwindling generally speaking due to its increasing scarcity.
What makes Lucky Charm special in the vintage clothing scene? We feel Lucky Charm is a hidden vintage gem in the fashion scene. The store staff are amazing and have a good eye for fashion. We are focusing on customer service to elevate and make vintage fashion more accessible for everyone, of any age and background.
Visit them: Lucky Charm Vintage 322 Queen Street West @luckycharmto
Now, people want denim ‘mom jeans’. Leather jackets are a vintage wardrobe staple. Vintage cowboy boots are also prized, and hard to find in women’s sizes - so buy them when you see them! Y2Kera clothing is coming back like graphic tees and sunglasses. Fast fashion pieces like Shien and Fashion Nova are also showing up in vintage warehouses. We predict in 5 to 10 years, vintagelovers will be looking for Y2K Paris Hilton-type items and late-2010s Twee, Indie Sleaze, and Jersey Shore leopard prints.
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E D IT E D BY: G R AC E C A M E R O N, E D ITO R & P U B L I S H E R O F JA M A I C A N E ATS M AG A Z I N E @JA M A I C A N E ATS M AG A Z I N E A N D P H OTO S BY S E L I N A M C C A L LU M @SHOTBYSELINA
C e le b r at in g Lo c a l Bu s i ne s s O wner s Jimson Bienenstock Co-owner, HotBlack Coffee, 245 Queen St W. In the early 1990s Jimson Bienenstock moved to France to learn French. He lied his way into a bartending job in Paris…and “I liked it.” He ended up managing the bar, his French got better and over 15 years he helped to launch Foster’s beer and to set up more than a dozen different bars in France. He remembers one bar, in particular, where he created the space and mood for women to enjoy drinking beer. One night someone started dancing on the table, and since Jimson didn’t stop them from dancing, it caught on, and became a “thing” that is still going.” In France, Jimson - who has a master’s degree in molecular biology and worked in the sugar industry in places like Jamaica - discovered his magic touch of bringing people together. “I enjoyed building karma. I enjoyed the sounds, setting up the music, the lighting, meeting the people, setting the menu and
pricing. I really enjoyed that component of creating something cool and fun,” he says. He has applied this knack of creating spaces for human interaction to his HotBlack Coffee shop. His approach is to carve out comfortable spaces that put service, fun and conversation at the core. At the Queen Street West café, the indoor tables are low, patio tables are oversized and Wi-Fi is not readily available to customers. The furniture design and the refusal to hand out the Wi-Fi password to customers are deliberate, he says. Indoor tables built close to the ground make it less convenient for working on a laptop and outsized patio tables force patrons to share space and thereby interact with each other, he explains. It’s not that Jimson and partner Momi Kishi have anything against folks playing or typing away on their laptop or working in café spaces, “it’s just that we don’t want to be an office,” he says. “We want to be a hub for human interaction. We created the kind of place we would want to go to. Yes, our coffee is ethically sourced and we have great tasting products, but it wasn’t just about making money.”
Article written in March 2022. Jimson (Bienenstock) passed in May 2022. May his memory live on through his love for Queen West and great coffee.
HotBlack Coffee which opened in 2016 has established itself as a hotspot for great coffee, espresso and baked goods as well as a place that encourages patrons to talk to each other because putting service and people at the heart makes for an unbeatable business, Jimson reckons. It has warmed the heart of city, with Toronto Star readers picking HotBlack Coffee as the best coffee shop in 2021. The café has also been the subject of conversation in media around the world. Once the word spread that this little café had taken a stance against free Wi-Fi in its space, the Tonight Show, The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Taiwan’s Taipei Times, French newspaper Le Monde and numerous Canadian outlets, including Chatelaine magazine came calling. “We’re just a tiny coffee shop,” Jimson says, his voice still registering a note of astonishment at being featured three times in the prestigious New York Times. HotBlack Coffee has held true to its concept of bringing people together at its three subsequent locations at Yonge and Davisville, Bloor West and Runnymede and the latest at Yonge and Charles. “This is even more important than ever,” says Jimson. While the Yonge and Davisville location (due to pandemic restrictions) has had to convert to a window front pop up, “we’ve still managed to establish interaction with customers”. “The frustration now is how to maintain human contact. It’s tricky for us and our business model. We are definitely hurting with this latest lockdown but, COVID aside, we still believe building long term relationship makes the business more recession proof. Human interaction is the key to the future.”
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Das also explains that Bangladeshi food is similar to the cuisine of North India. Sunu
Gigi Jacob, Sunu Gigi & Prodip Das Co-owners, Roti Mahal Indian Cuisine, 554 Queen St. W.
mango pickle from South India may taste different from one made in North India — the southern states prefer sesame oil and tend to produce spicier pickles, while the northern states lean towards mustard oil.
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
It might sound crazy to take over a restaurant during a pandemic, but we were confident that customers would keep coming once they realize that we were giving them the great Indian food that they always got at Gandhi Cuisine.
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist Roti Mahal is a dream come true for friends Jacob Gigi and Prodip Das. The two met on the job at Gandhi Cuisine (the predecessor to Roti Mahal) in 2007. For five years they cooked together and dreamt of one day opening their own restaurant. Even after Das left in 2012 to work for another restaurant, their friendship and their desire to cook up their own business continued to grow. They craved the freedom to manage their own time and to cook and serve the authentic Indian food they wanted.
Still, the transition has not been easy. We work seven days a week to keep the lights on. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been open every single day of the year (except Christmas day). The business is stronger than we ever expected because the regular customers started coming back and while it was slow at first, people gradually got excited again about Indian roti cuisine. About Us Gigi
For Gigi, cooking is his passion. He explains that he was not the most dedicated student and at age 20 joined his uncle’s restaurant in Kerala, south India, where he fell in love Gigi is my husband, and I partnered with with cooking. To seriously pursue a career them to open Roti Mahal. Where Gandhi in the industry, he went to culinary school Cuisine saw obstacles due to COVID, we and obtained his certification. saw opportunities. We opened under our new name in August 2020 with a similar Following that, he moved to Muscat, the menu but with touches of our South Indian capital of Oman (a Persian Gulf country), style cuisine. For example, we’ve added cooking continental style cuisine for nine a sprinkling of pineapple to our Biriyani years before moving to Canada with his dishes, and we now offer pickles*…date and family in 2006. He landed his first Canadian lemon pickle, chicken and shrimp pickle, job at Gandhi Cuisine. and more. And, unlike Gandhi Cuisine, we Das serve up a variety of Indian sweets. Born in Bangladesh, Das was 35 years old * Pickle is a fundamental part of Indian when he came to Canada in 1992 with his cuisine, and no meal is complete without wife and mother. it. Achar, a pickled food that is native to the Indian subcontinent, is made from a He struggled to support his family but variety of vegetables and fruits, fish or meat found his calling by working as a cook preserved in brine, vinegar, or edible oils at various Indian restaurants across along with spices like chili powder, mustard downtown Toronto. He has added a variety and fennel seeds. of homemade Indian snacks like pakora, samosa, Indian sweets and chutneys to the Differences in preparation and spices can menu. lead to a wide variety of Indian pickles. A In 2020, when Gandhi Cuisine closed after 25 years in business, the pair jumped at the chance to take over the location.
Gigi and I got married in 2012 after our previous marriages ended and I moved to Canada in 2015. It was a totally arranged marriage by the family. We do not have children together, but I have a son from my first marriage who is attending university back home and will join me when he completes his engineering degree. Gigi also has a daughter Sarah who is studying environmental chemistry at the University of Toronto. Growing up, I had several hobbies…from gardening to making fancy jewellery, handicrafts and graphic design. But my heart has always been in cooking. I learned cooking secrets from my mother and mother-in-law who were great cooks. I know I can’t be the only one who is in awe of her mother’s cooking skills. I leave the cooking to Gigi and Das, however, I make Kerala style homemade products like pickles, mango chutney and sweets like Carrot Laddu and Mango Sago for the restaurant. I combine this with my part time job at a long-term care facility and managing the social me dia and online pre se nce of the restaurant. I recently earned a diploma in digital marketing and business management. Roti Mahal is definitely a family business. Besides Gigi, Das and myself, our children pitch in whenever they can. Sarah, and Das’ daughter Poonam, who recently graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Life Science, sometimes work at the restaurant. ************ What customers are saying!! “This is the diamond in the rough that you will want to discover. If anything, I think the dishes have improve.” “Carrying on the Ghandi tradition with their own flair. My favourite roti spot in Toronto.” “Great service, people, and food. A hard to beat combination. The variety and quality of food is spot on and the food itself is a testimony to the experience and work put into it.” “Genuinely one of the best if not the best Indian restaurants. Fresh food, polite staff and incredibly talented Chefs. If they ever close down, I might move out of Toronto.”
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PHOTOS BY SELINA MCCALLUM
@SHOTBYSELINA
Spr i n g/Summ e r C o c kt ai l Re cip e s f rom Qu e e n We s t BARCHEF 472 Queen Street West @barchef barchef.com Cocktail: “Spicy Cafecito” BarChef is an award-winning cocktail bar, events business, and bottled cocktail company. BarChef creates exceptional, multi-sensory imbibing experiences, utilizing culinary techniques and the highest quality ingredients.
SPICY CAFECITO Ingredients: • 1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila • 1/2 Pedro Ximénez Sherry • 1/4 Fernet Branca • 1 Single Espresso Shot • 1/2 Ginger Syrup • 2 Drops of Chili Oil
Bar Manager, Gianluca Passuello ( @impassu8), joined the BarChef team in 2019 after gaining culinary and mixology experience while working in Dubai, St. Barthélemy, and Milan. His culinary approach, and utilization of progressive ingredients, create truly memorable cocktails like this one.
Gianluca Passuello, Bar Manager
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Spicy Cafecito
Method: Pour Tequila, Sherry, Fernet, Espresso, Syrup and Chili oil into a shaker tin. Add ice and hard shake for 10-15 seconds. Next, fine strain into a coupe glass and garnish with 3 coffee beans. Enjoy!
Lao Caesar
QUEEN MOTHER CAFE 208 Queen Street West @queenmothercafe queenmothercafe.ca
LAO CAESAR Ingredients: • Tajin chili lime salt (for rimming) • 1 oz Stoli vodka
Cocktail: “Lao Caesar” The Queen Mother Cafe is a timeless and cozy restaurant in an historic building in the heart of Queen West. The Queen Mum (as it is affectionately known) is a friendly and casual spot that is famous for serving up fresh and flavorful Lao-Thai and pan global cuisine since 1978. Sarah started bartending at the Rivoli in 2004 and has a love for simple well balanced flavours. She is now co-owner of the Queen Mother Cafe.
Lao Caesar
• ½ oz fresh lime juice • ¼ oz fish sauce • ¼ oz jaew bong (a spicy and smoky housemade Laotian hot sauce. Can be substitute with sriracha or sambal) • 3 sprigs of fresh chopped cilantro • 4 oz of Clamato • 1 cucumber ribbon • 1 hot chili pepper • Ice Method: Rim 14oz glass with Tajin chili lime salt, and fill with ice. Mix vodka, lime juice, fish sauce, jaew bong, and Clamato. Add cilantro and stir. Garnish with cucumber ribbon and a hot chili pepper. Savour! #LONGLIVEQUEENWEST | QUEENSTREETWEST.CA
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P H OTO C O L L A B O R AT I O N S BY: R I C H I E D O S S A NTO S @RICH3DEE & NEIL WONG @NEILWONG.ME B A N N E R I L LU S T R AT I O N S BY: S A R A H S A N D H A M @HAMONTDOODLES
Qu e en We st B a nne r s Queen Street West BIA is undergoing a much-needed refresh to its old blue street banners, which had certainly seen better days. As you move from east to west along Queen West, the new bright, bold, and beautiful banners will move you! You’ll be reminded of some of the iconic places and architecture of the east side of the Queen West neighbourhood. And vice versa as you move from west to east in the area. Sara Sandham is the artist behind the new banners. Sarah is a self taught Hamilton, Ontario, based digital illustrator. She loves using vibrant colours, thick lines, and
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geometric shapes in her work and was chosen for her unique style. We asked Sara about her experience working on this creative project, here’s what she had to share: I was so excited when the Queen Street West BIA selected me to work on these new banners! I’ve spent a lot of time on Queen Street West, especially during the few years I lived in Toronto. I felt honoured to draw a small selection of the beautiful historic buildings found on Queen Street West. When designing each banner I tried to stick
to more monochromatic colours, that way the banners would be really striking as a full collection. I love having fun using complimentary colours for the skies in my drawings. You’ll very rarely see a one-colour blue sky in my drawings, and this collection is no exception to that. Queen Street West is an incredibly vibrant, eccentric, and intricate part of Toronto, and I really tried to hone in on those aspects in my drawings. You can view the banners in person along Queen Street West between Bathurst St and Simcoe St starting in summer 2022.
About the Artist: Sara Sandham is a digital illustrator who mainly draws buildings found in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, so the subject matter in her work may look familiar. Sara has been drawing under the name @Hamontdoodles (on social media) for the past four years. You can find her prints at www.hamontdoodles.com.
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WORDS AND IMAGES BY MEG MARSHALL
Qu e en G o e s Po p !
Ove r the pande mic, the numbe r of store front vacancies grew visibly in the Queen Street West BIA. While reasons for this varied from unaffordability of spaces due to rising commercial rents and high property tax assessments on Queen West (that’s a story for another day), to businesses just not being able to make it through all of the lockdowns - but the fact remained that the vacancies became more and more apparent.
of a total of 275 businesses in the area (yes, that’s just over 10%!). Some properties had active recruitment posters in their windows looking to find their next great tenant, while others just seemed bare and disinterested.
Neighbourhoods benefit from having vacant storefronts activated and filled as this ensures more people coming and going, more eyes on the street detracting crime and vandalism, local vibrancy, and As of late April 2022, the re we re much more. approximately 30 vacancies in our BIA, out One quick solution to bring new life to these spaces is in the form of Pop-Ups. There is something catchy about that term. It sends Neighbourhoods benefit from a signal of excitement, limited availability having vacant storefronts or even exclusiveness. The concept of activated and filled as this pop-ups is nothing new per se, but serves ensures more people coming many positive and practical functions. and going, more eyes on the Melbourne, Australia and London UK are just some cities who have been embracing street detracting crime and the pop-up concept for quite some time vandalism, local vibrancy, and with lots of creativity such as gyms and much more. safety zones. 14
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On a more local level here in Toronto, DECA (Danforth East Community Association) led a very successful initiative called “The Pop-Up Shop Project” in 2012, helping fill 32 vacancies over the course of their project. In 2021/22, Queen Street West BIA was fortunate enough to take part in a PopUp Shop mentorship program with the Downtown Yonge BIA, funded by the City of Toronto BIA office, to further explore the benefits of encouraging pop-ups in our neighbourhoods. We learned that pop-ups benefit the whole community by: • Enhancing the street experience and increasing the energy of the neighbourhood with excitement and interest • Increasing property values because there is generally less theft and vandalism • Allowing brands/businesses to test a neighbourhood on a short-term basis to
evaluate a long-term commitment • Bringing another reason for guests to visit a neighbourhood • More anticipated spending by visitors by increasing the length of time they visit a neighbourhood • Complementing existing programs such as the TTC 2-hour transfer period, which is an encouraging reason for visitors to hop on or off along their travels
As we start to turn the corner on the pandemic and shift our focus to recovery and rebuild, we hope to see more pop-ups along Queen West activating our community during all times of the year.
• Bringing some friendly competition, which is good for existing businesses
Even national brands like Garage see the value in pop-ups as some customers are not as comfortable shopping in a mall, or want to test how street-front retail expands their customer base.
• Providing some revenue for property owners whose spaces may otherwise be vacant
Some property owners are proactive in looking to host pop-ups, and see the value in keeping their spaces filled.
As we start to turn the corner on the pandemic and shift our focus to recovery and rebuild, we hope to see more popups along Queen West, activating our community during all times of the year and even different times of the day or evening.
Unique or niche concept stores have popped up during select times of the year like ‘The Scottish and Irish Store’ during the holiday season to try and optimize on consumer spending during this historically busy time.
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WORDS AND PHOTOS BY:
@TORONTO_FOODIEDIARY
Bu bble Te a C raw l
Bubble Lee 469 Queen St W (647) 350-8880
With the warm weather here, it’s the perfect time to cool down with bubble tea. Enjoy these fun photos annotated by Toronto Foodie Diary!
What time is it? CHATIME.
Brown sugar BUBBLE is so deLEEcious!
CoCo 352 Queen St W (416) 977-9090
Gong Cha 390 Queen St W (416) 901-8839
The best COlour in the world? GOiNG for the best CHA for Bubble tea COlour. the summer!
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Chatime 461 Queen St W (416) 551-9808
Real Fruit 223 Queen St W 1-888-896-1829
This mango slush is REALly FRUITy!
thank you for continuing to shop and support local safely @Queen Street West BIA
@queen streetwest
@queen street west
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HOW TO REPORT Working Together for a Safer Community
Emergency Situation e.g. fire, medical emergency, crime in progress
Call 9-1-1
Non-Emergency Issue e.g. broken window, stolen merchandise
416-808-2222 OR
www.torontopolice.on.ca/core
Report an Issue, Question or Comment e.g. noise, litter, vandalism, Streets to Homes
Call
OR Get the App
Looking for Programs or Services e.g. waste pickup schedule, business licenses
Call 2-1-1
e.g. street light out, downed power lines
416-542-8000 x 1
More resources:
P H O T O S B Y : K I M B E R LY S I M M O N S
@CANADIANKAS_PHOTOS
Queen Bikes! For the past couple of years, the Queen Street West BIA has been working to bring more streetscape improvements to life. As part of a multi-faceted project to encourage more people to visit our community, we commissioned this functional public art for the area (p.s. more streetscape improvements and storytelling to come in fall/winter 2023!). Here’s what artist and bike post creator Scott Eunson had to share about the experience:
“Bike Spine” is an installation of 12 functional bike stands, creating a public artwork that is integrated into the streetscape of Queen West. Their form was created by naturalizing the shape of the iconic Toronto post-and-ring bicycle stand. The grouping creates an organic form that evokes the skeleton of a benevolent creature, evolved to be useful and unique to this place. They are water-jet cut from ¾” Corten steel, making these stronger and more secure than standard post and ring stands. The natural patina will
change and improve over time and they could last for centuries. It is a great privilege to create work for this part of Queen West, as these city blocks have been very inspiring and influential over the past three decades, to myself as a local creative person and avid cyclist.
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WORDS BY MICHAEL CAVANAUGH PHOTOS BY SELINA MCCALLUM @SHOTBYSELINA
L e g e n ds o f Q u e e n We s t : B ell B ox Mur al s 2 018-2 020 Artists were invited to paint murals in Toronto celebrating iconic Canadian musicians of the 1970s, 80s & 90s. The murals were painted on 11 Bell Canada outdoor utility boxes in 2018, 2019 and 2020 as part of the Bell Box Murals Project. The artists were selected by the Queen Street West BIA and the West Queen West BIA. The artists and Bell Box locations include: • Jeff Healy by Adrian Hayles at Tecumseh St at Queen St West • Martha and the Muffins by Julii McMillan at McCaul St at Queen St West • Parachute Club by Naz Nahidi at Duncan St at Queen St West • Lillian Allen by Curtia Wright at Peter St at Queen St West • Neil Young by Adrian Hayles at Brunswick Ave at Bloor St West • Handsome Ned by Leanna Gennuso at Vanauley St at Queen St West • Carole Pope & Nash the Slash by Glen Guerin at Markham St at Queen St West • Buffy Sainte-Marie by Adrian Hayles at Beverly St at Queen St West • Pursuit of Happiness by Natalia Bonczek at Ryerson St at Queen St West • Jeff Burke by Adrian Hayles at Augusta St at Queen St West
The Murals were a partnership between the Queen Street West BIA, West Queen West BIA, and the Bell Box Murals Project @bellboxmurals
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I NT E RV I E W W IT H LU K E A N D E R S O N, E X E C U T I V E D I R E CTO R O F S TO P G A P F O U N DAT I O N PHOTOS BY SELINA MCCALLUM @SHOTBYSELINA
Remo vin g B a r r i e r s & Su p p o r ti ng Acce s s ib le Bu s i n e s s e s Making Toronto business spaces more accessible, both physically and online, has been a work in progress for decades. The AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) first came into effect in 2005, with the goal of “developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises on or before January 1, 2025.”
An organization visibly at the forefront of the accessibility movement and supporting businesses in tangible ways, has been StopGap Foundation. You may know them by their painted wooden ramps emblazoned with the iconic STOPGAP.CA stencil. Since 2011, StopGap Foundation’s mission has been to foster “a world where every person can access every space,” and to date they have placed more than 2000 ramps across Canada. We spoke to Luke Anderson, a Founder
and the Executive Director of StopGap to get some insight. Luke has first-hand knowledge and experience of barriers in the built environment. After sustaining a highlevel spinal cord injury while mountainbiking, Luke found himself living in a world not well designed for someone who gets around using a wheelchair, where a single step is as large a barrier as a flight of stairs. We connected with Luke over Zoom: What are some of the most common accessibility issues facing businesses? Between 50% to 75% of businesses in most Toronto neighbourhoods have stepped entryways. We developed our StopGap programming to raise awareness of this huge issue that doesn’t just affect people with different mobility needs but also has been raised by others - such as parents who push strollers, delivery people, and from those with temporary disabilities due to an injury or illness. Many people have said they benefit tremendously from having a ramped entryway. We’ve also been hearing from people who have chosen to support and frequent businesses that have a ramp because they believe that it’s important to equity and inclusion. The ramps that we build and the services we offer are literally just the first step (pun intended). There’s a lot that can be done inside a business for little to no cost as well. It begins by making it easy for customers to access accessibility-related information about the businesses’ services and physical space. Knowing whether a storefront is accessible or not prior to visiting the location is invaluable to anyone using a mobility aid. So, making this information available on a business website is really important and easy to do. What else can businesses work on to do better? Beyond the AODA requirements and that accessibility is a Human Right, there is a basic need for greater education and understanding on the part of businesses to learn to use more empowering language and replace more antiquated language. That sends a message, removes barriers, builds momentum for the accessibility movement, and grows the collective consciousness. For example, I am not confined to a wheelchair, instead I use a wheelchair.
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The digital space is also critically important. The rise of online/ digital meetings is actually making information and communication more accessible in some ways. As Ontarians, we have the AODA that mandates our physical and digital spaces are to become barrier free. Awareness-raising and education can trickle into alternative formats for menus, brochures, and other materials businesses may be sharing online and in print. To produce materials through the lens of inclusion is what is needed, and there are professional resources to support this. What needs to change? An example is the current access symbol, a symbol that has been used for over 50 years now. There is a new proposed symbol depicting a person using a chair in more of a forward moving position. We can choose empowering language and symbols that help remove barriers. Ultimately, we want to have a society in which we don’t need symbols to tell people where they can and can’t go and everything is barrier-free and set up for everyone - in terms of our buildings, online, and print materials for instance - that is what we are striving for.
Spurred by the importance of outdoor spaces during the pandemic, outdoor patios have become a bigger part of what Toronto restaurants, bars and cafes are offering for what looks to be the longer term. How can these spaces be more accessible? We have updated the StopGap website and resources to offer our ramps for outdoor patio spaces such as in curb lanes. These are tight spaces and now is the time to raise awareness of the importance of adaptability in the moment. For example, having a fitted ramp available, and modular or easily moveable furniture that allows for the layout to be adapted for accessibility. Table heights are important as well, businesses should provide a couple of options at different heights. While curb lane patio spaces may not be able to be code compliant at all times, they have so many benefits in terms of enlivening neighbourhoods, extending dining space, and supporting businesses’ bottom-line. At the same time they present new challenges as they are not covered by building codes and new accessibility recommendations need to be developed. Adaptability and ability to reconfigure with modular furniture is key.
Support StopGap Donate to help support StopGap’s mission to help communities remove barriers and provide opportunities to engage, connect, and be inclusive: stopgap.ca/get-involved/donate Request a StopGap ramp: stopgap.ca/get-involved/request-a-ramp Additional Resources Check out The Forward Movement and join in on the important awareness raising about this issue: theforwardmovement.ca Accessibility Partners Canada offers services to help businesses manage their AODA compliance obligations, from website design to the creation of accessible documents: accessibilitypartners.ca Business owners can upload accessibility related information to AccessNow, a crowd sourced app that allows anyone to contribute information about a location for free: accessnow.com
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Q U E E N S T R E E T W E ST
D I RE C TO RY
Updated late April 2022.
Arts, Entertainment & Live Music Bar Karma 512 Queen St W w. barkarma.ca Bell Media CTV GlobeMedia 275 Queen St W p. 416.384.8000 w. bellmedia.ca Bovine Sex Club 542 Queen St W p. 416.504.4239 w. bovinesexclub.com Cameron House 408 Queen St W p. 416.703.0811 w. thecameron.com Campbell House 160 Queen St W p. 416.597.0227 w. campbellhousemuseum.ca Core Recording Studio 239 Queen St W p. 416.595.6164 Corner Comedy Club 239 Queen St W (Rear) p. 647.228.4084 Cosmos Records 607a Queen St W p. 416.603.0254 w. cosmosrecords.ca Denizen Publishing Co 492 Queen St W p. 416.852.8538 FAM Food Art Music 566 Queen St W p. 416.546.4606 w. famfoodartmusic.com Kops Records 395 Queen St W p. 647.347.0095 w. kopsrecords.ca 24
Lodge On Queen 251 Queen St W p. 416.731.1812 HeartKing Records 492 Queen St W heartkingrecords@gmail. com (416) 852-8538 www.heartkingrecords.com Horseshoe Tavern 370 Queen St W p. 416.598.4226 w. horseshoetavern.com It’s Ok* 468 Queen St W w. itsokworld.com Mister Wolf 567 Queen St W p. 647.633.9653 w. mrwolftoronto.com Orange Lounge 567 Queen St W, Suite 300 p. 416.504.8084 w. theorangelounge.com Psychic Chakra Healing Zone 245 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.669.9369 w. psychicchakrahealingzone.com Soluna Toronto coming soon 314 Queen St W Steve’s Music Store 415 Queen St W p. 416.593.8888 w. stevesmusic.com Telejet Music Studio 492 Queen St W p. 416.852.8538 w.telejet.ca The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar 194 Queen St W p. 416.598.2475 w. therex.ca The Rivoli 334 Queen St W w. rivolitoronto.com -
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Velvet Underground 508 Queen St W p. 647.351.9001 w. thevelvet.ca
Cafe & Bakery Bagels on Fire 426 Queen St W, Ground floor p. 647.343.8484 Bubble Lee 469 Queen St W p. 647.671.5367 w. bubbleleecanada.com Chatime 461 Queen St W p. 416.551.9808 w. chatime.com CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice 352 Queen St W p. 416.977.9090 w. cocofreshtea.ca Daily Press Juicery 200 Queen St W p. 647.351.0800 w. dailypressjuicery.ca Early Bird 613 Queen St W p. 416.844.1370 w. early-bird.ca HotBlack Coffee 245 Queen St W p. 416.840.6141 w. hotblack-coffee.com ImPerfect Eats 477 Queen St W p. 416.900.4978 w. imperfectfresheats.com Isabella’s Mochi Donut Boutique 4 St. Patrick St p. 416.340.050 w. isabellalovesmochi.com Java House 537 Queen St W p. 416.504.3025 w. javahousetoronto.com Marvelous by Fred 224 Queen St W p. 647.812.5982 w. marvelousbyfredtoronto-order.ca
Member’s Only Waffle House 252 Queen St W Second Cup 307 Queen St W p. 416.598.5641 w. secondcup.com Starbucks 250 Queen St W p. 416.595.5868 w. starbucks.com Tealand 231 Queen St W p. 647.748.6866
Fashion & Accessories 217 Vintage 559 Queen St W w. 217vintage.com Adidas 389 Queen St W p. 416.915.5536 w. shopadidas.ca Affordable Textiles 531 Queen St W p. 416.504.4117 Aldo 349 Queen St W p. 416.380.9882 w. aldoshoes.com Arc’teryx 339 Queen St W p. 416.204.1118 w. arcteryx.com Aritzia 280 Queen St W p. 416.977.9919 w. aritzia.com Asics 364 Queen St W p. 416.204.1373 w. asics.com Black Market Vintage 347 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.599.5858 w. blackmarkettoronto.com Bluboho 350 Queen St W p. 647.347.8743 w. bluboho.com
Borderline Plus 425 Queen St W, Unit 116 p. 416.408.1780 w. borderlineplus.com Brandy Melville 324 Queen St W p. 647.351.2611 w. brandymelville.ca By Drakes 575 Queen St W w. drakes.shop Camouflage 418 Queen St W p. 647.250.1500 w. camouflage.ca Clearly 317 Queen St W p. 416.205.9539 w. clearly.ca Club Monaco 403 Queen St W p. 416.979.5633 w. clubmonaco.com Dr. Martens (Neon) 391 Queen St W p. 416.585.9595 w. drmartens.com DU/ER 491 Queen St W p. 647.794.1341 w. duer.ca/pages/toronto Due West 431 Queen St W p. 416.593.6267 w. duewest.ca Fjallraven 356 Queen St W p. 647.340.0197 w. fjallraven.ca Footlocker 337 Queen St W p. 416.979.2185 w. footlocker.ca Freshly Baked Tees 557 Queen St W p. 647.345.6956 w. freshlybakedtees.com Furs by Nikolas 449 Queen St W p. 416.504.8900 -
Garage 330 Queen St W p. 416.598.0210 w. garageclothing.com Get Me Fly 161 John St p. 416.800.8476 Get Outside 437 Queen St W p. 416.593.5598 w. getoutsideshoes.com Groovy 323 Queen St W p. 416.595.1059 w. groovyshoes.ca H&M 427 Queen St W p. 416.593.0167 w. www.hm.com Icebreaker 278B Queen St W p. 416.596.9050 w. icebreaker.com/en-ca/ home Joe Fresh 589 Queen St W p. 416.361.6342 w. joefresh.com Kit and Ace coming soon 325 Queen St W Knix 294 Queen St W p. 416.364.6060 w. knix.ca Little Burgundy 351 Queen St W p. 416.593.4794 w. littleburgundyshoes.com Lucky Charm Vintage 332 Queen St W Lululemon Athletica 318 Queen St W p. 416.703.1399 w. lululemon.com Mama Loves You 541 Queen St W p. 416.603.4747 w. mamalovesyouvintage. com
MEC 300 Queen St W p. 416.340.2667 w. mec.ca/en/stores/toronto MINISO 219 Queen St W w. miniso.ca Neon Clothing 409 Queen St W p. 416.901.1221 w. shopneon.com Nobis 360 Queen St W p. 416.293.3899 w. nobis.ca OD Toronto 273 Queen St W p. 647.350.6386 w. odtoshop.com Ollie Quinn 387 Queen St W p. 647.346.0387 w. olliequinn.com Optical Thirty8 623 Queen St W p. 416.603.0388 w. opticalthirty8.com Original 515 Queen St W p. 416.603.9400 w. originaltoronto.com Reigning Champ 383 Queen St W p. 647.348.5622 w. reigningchamp.com Roma Rush 504 Queen St W p. 416.603.7874 w. romarush.com Scarpino Shoes 311 Queen St W p. 416.340.7349 Shanti Baba 546 Queen St W p. 416.504.5034 w. shantibaba.ca So Hip It Hurts 323 Queen St W p. 416.971.6901 w. sohip.ca -
Specs & Specs Optical 292 Queen St W p. 416.979.3937 w. specsandspecsoptical .com Te Koop 421 Queen St W p. 416.348.9485 w. te-koop.ca The Attic by Lululemon 318 Queen St W w. 318queen.com The Great Canadian Sox Shop 286 Queen St W p. 416.260.0119 w. greatsox.com
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Throwback Vault 550 Queen St W p. 416.364.8284 w. throwbackvault.com Timbuk2 359 Queen St W p. 416.979.3030 Tribal Rhythm 248 Queen St W p. 416.595.5817 w. tribalrhythmvintage.com Urban Outfitters 481 Queen St W p. 416.203.8633 w. urbanoutfitters.com Vitaly 505 Queen St W p. 416.901.7467 w. vitalydesign.com Winners 585 Queen St W, 3rd floor p. 416.203.1694 w. winners.ca Zara 341 Queen St W p. 647.288.0545 w. zara.com
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Financial BMO 591 Queen St W p. 416.703.3812 w. bmo.com CIBC 205 Queen St W p. 416.861.3735 w. cibc.com CIBC 378 Queen St W p. 416.980.6911 w. cibc.com Easy Financial 601 Queen St W p. 647.796.0250 w. easyfinancial.com H&R Block 428 Queen St W p. 1.800.472.5625 w. hrblock.ca Mackenzie Investments 180 Queen St W p. 1.800.387.0614 w. mackenzieinvestments. com RBC Royal Bank of Canada 570 Queen St W p. 416.956.1353 w. rbcroyalbank.com Scotiabank 222 Queen St W p. 416.866.6591 w. scotiabank.com TD Canada Trust 365 Queen St W p. 416.982.2535 w. tdcanadatrust.com
Grocery & Variety Circle K 485 Queen St W p. 416.917.9372 w. circlek.com Dank Mart coming soon 401 Queen St W 26
Gardenview Grocery 252 Queen St W p. 416.593-2560 LCBO 272 Queen St W p. 416.598.9837 w. lcbo.com LCBO 619 Queen St W p. 416.363.6604 w. lcbo.com Loblaws 585 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.703.3419 w. loblaws.ca Peter Pantry 371 Queen St W p. 416.792.3838 w. peterpanbistro.ca Qi Natural Food 506 Queen St W p. 416.539.0459 w. qinaturalfood.com Queens Fruit Market 564 Queen St W p. 416.203.8168 w. queens-fruit-marketplants.business.site The Healthy Butcher 565 Queen St W p. 416.703.2164 w. thehealthybutcher.com Winston’s Grocery 430 Queen St W p. 416.703.0415
Healthcare & Wellness Acupuncture Healing Center 425 Queen St W, Unit 203 p. 416.408.1237 w. tracyacupuncture.com Comfort Nails 561 Queen St W w. comfortnails.ca For Health’s Sake 465 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.551.7100 w. forhealthssake.ca -
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Harmony Massage and Wellness 350 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.837.7730 w. harmonymassageandwellness.ca Herbie’s Herbs 556 Queen St W p. 416.504.5755 w. herbies-herbs.com Institute of Traditional Medicine 553 Queen St W, 3rd floor w. itmworld.org New You Spa 248 Queen St W p. 416.205.1119 w. newyouspas.com QSMC - Chiropractic Clinic 455 Queen St W p. 416.869.3627 Ext. 4 w. drkenmueller.com Queen Spadina Medical Centre 455 Queen St W p. 416.869.3627 w. qsmc.ca Saje Natural Wellness 399 Queen St W p. 416.340.7494 w. saje.com/ca/home Shoppers Drug Mart 260 Queen St W p. 416.979.3903 w. shoppersdrugmart.ca Shoppers Drug Mart 524 Queen St W p. 416.703.0228 w. shoppersdrugmart.ca Well.ca Pharmacy 449 Queen St W p. 416.593.9711 w. well.ca
Hotel The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar 194 Queen St W p. 416.598.2475 w. therex.ca -
Sonder The Beverley 335 Queen St W p. 416.493.2786 w. beverleyhotels.com/toronto
House & Home CB2 651 Queen St W p. 416.366.2828 w. cb2.com Dozy Sleep 290 Queen St W p. 416.840.0224 w. dozysleep.ca Eurofab 432 Queen St W p. 416.504.2866 w. eurofab.ca Off the Wall Art and Framing 450 Queen St W p. 416.947.1661 w. offthewallarttoronto.com
Professional Services Art and Mechanical 183 Bathurst St, Suite 200 p. 416.583.5868 w. artandmechanical.com Burroughes Building 639 Queen St W p. 416.360.5757 w. theburroughes.com Century 21 Atria Realty Inc. 501 Queen St W, Unit 200 p. 416.203.8838 w. century21.ca/atriarealty Croma Design Services 404-639 Queen St W p. 416.366.9003 w. cromadesign.com Cubert 316 Queen St. W p. 1.855.282.3780 w.cubert.co -
David Smith, The Headhunter 567 Queen St W, Unit 200 p. 416.500.4380 w. davidsmiththeheadhunter. com Delphia 501 Queen St W Suite 300 P. 833.335.7442 W. https://delphia.com/ Digi Print & Copy 177 Spadina Ave p. 416.203.1669 w. digiprint.ca Grey House Publishing Canada 411 Queen St W, 3rd floor p. 416.644.6479 w. greyhouse.ca/index.htm Jenni Byrne & Associates 337 Queen St. W p. 1.855.596.1116 w.jennibyrne.com Jobber 260 Queen St W p. 888.721.1115 w.getjobber.com Juno College of Technology 483 Queen St W, 2nd & 3rd floor p. 416.546.8954 w. junocollege.com Kids And Company 308 Queen St W, 3rd floor p. 416.595.5537 w. kidsandcompany.com Mindpress Inc. 243 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.840-6463 w. mindpress.ca ViewFin Media Group 298 Queen St W, 3rd floor p. 416.546.0452 Miami Ad School Toronto 639 Queen St W, Unit 300 p. 647.972.9129 w. miamiadschool.ca Minto Communities GTA Presentation Centre 534 Queen St W p. 647.255.5157 w. minto.com/gta/newhomes-condos/projects/ Queen-St-Presentation-Centre~1326.html
Park Avenue Cleaners 544 Queen St. W Queen Dry Cleaners 157 John St p. 416.593.9858 Redwood e-Learning 298 Queen St W, Suite 200 p. 416.598.1200 w. redwoodelearning.com Retreaver 163 Spadina Ave, 2nd floor p. 1.888.276.1902 w. retreaver.com Revolver Films 510 Queen St W, 3rd floor p. 416.901.8400 w. revolverfilms.com RYPL 621 Queen St W p. 416.304.9200 w. rypl.com SnapCommerce 260 Queen St W w. snapcommerce.com Torpa Consulting 350 Queen St W p. 647.313.2745 w. torpa.ca The Legere Studio 489 Queen St W Unit 202 p. 416.360.5583 w. legere.com The Tridel Store: Alexandra Park SQ 519 Queen St W p. 416-661-1949 w. tridel.com/sq/community-master-plan Third Floor Tailors 575 Queen St W w. 3rdfloortailors.com U31 183 Bathurst St, Suite 201 p. 416.597.1576 w. u31.co
Restaurants & Bars 416 Snack Bar 181 Bathurst St p. 416.364.9320 w. 416snackbar.com A&W 372 Queen St W p. 647.348.2600 w. aw.ca Aji Sai Japanese Restaurant 467 Queen St W p. 416.603.3366 w. ajisai.ca Allwyn’s Bakery 404 Queen St W p. 416.603.3333 Alo Restaurant 163 Spadina Ave, 3rd floor p. 416.260.2222 w. alorestaurant.com Aloette Restaurant 163 Spadina Ave, gr floor p. 416.260.3444 w. aloetterestaurant.com Ara Sushi X Teishou Bar 225 Queen St W Azkadenya Restaurant 235 Queen St W p. 416.260.5555 w. azkadenya.ca Banh Mi Boys 392 Queen St W p. 416.363.0588 w. banhmiboys.com Bar Chef 472 Queen St W p. 416.868.4800 w. barcheftoronto.com Basil Box 441 Queen St W p. 416.979.8000 w. thebasilbox.com Black Bull Tavern 298 Queen St W p. 416.593.2766 Buono 354 Queen St W p. 416.205.1001 w. buonotoronto.ca
Burger’s Priest 463 Queen St W p. 647.748.8108 w. theburgerspriest.com Chick-fil-A 336 Queen St W p. 647.932.0997 w. cfaqueenstwest.ca Chipotle Mexican Grill 319 Queen St W p. 416.598.9194 w. chipotle.ca Daisy 563 Queen St W p. 416.901.4991 w. daisytoronto.com Domino’s Pizza 410 Queen St W p. 416.504.3030 w. dominos.ca Drom Taberna 458 Queen St W p. 647.748.2099 w. dromtaberna.com Eat BKK 580 Queen St W p. 416.862.8424 w. eatbkk.ca Fancy Franks 453 Queen St W p. 416.901.8166 w. fancyfranks.com Fugo Desserts 265 Queen St W p. 647.348.3846 w. fugodesserts.com German Doner Kebab 246 Queen St W p. 416.408.0909 w. www.germandonerkebab. com Ginger 212 Queen St W p. 416.977.8778 w. gingerone.ca
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Restaurants & Bars cont’d Gong Cha 390 Queen St W w. gong-cha.ca Holy Cow Japanese Steakhouse 254 Queen St W p. 416.792.8269 w. holycowsteakhouse.com Holy Shakes 465 Queen St W w.holyshakes.ca Ikkousha Ramen 249 Queen St W p. 416.901.2249 w. ikkousha.ca Ikkousha Ramen Chicken 257 Queen St W p. 416.979.0257 w. ikkousha.ca/ikkousharamenchicken Il Vegano coming soon 502 Queen St W Kinton Ramen 402 Queen St W p. 647.350.8666 w. kintonramen.com Korean Grill House 214 Queen St W p. 416.263.9850 w. koreangrillhouse.com La Palette 492 Queen St W p. 416.603.4900 w. lapalette.ca Little India 255 Queen St W p. 416.205.9836 w. littleindia.ca Little Vietnam 500 Queen St W p. 416.792.0991 Mabu Sizzle 465 Queen St W w. mabusizzle.com Makan Restaurant 265 Queen St W p. 416.593.1118 w. makan.to 28
McDonalds 160 Spadina Ave p. 416.703.7401 w. mcdonalds.ca Me Va Me Kitchen Express 240 Queen St W p. 416.598.4242 w. mevamekitchenexpress.ca Mexican Bowl 578 Queen ST W p. 416.203.1111 w. mexicanbowl.co Midori Ramen 412 Queen St W p. 416.551.5010 w. midoriramen.com Misty Restaurant & Bar 490 Queen St. W p. 416.203.6999 Monkey Sushi 494 Queen St W p, 437.999.8829 w. monkeysushi.ca My Roti Place 406 Queen St W p. 416.366.5554 w. myrotiplace.com Niuda Hand-Pulled Noodles 204 Queen St W p. 416.599.6666 w. niudanoodles.com Oh My Gyro 155 John St p. 416.901.6473 w. ohmygyro.ca Osmow’s 611 Queen St W p. 647.748.4878 w. mrosmow.com Osteria Du 536 Queen St W p. 647.656.2624 w. osteriadu.ca Parka Food Co. 424 Queen St W p. 416.603.3363 w. parkafoodco.com Pat’s Homestyle Jamaican Restaurant 558 Queen St W p. 416.304.0767 -
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Peter Pan Bistro 373 Queen St W p. 416.792.3838 w. peterpanbistro.ca Pizza Pizza 228 Queen St W p. 416.967.1111 w. pizzapizza.ca Pizzeria Du 536 Queen St W p. 647.655.7451 w. pizzeriadu.ca Planta Queen Restaurant 180 Queen St W w. plantarestaurants.com/ location/planta-queen Pokito 420 Queen St W p. 416.792.8808 w. pokito.ca Popeyes Louisiana Chicken 400 Queen St W p. 647.351.2222 w. popeyeschicken.ca Queen Mother Café 208 Queen St W p. 416.598.4719 w. queenmothercafe.ca Raku 456 Queen St W p. 416.546.9325 w. rakunyc.com Ramen Isshin 609 Queen St W p. 647.368.4013 w. ramenisshin.com Ration: Beverley 335 Queen St W p. 647.366.9206 w. rationfoodlab.com Real Fruit Bubble Tea 223 Queen St W p. 1.888.896.1829 w. realfruitbubbletea.com Rosie’s Burgers 573 Queen St W p. 647.730.5555 w. rosiesburgers.ca Roti Mahal Indian Cuisine 554 Queen St W p. 416.546.9404 w. rotimahal.org -
Rudy Restaurant 69 Duncan St p. 416.351.0739 w. rudyresto.com Saffron Spice Kitchen 459 Queen St W p. 416.203.0222 w. saffronspicekitchen.com Saku Sushi 478 Queen St W p. 416.368.7258 w. sakutoronto.com Salad King 224A Queen St. W p. 289.329.9923 w.saladking.com Scarlett Bar 571 Queen St W p. 416.901.1097 Subway 267 Queen St W p. 416.850.9892 w. subway.ca Subway 385 Queen St W p. 416.850.9893 w. subway.ca Sushi Time 325 Queen St W p. 416.977.2222 w. sushitimerestaurant.ca The Bombay 259 Queen St W p. 416.519.2550 w. the-bombay-restaurant. com The Dime 538 Queen St W p. 416.200.6441 w. warehousegroup.ca/thedime-on The Rivoli 332 Queen St W p. 416.596.1908 w. rivoli.ca Tiki Bar 542 Queen St W p. 416.504.4239 w. tikibartoronto.com To-ne Sushi 414 Queen St W p. 416.866.8200 w. tonesushi.com
T.O.’s Kathi Roll Eatery Toronto 465 Queen St W p. 416.368.1000 w. kathirolleatery.com Touhenboku Ramen 261 Queen St W p. 416.596.8080 w. touhenboku.ca Warehouse 232 Queen St W p. 647.344.7326 w. warehousegroup.ca/el-furniture-warehouse-queen-st Wendy’s 482 Queen St W p. 416.361.6355 w. wendys.com/canada
Salon, Barber & Beauty Amazing Nails & Spa 162 Spadina Ave p. 416.867.8866 w. amazingnails.ca ANU Beauty Spa 259 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 647.761.4139 Cadmen Barber Shop 240 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 647.348.6400 w. cadmen.ca Cameron House Barbers 408 Queen St W, Unit B p. 416.361.0777 w. cameronhousebarbers. com Civello 269 Queen St W p. 416.977.7755 w. civello.com Comfort Nails 561 Queen St W p. 416.866.8880 w. comfortnails.ca DeniZen 486 Queen St W p. 416.504.2573 w. thedenizen.ca -
Empire Barber Shop 423 Queen St. W, Unit 105 p. 647.348.9393 w. empirebarber.com Good Company coming soon 498 Queen St W Groomed Society 165 Bathurst St p. 416.705.9458 w. thegroomedsociety.com Image Make Over Salon 426 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.703.0240 w. imagemakeovertoronto. com Imperium Barber Shop 423 Queen St W, Suite 105 p. 647.348.9393 w. imperiumbarber.com Kiehl’s 407 Queen St W p. 416.977.3588 w. kiehls.ca Loft Nail Studio 250 Queen St W p. 416.597.8686 w. loftnailstudio.com Lush 312 Queen St W p. 416.599.5874 w. lush.ca MAC Cosmetics 368 Queen St W p. 416.260.1145 w. maccosmetics.ca Manstop 71 Duncan St, 2nd floor p. 647.780.1111 w. manstop.ca Nails Queen 422 Queen St W p. 647.351.5168 w. nailsqueentoronto.ca Organic Nail Bar 438 Queen St W p. 416.519.5152 w. organicnailbar.ca Organic Nail Bar 496 Queen St W p. 647.352.3888 w. organicnailbar.ca -
Structure Salon and Spa 173 Spadina Ave p. 416.599.1818 T & A Nails and Spa 319 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 647.317.9688 w. tandtnailsspa.business.site The Apollo Barbershop 163 John St p. 647.428.3228 w. theapollobarbershop. booksy.com The Cabinet Salon 577 Queen St W, 2nd Floor p. 647.344.3132 w. thecabinetsalon.com The Canvas Downtown 553 Queen St W, 2nd Fl. p. 416.214.0264 Toni & Guy Hairdressing Salon 204 Queen St W p. 416.593.0168 w. toniguy.com Ultimate Fades 555 Queen St W p. 647.345.3233 w. ultimatefades.com Ye Perfect Nails & Spa 159 John St p. 416.596.8088
Specialty Retail Abraham’s Trading Inc. 635 Queen St W p. 416.504.6210 Bell 316 Queen St W p. 416.977.6969 w. bell.ca Casper 342 Queen St W p. 647.660.0700 w. casper.com/ca/en Cell Tech 166 Spadina Ave p. 647.994.8710 w. celltech.business.site -
Change Lingerie 315 Queen St W p. 416.997.7667 w. change.com Fido 290 Queen St W p. 416.849.1855 w. fido.ca Freedom Mobile 423 Queen St W w. freedommobile.ca Geologic 346 Queen St W p. 416.204.9484 w. geologicgallery.com Happy Soul coming soon 514 Queen St W L&M 434 Queen St W p. 416.504.8666 Love Shop 439 Queen St W, Unit 2 p. 416.979.5683 w. loveshop.ca Nikolaou Restaurant Equipment 629 Queen St W p. 416.504.6411 w. nikrest.ca Momo Pet 561 Queen St W p. 437.286.8618 Old Times Antiques 607B Queen St W p. 416.203.9856 Outer Layer Cards & Gifts 577 Queen St W p. 416.869.9889 w. outerlayer.com PC Shop Computer 561 Queen St W p. 647.748.0071 w. pcshopcomputer.ca -
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Specialty Retail cont’d Petview 322 Queen St W p. 416.738.8439 w. petview.ca Repair and Run 363 Queen St W p. 416.591.0777 w. repairandrun.ca Seduction 493 Queen St W p. 416.996.6969 Ext. 2 w. seduction.ca Stag Shop 271 Queen St W p. 647.729.5295 w. stagshop.com Trek Bicycle 625 Queen St W p. 416.501.6138 w. trekbikes.com/ca/en_CA/
Tattoos & Piercings Abstract Arts Tattoo 627 Queen St W p. 416.504.8288 Adrenaline Toronto 239 Queen St W p. 416.913.8805 w. adrenalinetoronto.com Exotix Studios 163 Spadina Ave, 2nd floor p. 416.259.9361 w. exotixstudios.com FY INK 522 Queen St W p. 416.792.5670 w. fyinktattoos.com Inkbox Tattoo 379 Queen St W w. inkbox.com/queen-st La Markas Studios 162 Spadina Ave My Ink 198 Queen St W p. 905.808.8416 w. myinktattoo.ca 30
New Tribe 232A Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.977.2786 w. newtribe.ca The Blind Tiger Tattoo 247 Queen St W, 2nd floor p. 416.312.2957 w. theblindtigertattoo.com
The Beadery 516 Queen St W p. 416.703.4668 w. thebeadery.ca The Fashion District Lifestyle 553 Queen St W p. 647.430.7433 w. thefashiondistrict.ca The Wool House 454 Queen St W p. 416.703.8679 w. thewoolhousetoronto.com
Textile & Garment Supplies Affordable Textiles 531 Queen St W p. 416.504.411 w. affordabletextiles.ca Arton Beads 523 Queen St W p. 416.504.1168 w. artonbeads.net Bling Bling and Ken Inc. 448 Queen St W p. 416.365.0880 w. blingblingonqueen.ca Chu Shing Textiles 440 Queen St W p. 416.504.9069 Downtown Fabrics 436 Queen St W p. 416.361.3004 Hi Beads 543 Queen St W p. 416.203.1688 Leo’s Textiles 473 Queen St W p. 416.504.6060 w. leostextiles.com Mokuba 575 Queen St W, Ground floor p. 416.504-5358 w. mokubacanada.com Neveren’s Sewing Supplies 451 Queen St W p. 416.504.6611 w. neverensewingsupply.com Queen Textiles 444 Queen St W p. 416.504.0108 -
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Government & Community Services Civix Student Vote 639 Queen St W p. 866.488.8775 w. civix.ca Court Martial Appeal 180 Queen St. W Federal Court 180 Queen St. W p. 1.800.663.2096 Federal Court of Appeal 180 Queen St. W Tax Court of Canada 180 Queen St. W p. 416.973.9181
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