Top 5 independent shops in Toronto

Streets of Toronto's October 2026 list called it a Kensington Market fixture for half a century, with cowboy boots lining the front entrance. blogTO's January 2025 piece on its 50th anniversary described it as a funky blue shop with gorgeous boots and colourful jackets lining the entrance, stocking everything from flowing lace dresses to tweed blazers and stained glass lamps.

• “The blue storefront is a Kensington Market fixture, as are the cowboy boots that line the front entrance.”

  Streets of Toronto, Julia Mastroianni · best-of list · October 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

• “a funky blue shop with gorgeous boots and colourful jackets lining the entrance”

  blogTO, Taylor Lucas · feature · January 11, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Courage My Love's website

Retail Insider's April 2024 piece described it as a lifestyle and fashion store where you can buy jeans, dishes and soaps in one place, with departments and categories that draw shoppers in. blogTO's December 2025 Leslieville gift guide called it a one-stop shop for apparel, accessories, home goods and winter essentials.

• “You can buy not only a pair of jeans but you can buy dishes and you can buy soaps.”

  Retail Insider · feature · April 7, 2024 (opens in a new tab)

• “From apparel and accessories to home goods and winter essentials, Good Neighbour has plenty for gift buyers seeking something modern, useful, and beautifully curated.”

  blogTO, Kendall Bistretzan · best-of list · December 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Streets of Toronto's October 2024 best-of list named Scout as a go-to gift shop for Torontonians, with two locations and a selection of puzzles, locally made mugs and other goods. blogTO's September 2024 piece noted 13 years of carefully curated home goods, children's products and accessories at Roncesvalles Village and Leslieville.

• “With two locations on opposite sides of the city, this boutique is dangerous to step in if you have no clear shopping goal in mind”

  Streets of Toronto · best-of list · October 2, 2024 (opens in a new tab)

• “carefully curated home goods, children's products and accessories”

  blogTO, Phoebe Knight · feature · September 14, 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Scout's website

Streets of Toronto's October 2026 list described Mjölk as a lifestyle shop with Scandinavian and Japanese pieces and in-house furniture made by Canadian designers. The outlet's September 2025 list called it a shop for cool people, filled with pieces from artisanal brass bottle openers to a 1959-designed butterfly coffee table.

• “Scandinavian and Japanese pieces make up much of the selection here, as well as some in-house made furniture created by Canadian designers in collaboration with the studio.”

  Streets of Toronto, Julia Mastroianni · best-of list · October 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

• “A shop for cool people, by cool people, Mjölk is filled with Scandinavian and Japanese pieces ranging from artisanal brass bottle openers to a 1959-designed butterfly coffee table.”

  Streets of Toronto · best-of list · September 30, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Mjölk's website

Streets of Toronto's October 2026 list noted that celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo and Emma Chamberlain have used the shop to source looks. The outlet's February 2026 piece described it as a moody, intimate boutique with a cosy couch at the back, with Olivia Rodrigo, Tate McRae and Laufey among its customers. The outlet's September 2024 feature called it a highly curated boutique for mid-range and designer pieces from the 1990s to the 2000s.

• “Celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo and Emma Chamberlain have trusted the west end shop to source show-stopping looks for them.”

  Streets of Toronto, Julia Mastroianni · best-of list · October 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

• “a moody, intimate boutique that features a cosy '80s couch at the back and vintage fashion magazines and design books”

  Streets of Toronto, Julia Mastroianni · feature · February 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

• “Located just north of Runnymede station, Smoking Vintage is a highly curated boutique offering a mix of mid-range and designer pieces from the '90s to the 2000s.”

  Streets of Toronto · feature · September 17, 2024 (opens in a new tab)