Naked Thoughts: You Have a Choice. Shop LOCAL this Holiday Season.
Written by the Naked team
Image via @roncesvillage on Instagram
Back in March, we offered up our experience and talents to any small or medium sized business needing marketing/communications help to deal with the impacts of COVID-19. Our 'Here to Help' program provided assistance to over 20 different small business across Ontario.
As a small business ourselves, we understand how deeply others like us can be negatively affected by this pandemic. 97% of businesses in Canada are small businesses. They are the engine of the Canadian economy, and they need our help. So, as you do your Cyber Monday and Holiday shopping, think about putting your dollars into the hands of hardworking Canadians instead of the global retail giants. You have a choice.
Shop local. Buy local. Click local. Eat local. Drink local. Support local. Then tell someone else about it and pay it forward. And if you don’t quite know where to begin, our team has lined up some of our favourite Canadian brands, shops, eats and gifts. Buckle up!
Meagan Younger, Director of Strategic Planning
Raise the Root Organic Market is my favourite women-owned organic shop in Leslieville – they support local farmers and businesses and carry the freshest local produce and grocery items. While you might not imagine putting a carton of farm-fresh eggs in a stocking for Christmas morning (logistics aside, I would dig it), Raise the Root has unique and meaningful gifting options available.
Image via @thesoapworks on Instagram
My absolute favourite Raise the Root gift this year is from a zero-waste, natural, local family-owned soap brand called The Soap Works – their products make a thoughtful gift and will remind your loved ones to indulge in self-care, without the chemicals and waste. I gift The Soap Works as a stocking stuffer or, for the people on my “nice” list, I curate personal self-care gift boxes with a selection of my favourite local items. The hero of the gift box is The Soap Works soaps (my favourites are Tea Tree, Creamy Clay and Cucumber & Calendula, to name a few) and I accompany it with other products like The Soap Works Bentonite Clay face mask, a bamboo soap dish, a Gua Sha, a bar of Jelina Chocolatier chocolate and a bottle of Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir.
It’s local, women-owned retailers like Raise the Root Organic and valued-based, family-owned companies like The Soap Works that help our communities thrive and supporting them is a gift in itself.
Jake Shier, Designer
If you know me, this one shouldn't come as a surprise. A Kendama (Japanese game) is a great gift option for a teenager or family member who’s hard to shop for.
Though a Kendama might seem daunting, it’s an awesome activity that helps you unplug from the world and put your focus into. I have 2 Kendama companies I can share. They’re both locally owned, one of which also makes custom wooden charcuterie/cheese boards sold on Etsy.
Sweets Kendamas Toronto (owned by my friend Braedon)
Spiffy Toys (owned by my friend Selvia, who also makes these custom boards!)
Kenneth Fothergill, Art Director
Image via Fashion Magazine
Nouveau Riche Vintage is not just another vintage shop on Queen West. Andrea (the owner) curates a stylist's dream collection of vintage designer women's wear and accessories.
It's my wife's go-to for "stellar, it-girl finds" (her words). It's the kind of place women begrudgingly tell their friends about, because the finds are just so good and the prices are so honest. Andrea takes a real interest in her customers' personal styles, becoming akin to a personal shopper for those visit her regularly. It's a gem of a store owned by a gem of person who actively supports the LGBTQ and local fashion community.
Beth Aguilar, Designer
I’d first like to point out that Toronto’s iconic Summerlicious and Winterlicious festivals were first created to encourage residents to patronize their local restaurants during the SARS crisis in Canada. In that vein, I’d like to recommend that you try out Happy Birthday Cakes in Mississauga. They make the most delicious cakes and pastries - both European and ethnic Filipino. I’d particularly single out their vaunted ube (purple yam) cake - a melt in your mouth Filipino specialty.
This mother-daughter shop doesn’t have e-commerce set up quite yet, but you can reach them through Facebook, or safely head over to their storefront to see the delicacies for yourself.
Alex MacNicol, Accounts & Strategy Intern
Is part of you happy about all this time we’ve been spending inside? Do you like video games, but think games today have too many damn buttons? Do you long for the sweet, nostalgic simplicity of jumping red plumbers and barrel-tossing apes? Look no further than A&C Games, Toronto’s local hub for rare and vintage video games. From console to cartridge, t-shirt to TV cable, A&C can help you get your nerd on this holiday season.
Seamus McGill, Copywriter
Image via ShopKoa.ca
Have you seen the sun lately? Me neither. With vitamin D on winter vacay, your skin deserves some extra TLC.
KOA is a Toronto-based, Black-owned skincare company started by a friend with a background in biochemistry. Their products are scientifically formulated using plant-based ingredients. And their Instagram has the best memes in the game.
I swear by the Revival Cleanser. It’s super gentle, and its minty freshness wakes your skin right up.
Devin Ste Marie, Account Coordinator
Hoi Yi Lai crafting her pieces!
I’m always on the hunt for some sparkly silver jewellery, and recently found this small shop in Toronto called Kotoba Jewellery. The artist, Hoi Yi Lai, hand-makes all her pieces in Toronto with a mission to make each piece into wearable art, each with its own story. I bought a pair of earrings and they’re made using a technique called “water casting,” where she melts recycled silver and pours them into swirling water. Each piece is made to order so no two orders are the same.
And if you’re east of Toronto or have friends/family in Durham, check out my favourite spot in my hometown Whitby, Town Brewery. They offer $10 flat rate shipping across Ontario and have a tasty selection of modern pale ales and IPAs. They also dabble in sours or other fun drinks like their new “Science Water”: a Raspberry Green Tea Seltzer.
Bryan Crisostomo, Lead Developer
Blue Banana in Kensington Market
There are too many small businesses I love, so I’m featuring an entire area of Toronto that can cover all your needs. After all, what’s not to love about Kensington Market? It’s the place locals go for some cheaper produce, gifts, and mason jars. Or to party in secret bars (RIP to Cold Tea and The Boat!). The food at the market is like going to friends home and their mother tells you to come stay for dinner. So you sit down, get to eating and conversing - and before you know it, it’s 2am and wondering where the time went.
Here are some BlogTo links to my favourite spots in Kensington:
Great gift places (Blue Banana will have everything you need)
Groceries (I miss living next to these places!)
Restos (Get your takeout bags ready…)
Peter Shier, President
There are so many ways to support small businesses. I love to walk around The Distillery (Naked’s stomping ground) and Queen and King Streets and explore all the unique shops, restaurants and businesses. Here are a few of my absolute favourites:
Old Town Bodega on King Street East. Great wines. Great take out. Great vibe. Great people.
Not a storefront, but nishe.shop is an online directory that lists small businesses by area in Toronto. It’s a great tool to use when looking for curbside pickup options in your neighbourhood.
Lucky Seven Steel on Niagara is a great place to find unique gifts and home decor made from steel. It’s a female-owned and operated shop, and the founder has a background in prop and set design for theatre.
Dayna Goldhar, Social Media and Digital Lead
Image via @BloodBrothersBrewing on Instagram
Blood Brothers Brewery is my favourite brewery. Period. And it helps that they create all of their legendary drinks about 15 minutes from where I live.
Working from home for the last 8 months has really allowed me to broaden my horizons when it comes to restaurants and breweries (through take-out, of course). Time and time again, Blood Brothers impresses me with their innovative approach to brewing their beer (and their packaging and labels are always on point). They use really interesting fruits and flavour combinations to spice up a standard lager or IPA. Their menu is seasonal, so you know they’re always using the freshest ingredients. My favourite drink is definitely the “Razzle Dazzle”, which is a bright pink dessert-style sour with hints of raspberry and vanilla. If you’re looking for something to put you in the Holiday spirit, try their “Paradise Lost” sour ale with Cherry and Cinnamon. And if you’re looking for a gift for your beer-loving friend, you can’t go wrong with the 6-pack sampler, delivered right to their door.
Greg Plata, Director of Strategy and Brand Development
image via @futurebakery_toronto on Instagram
Future Bakery: A taste of home, and easily Toronto’s best pierogies – hands down. Don’t be fooled by the name, they are more than just a bakery - they offer a variety of traditional Ukrainian eats; hot, cold and frozen. Future Bakery is a family-run operation, paying homage to the owner Borys’ grandparents, who ran multiple successful bakeries in Ukraine before WWII. In fact, they use the exact same recipe to make their bread! Check them out by Sherway Gardens on the west end, or in St. Lawrence Market on the east end.
Taylor Pawsey, account Director
Image via @encircled_ on Instagram
Encircled is a women’s clothing company based in Toronto. Their products are made of ethically sourced materials and sewn right here in Toronto (I know the owner - our dogs are friends). I love that their brand’s mantra is “less is more”; they’re all about creating timeless, thoughtfully crafted wardrobe staples.
My personal favourite product they carry are the Dressy Sweatpants. I mean, the name itself says it all. They look professional but wear like your comfiest sweats, which means they’ll work perfectly as office attire (…one day). It’s the perfect gift for your sister, friend, mom, boss, teacher, or yourself. You’re welcome.