The Drake Hotel Toronto; the Drake General Store

The Drake Hotel Toronto is know as a top boutique hotel experience. Set in Toronto's hipster West Queen West it is a hub for art, has a top restaurant and roof top patio.

The hotel takes their experience one step further by reinventing the hotel gift shop. Tacky pens, key chains and postcards take a back seat to antiques, camp blankets, Canadiana and quirky finds. 

Shopping at the Drake General Store is a bit like scouring a flea market, part hipster hangout and part cottage gift shop.

Prices are definitely reflective of the Toronto market not "Wow I found this for $1" experience. But you are sure to find something unlike most other gift shops in the city.

What I like about the store is that instead of half the shop being taken up by cards with bad humor there is instead gifts that people could appreciate.

Granted the clothing and accessories have a very hipster vibe, but there is so much else in the store. Kitchen accessories range from useful to retro and country cute. Ditto for the rest of the home accessories. Great for someone with a cottage.

There is even cute stuff for kids. I have bought my daughter a great bedtime book and loved the cute reindeer soap dispenser.

What I really like is the great Canadiana items. Some of it is tongue in cheek. I picked up a fun retro Mountie notebook the last time I was at the Rosedale shop. But some of the items are really covetable like the All Canadian North Star sweatshirts.



Watch for items that appear Canadian like the classic American Pendleton blankets and accessories. I will give the Drake General Store a bye on these items though because they do fit the overall aesthetic of the shop.

They do feature local artisans as well. Like artist Eric Quebral's "I Miss the Old Blue Jays" Plates and local jewellery sensation Biko.




Watch for the Apothecary signs along West Queen West, Rosedale and King & Bathurst. There is also the new 50/50 concept store adjacent to the West Queen West store. 

Open (West Queen West location, next to the Drake Hotel Toronto)

Mon - Thurs 11 - 7

Thurs - Fri 11 - 9

Sat 10 - 9

Sun 11 - 6

The Rosedale and Bathurst locations have reduced hours from those shown above.

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