Shopping locally has taken on a whole new meaning this holiday season.
More people than ever are determined to buy gifts close to home to help keep Birch Cliff businesses afloat during the second COVID-19 lockdown,
Yes, it’s Black Friday. But forget Amazon — there’s a terrific array of wonderful gifts that you can purchase from brick-and-mortar shops on Kingston Road as well as local entrepreneurs and home-based businesses.
Below is a gift shopping guide, complete with prices and ordering information for anyone who wants to support local Birch Cliff businesses.
If you run a local business based in Birch Cliff and would like to be included on the list, please email birchcliffnews@gmail.com.
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Luxe Home Decor, 1434A Kingston Road, west of Warden
Luxe is a stylish home decor shop that sells a mix of functional and decorative items including giftware, seasonal items, and kitchen and bath products. The Christmas trees below range from $24 – $36. The etched mirror hurricane vases are $20 -$34 and can be filled with mini LED lights or used as vases or candle holders. The 6″ mini globe with LED lights is $38.
To make a purchase, call 647-351-1434 or send a DM on Instagram or Facebook to owner Caroline Pius. Caroline is happy to give customers a virtual Facetime tour so they can shop, ask questions and see the products in real time. Payment via eTransfer. Luxe does curbside pickup and will deliver within 4 kilometres for purchases over $50.
The Kingston Social, 1427 Kingston Rd., west of Warden
If there’s a barbecue aficionado on your list, how about stuffing their stocking with rubs and condiments from the Kingston Social, 2020 winner of the Scarborough Mirror’s Readers’ Choice Award for best Takeout? The Combo Pack pictured below is $25.
Gift certificates are also available for chef Mike Beck’s Thurs. – Sun. takeout service that features delicious dishes such as Blueberry Baby Back Rib Dinner, Scarborough Style Smoked Jerk Pork Dinner, and Brisket Big Mac.
Menus can be found here. To purchase a holiday gift card or buy a combo pack, visit the Kingston Social at 1427 Kingston Road. Regular food orders can be placed at info@thekingstonsocial.com or 647-727-5464.
Kingston Social Combo Pack and Beef Short Ribs
The Birchcliff, 1680 Kingston Rd., east of Birchcliff Avenue
No need to be deprived of freshly brewed coffee during this latest lockdown because everyone’s favourite indie coffee shop, The Birchcliff, is still open for takeout.
While you’re grabbing your latte, why not pick up a stocking stuffer gift card? The Birchcliff also sells a range of shirts and hats. Long sleeve shirts are $35, hats $25.
The Birchcliff has added flavoured coffee to its gift line, including a Christmas blend, Irish coffee and mocha almond for $17.50 per 340g. The line of teas include Maple, Canadian Breakfast and Relax for $7.95. You can shop online at this link.
Birchcliff Coffee Bar gift assortment
Love at First Blush / Home-based business
Inspired by flora and fauna, Sabrina Chin creates a new approach to jewelry, shaping leather and precious metals into feminine forms and delicate pieces of wearable art. Her pieces are designed and handmade in Birch Cliff using traditional techniques and cutting-edge technology.
Prices range from $32 to $89 for the Two-Toned Feather Necklace pictured below, made from metallic soft leather to mimic the plumes of a bird. You can order from Love at First Blush here.
Love At First Blush
Vintage and Antiques, 1462 Kingston Rd., east of Warden
Things get better with age and if there’s a vintage lover on your holiday gift list, there’s no shortage of interesting ideas curated by owner Roni Brown at Vintage and Antiques.
The decanter, glasses, and cake stand pictured below start at $25. The framed vintage prints are $40 and the antique frames start at $45.
You can check out the items for sale on Facebook or Instagram @vintageandantiqueshop. 647-639-0474. The shop is open for curbside pick up and possible local delivery.
Vintage and Antiques
Crafts with Vic and Bri / Home-based business
These adorable Christmas Boxes are the handiwork of local crafters Vicki and Brianna Baker, a mother/daughter duo who turned to crafting to supplement their income during the pandemic.
Vicki is a stay-at-home mom and home daycare provider and Brianna is a university student crafting to help pay her university tuition.
The boxes are $20 and include a personalized elf, ornament, coffee mug, candy, hot chocolate, chips, and party favours.
The Christmas Boxes are customizable and you can purchase them on this Facebook Page.
Kennedy Catering, 1433 Kingston Rd., west of Warden
Is there someone in your life who would salivate at the thought of gourmet meal service? Consider gifting your favourite foodie a week of fresh, local, sustainable meals prepared by chef Matthew Kennedy, formerly of Bymark and North 44.
Customers can order a dinner package online starting at $150 that brings a different gourmet meal to the door five nights a week, although single orders are also available from $30.
Weekly menus can be found at http://www.kennedycatering.net. Scroll past the menu to find the order form.
Kennedy Catering Panko Crusted Crab Cakes
Precision Esthetics, 1202 Kingston Rd., west of Fallingbrook
Do you know somebody who could use a little pampering? How about getting them a gift card from Precision Esthetics that can be used once the lockdown is over?
Precision Esthetics Inc is a full-service studio offering the latest in beauty technology from certified technicians. Gift cards can be used towards all treatments, including special facials, manicures and pedicures, with services scaling up from $30. They also sell a wide range of products.
To purchase a gift card: Email: hello@precision-estheticsinc.com. Phone: 416-698-8179
Royal Young Market, 1678 Kingston Rd., east of Birchcliff Ave
Convenience store Royal Young Market is open during the lockdown and has a wide variety of grab-and-go flowers to brighten up your pandemic spirits.
This small family business has been serving the Birch Cliff community for more than 30 years and is able to keep prices low through long-term relationships with Ontario farmers. They also have an in-house florist, Fleur Du Solenn, who can do custom orders for any special occasion.
Their seasonal planters come in a range of prices and the pretty arrangement pictured below is $59.99.
Royal Young Market Christmas urn
Captured by Ivan / Home-based business
There’s not a parent I know who wouldn’t love the gift of a photo shoot with the entire family. Or maybe you know an engaged couple who would like to capture their love for all eternity with beautiful photos?
Photographer Ivan Leung offers creative packages starting at $250 for a 60-minute family photo shoot ranging up to a full service engagement/wedding package and everything in between.
Check out Ivan’s website here.
Maternity photo shoot by Ivan Leung
The House and Garden Co., 1660 Kingston Rd., at Birchcliff Avenue
If you’re looking for something special this holiday season, you can never go wrong with House and Garden Co, with the largest selection of gifts, home decorating items, candles and florals in Birch Cliff.
The holiday collection they really love is pictured below, Lucia Les Saisons, made in Montreal of organic soy wax. Soaps are $12. 20-hour and 50-hour candles in gift boxes are $14 and $29.
House and Garden can curate gifts, create planters and bouquets, and arrange local and GTA delivery online or over the phone 416-690-6987. Website is here.
Holiday collection Lucia Les Saisons
CORBIN Food and Events, 1559 Kingston Rd., west of Kildonan
CORBIN Market continues to be open for takeout with a great selection of Comfort Menu items prepared by celebrity chef Corbin Tomaszeski. The market is open for grab-and-go prepared food from 10am – 5pm Wednesday to Sunday.
CORBIN is also offering a selection of holiday gift and gourmet items pictured below, including Waitrose DUCHY, shortbread and cookies assortment for $8, Toast on Cheese from The Fine Cheese Co., an assortment of dried fruit and nut flavours from $9-$20, and Cartwright & Butler cookies, fudge, and shortbread with elegant re-usable tin $20+.
Gift Cards and other Gift & Gourmet items can be found at this link. Customers can request complimentary tag & tissue in kraft paper bags in store or online in the “Order Specifics” section.
CORBIN gourmet items
CakeBabeTO / Local entrepreneur
CakeBabeTO is the brainchild of Birch Cliff resident Jordan Fong, who’s transformed a love of baking into a thriving cake and cupcake business with a fun aesthetic. Jordan is a self-taught baker now working out of a commercial kitchen in Scarborough.
The wedding cake pictured below is a light lemon sponge with vanilla swiss meringue buttercream, decorated with 24k edible gold. The florals are made out of a combination of fondant and gumpaste and the leaves were crafted to resemble dried greens.
Cake prices start at $100 and cupcakes range from $1.50 for minis to $2.50 for regular size. Check out Jordan’s cake and cupcakes on Facebook and Instagram. You can also order at cakebabetoronto@gmail.com.
CakeBabeTO
Quarry Cafe, 2560 Gerrard St. East
When the holidays are done and you’re battening down for the rest of winter, what better to soothe the soul than some comfort food from The Quarry Cafe?
Whether it’s their famous all-day breakfast or one of their many Mediterranean specialties, new owner Chris Kamarlingos is offering takeout and delivery seven days a week. If you’re interested in a gift card, just pop over to the restaurant in the Quarry plaza — no need to call ahead.
If you don’t feel like cooking Christmas dinner this year, you can try the special roast turkey and/or pineapple-glazed Virginia ham.
Quarry Cafe, Chopped steak with caramelized fried onion and gravy
Salon O, 1436 Kingston Rd., west of Warden
If the previous lockdown is any indication, customers of Salon O will be anxious to update their quarantine haircuts as soon as businesses are allowed to open safely again. One way to help a small business is to pay for your hair appointment now and, hopefully, receive preferential booking once things are back to normal.
Salon O also offers gift cards than can be purchased by emailing them at salon.o.toronto@gmail.com.
Also check the website for details on a Lockdown Sale of limited products.
Salon O
Busters by the Bluffs, 1539 Kingston Rd., at Valhalla
From their cosy patio tent with television screen to a special “Quarantine” menu, Busters by the Bluffs has been doing everything in its power to keep this Birch Cliff institution on its feet.
Busters is currently open for takeout Mon. – Sun. from 3:30 – 8:30 pm. The quarantine menu features comfort food such as burgers, fish and chips, perogies, and wings that are sold by the pound in 12 flavours. All pick-up orders over $30 receive a $5 in Busters Bucks gift certificate. 10% discount if you pay in cash.
Busters Bucks would make a great stocking stuffer for Christmas and they can be purchased in $10 denominations.
Fallingbrook Market, 158 Fallingbrook Rd., at Kingston Road
Owned by husband and wife team Tony and Claudia Cornacchia, Fallingbrook Market sells a wide variety of prepared meals, meat, produce and grocery staples. Because they sell food, they’re fortunate to be open for walk-in shoppers during this lockdown but they also offer curbside pickup and delivery.
Fallingbrook Market is the place to go if you’re looking for gourmet food baskets or imported Italian products to fill the stocking of your favourite foodie.
You can also purchase a gift of pannetone for $20 – $40, the sweet Italian bread that’s a traditional favourite in Italy at Christmas and New Years.
Pannetone
Tonic Living / Local Entrepreneur
If you’re stuck at home during COVID and want to spruce things up, consider shopping at Tonic Living, an online home decor shop founded 16 years ago by Birch Cliff resident Janine Morrison.
Tonic Living offers a curated collection of gorgeous designer fabric by the yard, decorative pillows, area rugs and other accessories. Pillows start at $29.95.
You can order on the website and either have your purchases shipped or arrange for curbside pickup.
Tonic Living
Chuckaboo Boards / Home-based business
Chuckaboo board
Great article ! So many great options in Our Birch Cliff
Thanks Hedy – your shopping guide is REALLY helpful!
Hedi