Operating a bricks-and-mortar store as a small vintage-business owner can be challenging in the best of times — but in pandemic times, when many provinces have implemented restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19, it’s downright difficult.

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In January 2021, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) estimated that 181,000 small businesses in Canada are considering permanently closing due to the pandemic. That’s one in six — and it’s in addition to the 58,000 that already closed in 2020. By the end of the pandemic, that means one in five small businesses may have permanently closed.

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“The more businesses that disappear, the more jobs we will lose and the harder it will be for the economy to recover,” says Simon Gaudreault, senior director of national research at CFIB, in a statement.

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In some provinces, vintage stores may be permitted to be open for in-store shopping, or curbside pick-up or drop-off under COVID-19 restrictions — so check to see what’s currently going on in your area. Many stores will also sell through their websites, Instagram, Poshmark or Depop — all good ways to support them (when you can) so that they can keep their doors open.

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Below, we’re sharing a list of some cool vintage fashion bricks-and-mortar stores across Canada to visit or follow online. (Also check our list of vintage furniture bricks-and-mortar stores.)

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Scout

@scout.street.style
shopscoutonline.square.site

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Ed. note: Has moved online only since this article was originally published

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Aryn Ballett’s shop, which specializes in vintage and pre-loved contemporary finds, started life as a mobile vintage-store-in-an RV that she would park around the city. In 2019, Ballett moved Scout into a shared space on the third floor of Posie Row & Co., a collective of independent businesses housed in a brightly painted storefront of the “Jellybean Row” aesthetic that’s signature to St. John’s.

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Now, she’s back to online sales again after closing her storefront in May 2022. Recent sales included a Newfoundland-made, 100 per cent wool parka with fur trim and a 1970s-era striped tube top with Rollergirl vibes. Shop online or via the RV, which Ballett still takes on the road in the summer months.

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Tuck N Roll Vintage

Ed. note: This store permanently closed in 2023. | Charlottetown, PE

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Streetwear, skateboard culture and art from the 1980s and 1990s are the focus at Robbie Carruthers’ store, which also stocks contemporary clothes. Tuck N Roll is tucked into an unassuming grey-shingled building just off Charlottetown’s waterfront, but inside, the racks are a colourful mix of letterman jackets, sports jerseys, vintage Converse shoes and band T-shirts.

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A denim section features perfectly faded Levi’s, Tommy Hilfigers and workwear. Recent acquisitions include dusty rose-and-teal Nike Air Max 1s and a Chicago Bulls Starter jacket. Carruthers, a local actor, also sells ’80s pop culture collectibles, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? stickers. Shop in-store only.

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The Loot

1711 Barrington St. | Halifax, NS
@theloothfx

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It’s Cher Horowitz-meets-2000s streetwear at Anna Campbell’s brick-walled store The Loot, located in the city’s downtown. Retro gym bags, miniskirts aplenty and 1990s-era designer sweatshirts make The Loot a millennial’s dream.

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Among recent additions: an argyle sweater, Ralph Lauren Polo shirt and plaid Doc Martens. A retro TV monitor screens VHS flicks from the ’90s and early aughts. Campbell also stocks pieces from local artists, and features images of her clients in their finds on the store’s Instagram channel. Shop in-store or via Instagram.

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Visitors

‍Ed note: This shop permanently closed in May 2022 | Saint John, NB‍
shopvisitors.ca

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Artists KC Wilcox and Emily Saab opened their store-meets-art-studio in 2018 with a curated selection of vintage and pre-loved finds, as well as new items such as local art, cards and gifts, and handmade jewellery.

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Kitschy T-shirts, jackets with classic lines and vintage designer clothes by brands like Chloé settle for equal space in the store. Wilcox and Saab also run their own studio out of the shop, producing limited-edition clothing and decor items. Shop in-store, online or via Instagram. Ships globally.

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Citizen Vintage

5330 Boulevard Saint-Laurent | Montreal, QC
4059 Boulevard Saint-Laurent | Montreal, QC
@citizenvintage
citizenvintage.com

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Shop owners Lara Kaluza and Becky Emlaw met in the late aughts at a vintage pop-up event. After collaborating at future events, they opened up their own store, Citizen Vintage, in Montreal’s Mile End neighbourhood in 2011. Ten years later, they now own a second shop in the city’s Plateau area.

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In addition to a well-edited selection of vintage clothing pieces in excellent condition, Kaluza and Emlaw produce their own vintage-inspired, ethical clothing line called Studio Citizen, which frequently uses locally sourced dead-stock fabric.

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Collaborations with local creators keep the stores stocked with unique artwork and make the merchandised windows extra colourful. Shop in-store or online, with free shipping over $200 in North America.

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Boutique Lucia F.

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34 St-Joseph Ouest | Quebec, QC
@boutiqueluciaf
lucia-f.com

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Owner Cheryl Campbell has been bringing quality vintage to Quebec City since 2009. Her inviting shop — named after her great-aunt — feels like a cool living room, with thoughtfully merchandised pieces for men and women hanging from racks and on the walls.

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Recent finds include a 1990s bronze satin chemise and a made-in-Montreal black robe dress with metallic shoulder detail from the 1980s. A small selection of the Saint-Sauveur shop’s wares are online, otherwise shop in-store. Ships globally.

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Darling Vintage

502 Somerset St. W. | Ottawa, ON
@darlingvintageshop

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Owner Jaime McLeod curates quality vintage from a range of eras in her popular Centretown shop. Expect to find everything from Hawaiian shirts to printed dresses to thoughtfully selected accessories. A vintage and pre-loved wedding gown section makes the shop a must-visit for vintage-loving brides-to-be.

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McLeod also prints T-shirts with snappy sayings on-site, so shoppers can consider pairing an “Eat the Rich” tee with something from her extensive vintage denim collection. Get inspiration on Instagram, and shop in-store only.

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Mama Loves You Vintage

541 Queen St. W. | Toronto, ON
@mamalovesyouvintage
mamalovesyouvintage.com

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Before opening their shop in 2012 in Toronto’s Fashion District, mother-daughter entrepreneurs Melo and Mahro Anfield lived in Vancouver, where Melo was a picker for a now-defunct vintage store. At Mama Loves You, the Anfields share an eye for designs ranging from the 1990s all the way back to the early 1900s.

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Bubblegum-pink walls are a bright backdrop to clothes for any gender and quirky memorabilia they’ve collected over the years. Recent acquisitions include a beautifully crocheted 1910s Edwardian nightgown, a 1940s black wool coat with mink collar, an 1890s Victorian ruffled bodice and skirt set, and red leather hot pants.  Shop in-store or directly via Instagram. Ships globally.

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Filthy Rebena Vintage

177 Dundas St. | London, ON
144 Wortley Rd. | London, ON
@filthyrebena
filthyrebena.com

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Natalie Bradshaw and Darlene Davis are Toronto expats who met in 2010 while working as photography stylists at the city’s location of Beyond Retro, a European vintage clothing company. When Beyond Retro pulled out of Canada, the women lost their jobs, but took the connections they’d made with the city’s rag houses and started selling vintage on the side as Filthy Rebena on Etsy.

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They eventually took their business to a storefront in more-affordable downtown London in 2015, and now stock vintage and pre-loved clothing — all photographed with an editorial eye — as well as gifts and crafts from local makers.

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Bradshaw and Davis also offer wholesale vintage clothes and sourcing services to independent retailers of any size — and they opened a second location in London in March 2022, where they’ve added a backyard flower farm. Shop in-store, online or on Instagram story sales.

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Vantage Vintage Boutique

70 Albert St. #210 | Winnipeg, MB
@vantagevintagebtq
vantagevintagebtq.com

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Michael Duchon and Joshua Alderson favour structured shapes ranging from the late 1800s to the 1980s at their shop, which they opened in 2018 in Winnipeg’s historic Telegram Building after a year of selling vintage on Instagram as a hobby.

Duchon and Alderson, who thoroughly research the provenance of their pieces and have a deep knowledge of vintage clothing, keep their website and Instagram updated with new finds, and can sometimes be found modelling clothing on Vantage’s Instagram feed.

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Recent sales include a 1920s naval officer’s boat cloak and a pale yellow, 1930s embroidered net gown. The pair frequently works with the city’s creative community on collaboration and shoots. Shop in-store, online and on Instagram.

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Hazlewood

120 20th St. W. | Saskatoon, SK
@hazlewoodshop
hazlewoodshop.com

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Indigenous entrepreneur Michaela Michael opened Hazlewood, her Saskatoon vintage shop, in 2015 with a contemporary aesthetic that is heavy on neutrals and timeless shapes. The airy space, with its warm wood floors, aims to reflect the natural beauty and heritage of the prairies through vintage clothing, housewares, accessories and furniture.

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Clothing picks range from ivory cable-knit sweaters to brown suede fringe jackets to perfectly faded jeans. Michael also brings in locally made modern clothes produced from vintage fabrics, and beautifully packaged, maker-made household and beauty items from around North America, including the Sḵwálwen Botanicals skin care line from the Skwxẃu7mesh (Squamish) First Nation in B.C. See what’s new on Instagram, then shop in-store or online.

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The Come Up

10359 82 Ave. NW | Edmonton, AB
@thecomeupyeg
thecomeup.ca

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Vintage streetwear and sneakers from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s are the focus of this lower-level shop, which is decked out with a wide selection of VHS tapes, cassettes, posters and other pop culture curio like your cool best friend’s basement might be.

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The store also sells new streetwear from choice brands such as O.V.O. and Supreme — but on the vintage side, the staggering inventory includes graphic tees, logo sweatshirts, baseball hats, sports jerseys and more. Shop in-store, online or on Instagram. Ships globally.

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Velour Clothing Exchange

101-1812 4th St. SW | Calgary, AB
@velourclothingexchange
velourclothingexchange.com

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After circulating Calgary with vintage pop-ups, Myra Miller founded the city’s first buy/sell/trade clothing store in 2016, and now runs it with her daughter Michelle. Velour Clothing Exchange hones in on pieces from the 1960s to 1990s as well as pre-owned contemporary clothes that fit with current trends.

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Customers can sell items to Velour for cash, or trade for store credit, but whatever comes in is meticulously evaluated before it’s accepted. Of note: the store is organized gender-neutrally, and also carries jewellery, accessories, art and apparel from designers and artisans.

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Stoxx Vintage

Kingsgate Mall, 370 E. Broadway #118 | Vancouver, BC
Woodgrove Centre, 6631 Island Hwy | Nanaimo, BC
Metropolis at Metrotown, 4700 Kingsway | Burnaby, BC
@stoxxvintage
stoxxvintage.com

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It’s a family affair at this Black-owned vintage shop, where young actor Aiden Stoxx and his model-brother Trey Denzyl help their parents with social media marketing, filming regular videos about what’s in store.

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The Vancouver shop, which was founded in 1998 and prides itself on its presence at “firsthand retail” malls, stocks everything from graphic T-shirts and jerseys to jeans and work pants to cowboy boots. Shop in-store, online or on Instagram. Ships globally.

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Vintage After Death

523 Pandora Ave. | Victoria, BC
@vintageafterdeath
vintageafterdeath.com

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Abbey Riddell and Arunimá McNeish started Vintage After Death as a pop-up shop in the city’s famous Fan Tan Alley. Now, they fill their Market Square shop, which has been open since 2015, with a mix of glamorous and eccentric clothing, footwear, accessories and trinkets from the pre-2000s.

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Online, a limited selection of Vintage After Death’s clothes, modelled largely by McNeish, adopt fun names like “Dearly Departed Fringed 40s Frock” and “Highland Queen Tartan Pantsuit Set.” Shop in-store, with a limited selection available online. Ships globally.

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Where do you like to shop for vintage fashion and accessories? Let us know in the comments!

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