Specializing in handmade and Canadian designers, Scout prides itself in providing a unique shopping experience. Beautiful letterpress cards, handmade jewelery, unique house wares, handbags and other accessories, as well as selected items for babies and mommies is just a taste of what you'll find.
Scout is a cozy west-end gift emporium offering a thoughtfully curated selection of Made in Canada gifts for all ages. Owner Leah Eyles previously worked at Red Pegasus in Little Italy for over 10 years, earning plenty of retail experience before venturing out on her own. “I was going to a lot of craft shows and seeing so much awesome work out there, but I didn’t necessarily see those things in shops around the city,” she explains. “I thought they needed a home.“
After a trip to Australia, Leah returned to Toronto and decided it was time to turn her vision into a reality. She opened Scout in 2011 and the boutique quickly became a fixture along the bustling Roncesvalles strip. “The community vibe is what drew me to the neighbourhood,” says Leah. “It feels like its own little village within Toronto. I really like the diversity of it — there were flower shops, bakeries, and a movie theater, and so I thought it could use a good gift shop.”
You won’t find anything cheap or mass-produced in here, just an impressive assortment of gifts and goodies made by local designers. Many of them are also handmade, giving your gift that special touch of uniqueness. From stationery to soaps to scarves, it’s almost impossible not to find the perfect one for any occasion. Top things off with a card – they have racks and racks from which to choose.
This is one of the best gift stores on Roncesvalles for so many reasons. There are truly unique items, such as handmade jewellery; they carry baby items if you want to give a gift for the future; the quality is superb and the prices are reasonable enough that you can give a huge basket of gifts. Plus, Canadian designers make a lot of the items so you can shop locally, as well.