Torontonians will know The Drake Hotel for its live music, rooftop patio, and quintessential bohemian vibe, but as of 2008, the watering hole has also offered an evocative twist on the traditional hotel gift shop, reimagining it in a contemporary and varied urban context.
By capturing inspiration from the classic general store, the museum shop and the flea market stand, each of The General Stores are filled with a sense of whimsy and nostalgia, catering to the sensible and the not so sensible.
Creating unique destinations for classic and modern goodies, this month the store has gone back to school cool, offering up a clean and contemporary aesthetic that incorporates both bespoke product collages and on-figure shots.
The collection mixes vintage treasures from their Hot Hunt antique shop, such as retro school maps and industrial tin letters, as well as new items from the General Store shelves, like the hugely popular North Star sweatshirt, Canadian-designed Shared knapsacks, hangover tea, and Baggu leather pouches.
On top of the classroom antics, the store is also bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase “window shopping” as it shows off hand-painted window art by local Toronto artist, Andrew Kidder. Paying homage to the late John Hughes, the words “I will not turn detention into the Breakfast Club” are painted repeatedly in the style of traditional discipline lines with a playful twist.
You can spy the window at 1144 Queen Street West, 1011 Yonge Street and 82A Bathurst Street. While Hot Hunt is located at 1140 Queen Street West.
