Toronto's Best
eye readers choice awards 2003
BEST DEAL IN MENSWEAR
OLD NAVY
Eaton Centre, 416-593-2551
Value Village
1319 Bloor W, 416-539-0585
BEST DEAL IN WOMENSWEAR
ZARA
50 Bloor W, 416-916-2401
Smart Set
BEST SHOE STORE
ALDO
332 Yonge, 416-596-1390
Payless
237 Yonge, 416-362-6415
BEST CLUBWEAR STORE
LE CHATEAU
Urban Behaviour
BEST PLACE TO BUY JEANS
JEAN MACHINE
Le Château
Bluenotes
BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE
BLACK MARKET (see below)
319 Queen W, 416-591-7945
256A Queen W, 416-599-5858
Courage My Love
14 Kensington, 416-979-1992
BEST OPTICAL STORE
RAPP
788 College, 416-537-6590
LensCrafters
Eaton Centre, 416-581-1621
BEST HAIRCUT
COUPE BIZZARRE
704 Queen W, 416-504-0783
710 Queen W, 416-367-8998
House of Lords
639 Yonge, 416-962-1111
LEAST-PAINFUL PIERCING PLACE
WAY COOL TATTOOS
679 Queen W, 416-603-0145
5203 Yonge, 416-226-4142
New Tribe
232 Queen 416-977-2786
COOLEST TATTOO PLACE
WAY COOL TATTOOS
679 Queen W, 416-603-0145
604 Yonge, 416-929-2285
New Tribe
232 Queen 416-977-2786
BEST LEATHER/FETISH BOUTIQUE
NORTHBOUND LEATHER
586 Yonge, 416-972-1037
MissBehav'N
650 Queen W, 416-866-7979
BEST LINGERIE STORE
LA SENZA
La Vie en Rose
HAPPIEST PLACE TO BUY A DILDO
COME AS YOU ARE
701 Queen W, 416-504-7934
Condom Shack
231 Queen W, 416-596-7515
729 Yonge, 416-966-4226
FRIENDLIEST PLACE TO BUY CONDOMS
CONDOM SHACK
231 Queen W, 416-596-7515
729 Yonge, 416-966-4226
Come as You Are
701 Queen W, 416-504-7934
Shoppers Drug Mart
BEST PET STORE
PJ'S PET CENTRE
835 Eglinton E, 416-696-0388
Pet Valu
339 College, 416-944-0314
539-541 Parliament, 416-961-0661
BEST LATE-NIGHT STORE
DOMINION
Rabba Fine Foods
BEST INDEPENDENT VIDEO STORE
QUEEN VIDEO
412 Queen W, 416-504-3030
480 Bloor W, 416-588-5767
Suspect Video
619 Queen W, 416-504-7135
605 Markham St, 416-588-6674
BEST VIDEO CHAIN
BLOCKBUSTER
Rogers
BEST DVD STORE
HMV
Future Shop
BEST CD CHAIN
HMV
Sam the Record Man
Sunrise
BEST INDEPENDENT RECORD STORE
SOUNDSCAPES
572 College, 416-537-1620
Rotate This
620 Queen W, 416-504-8447
BEST USED CD STORE
SONIC BOOM
512 Bloor W, 416-532-0334
Penguin
2 McCaul, 416-597-1687
Second Spin
386 Bloor W, 416-961-7746
BEST INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
PAGES
256 Queen W, 416-598-1447
Book City
501 Bloor W, 416-961-4496
BEST USED BOOKSTORE
BMV
10 Edward, 416-977-3087
She Said Boom!
372 College, 416-944-3224
393 Roncesvalles, 416-531-6843
BEST SPECIALTY BOOKSTORE
THEATREBOOKS
11 St Thomas, 416-922-7175
Glad Day Book Shop
598A Yonge, 416-961-4161
Bakka Sci Fi
598 Yonge, 416-963-9993
BEST PLACE TO BUY COMICS
SILVER SNAIL
367 Queen W, 416-593-9433
The Beguiling
601 Markham St., 416-533-9168
BEST PLACE TO BUY FANTASY/SF BOOKS AND WARES
BAKKA
598 Yonge, 416-963-9993
Silver Snail
367 Queen W, 416-593-9433
BEST MAGAZINE/ NEWSPAPER STORE
PAGES
256 Queen W, 416-598-1447
Chapters
BEST PLACE TO BUY A TV
FUTURE SHOP
Best Buy (Laird location)
147 Laird, 647-777-3196
BEST PLACE TO BUY A STEREO
BAY BLOOR RADIO
55 Bloor W, 416-967-7404
Future Shop
BEST PLACE TO BUY
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
STEVE'S
415 Queen W, 416-593-8888
Long & McQuade
925 Bloor W, 416-535-8215
BEST PLACE TO BUY VIDEOGAMES
EB GAMES
Microplay
Future Shop
BEST COMPUTER STORE
FUTURE SHOP
CPUsed/PCUsed
488 Dupont, 416-533-2001
BEST COMPUTER REPAIR SHOP
CPUSED/PCUSED (see above)
Carbon Computing
772 Queen E, 416-535-1999
BEST CELLULAR/PCS PHONE SERVICE
TELUS
Rogers
BEST CAMERA SHOP
HENRY'S
119 Church, 416-868-0872
Black's
BEST PHOTO DEVELOPER
BLACK'S
West Camera
514 Queen W, 416-504-9432
BEST PRINT/COPY SHOP
KINKO'S
Staples
Digital Propaganda
BEST ART-SUPPLY STORE
CURRY'S
344 Queen W, 416-260-2633
Loomis & Toles Art Supplies
2056 Danforth, 416-422-2443
BEST FURNITURE STORE
IKEA
15 Provost, 416-222-4532
1475 The Queensway, 416-646-4532
EQ3
570 Queen W, 416-362-1995
Leon's
BEST ANTIQUE/RETRO STORE
EYE SPY
1100 Queen E, 416-461-4061
Goodwill
Metro Retro
711 Queen W, 416-504-1651
Remnants
865 Queen W, 416-861-1452
Abraham's Antiques
BEST FUTON STORE
EAST-WEST
Ikea
15 Provost, 416-222-4532
1475 The Queensway, 416-646-4532
BEST HARDWARE STORE
VALUE!
Home Depot
BEST KITCHEN GADGET STORE
KITCHEN STUFF PLUS
Canadian Tire
BEST OUTDOOR GEAR SHOP
MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP
400 King W, 416-340-2667
Canadian Tire
BEST SKATE/SNOWBOARD SHOP
HOG TOWN
401 King W, 416-598-4192
Sporting Life
2665 Yonge, 416-485-1611
BEST BICYCLE SHOP
DUKE CYCLE
625 Queen W, 416-504-6138
Cyclepath (Bloor)
1204 Bloor W, 416-533-4481
BEST BICYCLE REPAIR SHOP
DUKE CYCLE
625 Queen W, 416-504-6138
Dave Fix My Bike
130 Harbord, 416-944-2453
BEST GROCERY STORE
LOBLAWS
Dominion
BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE
NOAH'S NATURAL FOODS
322 Bloor W, 416-968-7930
2401 Yonge, 416-488-0904
667 Yonge, 416-969-0220
Essence of Life
56D Kensington, 416-204-1030
BEST CANDY STORE
SUGAR MOUNTAIN
571 Queen W, 416-861-1405
Tutti Frutti
64 Kensington, 416-592-9281
543 Queen W, 416-203-7787
BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE
256A Queen W., 416-599-5858
319 Queen W., 416-591-7945
With two locations facing each other on opposite sides of the street, Black Market represents Queen West's goalposts of hipsterism, through which even the most fashion-challenged mook can pass through and come out the other side looking like a Stroke. Whether you're rockin' '70s pimp-style pleathers or ironic grade-school multi-coloured puffy vests, Black's racks have you covered. And while not technically in the vintage realm, the store's deal on classic-rock shirt reprints -- three for $20 -- is still the most cost-effective way to transform yourself into an Almost Famous extra. STUART BERMAN
