Scout

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.”