Courage My Love

14 Kensington Avenue
Phone: 416.979.1992

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Posted by Briony
January 21, 2008

Rating: 4.0/5 (23 votes cast)

Courage My Love LeadKensington Market favourite Courage My Love has been open since the seventies, and has won a loyal following among Torontonians looking for cheap vintage, exotic beads, exquisite jewelry from faraway lands, and off-beat trinkets.

I'd always passed over the place due its hippie vibe, but one loooong visit changed my mind for good. After appraising for the ROM and traveling the world, founder and co-owner Stewart Scriver started the shop in 1975 as an outlet for the treasures he brought back from his travels, and vintage lovelies.

He still travels for a good chunk of the year to Thailand, Mexico, Turkey, India and even Namibia (for its famous bead markets), leaving the management of the store to his daughter and co-owner, Cece. The pair's passion for the offbeat and finding the right item for everyone shines through in the store's diverse, one-of-a-kind offerings.

Courage My Love Vintage ClothingJewelry makers can rejoice in the high-end beads, colored hemp, leather cording, and neat buttons that are made specifically for Courage My Love in Indonesia. Beaders can add some copper beads, tangerine grenades, black polka-dotted blue glass beads, African Amazonite, pink quartz, or bone flowers to their next project.

People who don't want to DIY can hit up the shop's jewelry stores--there's cheapie sterling silver rings and pendants, but also a wide variety of pricier pieces, studded with amber, coral, or turquoise. An elaborate, heavy, coral and silver necklace can go for $2400, but there are many more affordable pieces, like rings with chunky blue lapis ($220) or red carnelian ($68).

Courage My Love VIntage

Vintage clothing is the other main draw here, with excellent prices keeping clientele coming back. One could find a salmon-coloured velvet cocktail dress for $60, or a pale green silk shift with a beaded neckline for only $24. More practical items include men's blazers for $20 to $30, dress pants for $25, plaid skirts for around $14, and sturdy thick silk dresses for around $25.

Such a mishmash wouldn't be complete with some retro home accessories, right? I bypassed the hippie staples of the Balinese offering baskets ($12-$20) and brightly painted coconut masks ($15) and instead looked upward to the high shelves crammed with wacky, gorgeous ceramic lamps.

There are pony lamps and panther lamps, along with many groovy colour combos, like pink with black squiggles, and dark green with gold sparkles. With treasures this awesome, I can see past the hippie vibe - I've seen the light and love Courage My Love.

Courage My Love Lamps

Courage My Love Rings

Courage My Love Shoes

2Courage My Love Outside

ariel c. on November 9, 2008 at 11:43 PM

I LOVE this store.
the necklaces are amazing and so are the clothes ! :)

Emily on December 26, 2008 at 11:47 AM

I LOVE Courage!!! I got the prettiest vintage 40s dress there for only $25. And they have the cutest buttons you'll ever see!

Diane Farrall on December 31, 2008 at 3:02 PM

Hello, Do you have any specific retail outlet/store at Ottawa/Nepean that you have some of your "special & unique" items for sale?
I am a long-time fashion guru, and would love to be able to purchase some of your specialty items(jewellery, clothes and shoes) for myself and close friends.
Look forward to a reply, at your convenience.
Thank you kindly, Diane Farrall

Anonymous on March 16, 2009 at 11:05 PM , replying to a comment from Emily

mcrobert?

Anonymous on March 16, 2009 at 11:06 PM , replying to a comment from ariel c.

ariel cohen?

Rachel on April 15, 2009 at 7:00 PM

Hi, I was wondering if there are any pieces in the store that would be suitable for a high school graduation (so more like pretty cocktail dresses either floor length or knee)

Thank you!

Emily on April 16, 2009 at 2:39 AM

Hi Rachel, i'm not the original author or anything but you could probably find something like that there. I find my high school graduation dress there-- vintage 1940s, white with black Battenburg lace at the bottom, and i got tons of compliments on it... and the best part is that it was only $25! So do go there, but if you don't find anything, just explore up and down Kensington Ave... I LOVE Flashback (i think it's Flashback... or possibly King of Kensington? It's on the other side of the street anyway) too and the guy who owns it is SO friendly and helpful. I'm sure you'll find something in Kensington.

Jim on August 19, 2009 at 11:30 AM

Do they have a Men's section?

Apple on October 7, 2009 at 10:46 AM

This store will satisfy every person's taste- it has a bit of everything and that's why I absolutely LOVE it. It's all about vintage, it definitely has my loyal vote.

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