Toronto store closes permanently after 30 years serving city's counterculture

February marked the end of an era for one of the city's best-known cannabis accessories stores with the permanent closure of Toronto Hemp Company (THC).

THC closed its doors at 665 Yonge St. for good on February 13, 2024, wrapping up a 30-year chapter in Toronto's counterculture history like an expertly rolled doob.

The store first opened in 1994 in a nearby location in the Yonge and Bloor area and quickly grew to become a go-to destination in the city's pre-legalization cannabis scene.

It earned this reputation not just for its selection of smoking accessories and clothing, but also as a trusted knowledge resource for newcomers in what was an often murky world of intersecting facts and myths before the veil of legality was lifted.

The store expanded in the 2000s with a new location and the addition of its Vapor Central smoking lounge, which itself became a hub of the local cannabis community before shuttering in 2021.

Owners cited a variety of factors for the closure, including the legal cannabis market, lockdowns and the government.

THC's owner had harsh words for the powers that be, quoted as saying, "We're done with this sh*t! F**k COVID, f**k our government, f**k their BS 'legal market', and f**k Yonge Street and this city's destruction of and hatred for business and neighbourhoods."

THC closed with a bang in mid-February, clearing out its inventory with sales of up to 50 per cent off.

A listing for the vacant storefront on Yonge Street and the second-floor space formerly occupied by Vapor Central has been active since early March.