toronto crossways swag

Toronto apartment building with a mall inside just got its own swag

There are a lot of tees, pins, hats and totes made in Toronto dedicated specifically to the people who live here, the places they populate, from clothing emblazoned with the names of various neighbourhoods to shirts expressing frustration with the TTC.

One brutalist apartment complex in particular is getting some love from Toronto makers Button Machine and The Store, who have collaborated on a couple items paying homage to The Crossways.

If you’re not familiar with the ugly (yet, in certain lights—strangely beautiful) towers rising over 29 stories into the sky at Dundas and Bloor, they’re home to hundreds of residents and a string of dated yet reliable businesses below.

Built in the 1970s, they haven’t changed much since, and that includes their delightfully retro logo. The look of the place caught the eye of Button Machine’s Chris Aslanidis, who began posting photos of the building from different angles to Instagram using the hashtag #crosswayswednesdays.

Other Crossways fans even took to posting their own photos using the hashtag.

“The Crossways caught wind of that and started an Instagram and followed me,” he says. It was Rob of The Store who suggested they reach out to Crossways about an official collab, and after a few emails and even a meeting in the rental office, the deal was sealed.

Rob at The Store was responsible for designing the shirt and Chris designed the pin.

Both will be released today at Dundas West Fest, so make sure you’re first at their booths to snag your preferred size and colour. Because after that, there’ll only be a limited run of stock available on their web stores while supplies last.

So, why The Crossways?

“Myself and Rob from the Store both have an appreciation for Toronto nostalgia. And both living in the area had an appreciation for The Crossways, which we consider a beacon of the west end. It’s a unique building,” says Chris Aslanidis.

“It is certainly of a time, but it is why we like it. Looks great on a shirt.”

Lead photo by

@thestorethestorethestore


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