Toronto market is so much more than a place for fashion and delicious food

A multidisciplinary space located in Toronto's Leslieville neighbourhood has been drawing attention for years with its intriguing blend of retail, dining, and art — a combination not often found in the city.

Located on Queen St. E. near Jones Ave., ALLWOOD MRKT combines a plant-focused café, boutiques, and a curated art gallery under the direction of designer, chef, and entrepreneur, Kevin Allwood.

When you step inside, you're immediately greeted by the boutique's wide range of handcrafted items from all over the world. Think potted plants, small-batch hot sauces, and one-of-a-kind pieces from Africa, including mud cloths from the Ivory Coast, handwoven baskets from Zimbabwe and South Africa, as well as apothecary products, home goods, and intricate jewellery.

Every item you find in the store is part of a tightly curated selection that emphasizes both craftsmanship and traceability.

"Ethical means traceable, intentional, and human. It means knowing who made what, where it came from, and why it exists. No overproduction, no shortcuts — only work that carries dignity from maker to client," co-founder Kevin Allwood told blogTO.

ALLWOOD MRKT is just the latest in a series of creative ventures by Kevin Allwood, who has worked in design for nearly four decades. Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Allwood launched his first fashion brand, NEVIK, in Ottawa in 1986.

He went on to open a studio and shop in Montreal, which later expanded to five retail locations, and collections were carried by high-end stores like Ogilvy. In 2007, Allwood took a seven-year break from fashion, during which he founded KA Magazine, a publication dedicated to ethical design, travel, and lifestyle.

He returned to fashion in 2014, producing collections under his own name from a private atelier in Toronto.

The following year, he opened KASPACE, a concept store in Leslieville that included a fashion showroom, art gallery, and bookstore. The vegetarian café portion of the space was added in 2017.

The retail component of the space continues on Allwood's focus on small-scale, ethical production. Unlike other retail stores, the space does not follow fixed seasonal cycles, and items rotate naturally. While you'll see some objects in stock for years, others only appear once.

"The standard is the same everywhere: excellence, authenticity, and respect for origin," Allwood said.

"Rotation follows rhythm and vibe. Some items stay because they are timeless, others appear only once. Freshness comes from alignment. When the space, the season, and the work all meet, the collection evolves naturally. Some things we will keep repeating for years, others were meant to blaze and move on."

The store's café, appropriately named Café Allwood, serves a plant-based menu designed around Ital (a diet associated with Rastafarian culture) and holistic cooking principles, honouring the belief that "food is medicine."

The menu includes dishes like ackee and salted tofu, chickpea potato curry roti, and jerk lentils. Breakfast options include vegan omelettes, plant-based burgers, and an ackee brunch with scotch bonnet seasoning.

Along with its retail and dining operations, ALLWOOD MRKT also functions as a small art gallery and event space, hosting rotating artist showings, private dinners, and small gatherings that align with the brand’s ethos.

"The point is not crowd or spectacle, it is resonance. The right people, the right moment, the right space," Allwood told blogTO.

"Every gathering connects legacy to responsibility, ensuring beauty also creates tangible impact."

Through the events, the business also supports the My Jamaica Heaven Fund, a charitable initiative that raises resources to build schools and orphanages in Jamaica, beginning with Rose Hall in the Montego Bay Area.

Built over the last 39 years, Allwood says the brand's legacy has continued quietly, consistently, and without compromise.

"The setbacks and pitfalls do not take away from legacy, they make legacy. It is the tapestry, woven one thread at a time, across nearly four decades, that has brought us here," Allwood said.

ALLWOOD MRKT is located at 1183 Queen St. E.