As the name suggests, St Lawrence Antique Market is a market of antique products. It is a major public market. This place is a haven for people who are fond of antique items. Toronto’s Sunday Antique Market at St Lawrence has been a major attraction for people for over 3 decades.
It was established in the year 1803. This market acts as a magnet, pulling and sticking people together on the grounds of shared value and experiences of food, culture, heritage, and much more.
This market is situated in and around the ancient Market Reserve of the Town of York. This market has been a crucial social, civic, and economic core for Toronto for more than 200 years. It also acts as an anchor for the St. Lawrence Market neighborhood.
The market houses stuff that you could not have even imagined witnessing. From coins to film cameras and oil paintings dating back to the 30s and the 40s, this antique market is a time machine!
Some people enter this market street to fish out some unique items to keep as decorative pieces, while some come to spend time in the hope of having a walk down memory lane. Later, they relish the spent time with a cup of coffee on their couch.
Along with knowledgeable collectors and fans of antiques, you can find attractive designers on research for their next assignment. They are all aware that there is just one location to look for that “unique” find.
The St Lawrence Antique Market is brimming with unique and ever-changing items, including rare antiques and sought-after vintage such as jewelry to ancient books. The items range from mid-century modern to Victorian sterling and can be found only on Sundays. Here, we shall learn a little about the St Lawrence Antique Market’s journey over the years.
1. Location of St Lawrence Antique Market
The St Lawrence Antique Market is located in Toronto, Canada, in the St Lawrence neighborhood near Front Street East and Jarvis Street. Two adjacent north and south sites of St Lawrence Market make this a total public market.
The South Market is south of Front Street East, surrounded by the Esplanade. The North Market is north of this street, surrounded by St Lawrence Hall.
2. History of St Lawrence Market
The population of York, Upper Canada, rose considerably by 1803 and a need for a public market was now mandatory. Seeing this, the Lieutenant of Upper Canada established a weekly market day and designated a day.
Toronto initially had 3 public markets named after the places they were opened in the 19th century. St Lawrence, as we now know, was founded in 1803 and was the first of the three initial markets.
3. The Closing
The founder Marlene Cook has come up with a rather disappointing decision of shutting down the St Lawrence Antique Market. She said that this Sunday Market is closing because she wants to go out with a positive market for all her dealers.
The founder feared business loss after the 2 years of lockdown. And the decision of the city to shut the street to vehicles would be a dead end for the market St and its dealers.
The closing of the Sunday Antique Market is a sentimental moment for anyone who had to do something with the market. Everybody who has experienced this unique Sunday market will miss it somehow.
Vendors have made it to this place daily as their routine for more than 15 years. Now the closing of this shopping place will leave a big vacuum with people who have been associated with this place for such long periods.
Despite having the option of buying things from platforms like eBay, people still choose to be at the market because it’s more than just a place of retail. The vendors and customers hope to retain a connection with each other as the market means a lot to them. Therefore, they exchanged cards and contacts in the last market.
4. Temporary Location
Once in the north building, the market is now under a sizeable tent after the market’s demolition for reconstruction, along with other previous North Market tenants. The Sunday Market has been working on a transitory location at Market Street and the Esplanade, south of St. Lawrence Market.
5. Reopening
Yes, you read that right. The Sunday antique market is reopening! Looks like that was not the last antique market you visited. The unfortunate closing of the lovable market St this summer was quite a bummer for the community of antique enthusiasts.
It will open every Sunday from 7 am to 4 pm, with proper social distancing protocols. Masking and sanitizing will be mandatory.
6. New Location
It will no longer be located downtown but at the Small Arms Inspection Building at 1352 Lakeshore Road East in Mississauga, Ontario. The new location happened because the St Lawrence Antique Market was not invited back to be a tenant again after the reconstruction of the St Lawrence building.
The organizers have arranged for 200 parking spaces and public transportation to draw customers. It is a short bus ride and about a 13-minute walk from Long branch GO station. So, make it a point to visit it again this weekend.
7. Online Presence
This market seems to have a great presence online, especially on Facebook. It has an active Facebook page. People can browse stock photos and gather information about new products and events beforehand.
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Final Thoughts
This antique market is a history book that is not to be read but experienced. Every lane, every table with antiques spread out on it, or the antiques kept inside the shelf are ready to tell you interesting untold stories, parts that even many history books cannot cover.
People sometimes come here with friends or family to find something special at the antique store to spark that nostalgia within them. It can be as small as a diary or a poetry book, brooch to something very huge such as some statues and paintings.
People see the St Lawrence Antique Market as a place of business and in many other ways that bring people, their friends, and the communities closer on Sundays and forever. St Lawrence Market stands strong on its legacy.
