Former owner of longtime Dundas West vintage shop Good Habits, Meaghan Harris, has ventured off to open a new vintage store in Little Italy with her partner Alejandro Moreno.
The name? Freak Vintage. Harris says the word “freak” is one she’s used for a long time to identify things that she really loves or that are particularly unique.
The shop officially opened on May 17, and according to the pair, it specializes in interesting staple pieces (conversation starters, so to speak).
“Alejandro likes to say it’s stuff you wear when you want to feel your absolute best,” says Harris. “Stuff you’d wear to go out on a date, to go on a night out, that you’d bring on vacation.”
“Sometimes you’re not feeling yourself, but if you put on one great piece of clothing, you’re like, ‘OK, this is going to get me to that party and make me feel good about myself,’” adds Moreno.
Brands range widely, with a focus on quality, personality and comfort. “It’s about feeling like the best version of yourself, which also means clothing that feels comfortable on your body,” says Harris, noting that they source a lot of natural fabrics, or else stretchy synthetics. Prices range from $15-$300 with the average item costing between $50-$70.
While there is a definite coalescence of their styles, there is also an intentional distinction. Harris’ taste leans more feminine, playful and campy, though she admits to having a penchant for sportswear as well. “In terms of fashion, I’ve always been really into campy glamor as an undertone,” she says.
Moreno’s style favours texture and ruggedness. “I think both of our styles merging together [makes for] a neutral, genderless experience,” he says.
They highlight the contrast in the shop’s interior design as well, pairing more stereotypically masculine decor with feminine details — like a piece of wall art featuring a bodybuilder that has a large bouquet of pink lilies in front of it. “To me, that’s delicious. I personally find that more interesting than if something’s just soft and pretty or if something’s just rugged,” says Harris.
The pair met at a New Year’s Eve party two and a half years ago and couldn’t stop making eyes at each other all night — perhaps in part due to a mutual appreciation of each other’s style. They began dating and quickly bonded over their love of vintage clothes, a passion hobby that they pursue in Toronto, but also in their travels.
“When we travel, we’re the types of people who don’t go home until we have to sleep. We’re going to be out all day, walking around and finding markets. Our relationship lends itself well to searching for vintage,” Harris says.
She had already been working in vintage for years, having opened Good Habits with her previous business partner Kelty Lewis in 2020, when the pandemic halted her former work as a tattoo artist. Harris and Lewis successfully ran the shop together for the past five years, and last fall they partnered with Expo Vintage owner Nick Marian to launch a vintage crawl in Little Portugal.
A new aspiration began to emerge when the couple planned a month-long vacation last winter and wanted to make some extra money to fund their travels. Since sourcing vintage was already second nature to Harris, she and Moreno began building a collection together, picking up pieces on their travels and selling them on Depop under the name Vintage Freaks. In October of 2024, they vended at their first market in Toronto, and the next month, they held a month-long pop-up on Ossington Street.
Where she brought the clothing retail experience, Moreno brought a background in hospitality and interior design. A mutual dream quickly materialized of having their own space to curate and host their collection.
When they found the unit in Little Italy, it felt like the perfect match. “The neighbourhood is very vibrant, and it reminds us of when we’re travelling, where people are going about their day without feeling too seen. It’s definitely a very wide demographic of people, older to younger, and all the styles are all different,” says Moreno.
“It suits the ethos of what we’re trying to do,” adds Harris. “Because although our shop is gallery style vintage, the prices are accessible, and it’s meant to be for lots of different types of people.”
Their hope is to facilitate an experience as much as a great selection of clothes. “We want it to be a place that people can come in and just look at things and feel inspired,” says Harris, “even if you’re not necessarily somebody who’s purchasing something today.”
You can visit Freak Vintage at 581 College St., Monday–Saturday from 1–7 p.m. and Sunday from 1–5 p.m. They also continue to pop up at markets, like the Good Friends Market taking place next month.
