Ossington is making its way north once again! In June, Summerhill got yet another export from Toronto’s trendiest district. Seagrave’s (formerly known as I Miss You Man, brother store to I Miss You Vintage) has officially opened on Yonge Street with an elegant cherry red storefront and dark wood interior. The men’s consignment store is the latest in a series of new openings in the neighbourhood coming directly from Ossington. And owner John Seagrave has a theory about that.
“I’ve been looking at locations for a couple of years now, and I’ve been trying to find a pocket that had a similar kind of energy to Ossington, a little bit more neighbourhoody,” he says. “Toronto’s coolest street” may have changed quite a bit over the past few years, but Seagrave has been there for more than a decade. “It wasn’t traditionally a shopping destination. And that’s true for Summerhill too: it feels more like a neighbourhood and not just a shopping destination.”
Seagrave says that since officially signing off on the new location, he’s already heard about countless new stores opening — pointing to designer department store–style shop Absolutely Fabrics opening up the road in the fall as an example.
“It’s exciting to see how much more is coming to the neighbourhood. We’re in a fun little pocket where we have just a couple stores on our little block, and we’re pretty much the only menswear here, so we have our nice little niche,” he says.
Since opening in Summerhill, Seagrave has also learned that many of the clients who consigned with I Miss You Man over the years happen to live in the neighbourhood. “They’ve happened upon me here in Summerhill and are like, ‘Oh, you’re here now!’ So it’s almost like we’re bringing it to them.”
As owner of one of the first menswear-focused consignment shops in the city, Seagrave says he’s certainly noticed a “shift” over the years in attitudes toward buying second-hand.
“People are becoming more conscious about where they’re getting their clothing. And I think the value factor is a big win too. If you can recycle and renew your wardrobe and get good quality pieces in for not too much more than you’d be spending at the mall, it’s a compelling argument to shop in that way,” he says.
He notes that over the years, shoppers have become younger and not just because of shifting demographics in Ossington. “It’s noticeable, seeing younger people buy this level of clothing. I certainly wasn’t when I was a teenager. They’re more inclined to buy vintage, for sure, and maybe instead of buying the vintage T, they’re going for the luxury resale T instead.”
Inside Seagrave, you’ll find a whole host of highly coveted brands, ranging from Rick Owens and Maison Margiela to Prada and Thom Browne. And while prices can go as high as $8,995 for a 1957 Rolex, you can find a ton of quality pieces for under $100, like a Stussy knit polo or a Universal Works overshirt.
Plenty of work went into the construction of the new Summerhill shop, including the design, led by Seagrave’s wife and Studio MAD founder Michelle Agnew. Also sprinkled throughout the space is vintage furniture sourced from Seagrave’s friend, Colen Colthurst of Porch Modern — the chairs at the back of the shop, near the change rooms, are for sale like the rest of the store.
You can visit the new shop at 1066 Yonge St.
