It’s not every day you come across a funky blue shop with gorgeous boots and colourful jackets lining the entrance, but in Kensington Market, Courage My Love fits the bill.
The beloved store was built in 1900 in the heart of the Toronto market, with the Scriver family taking over the space 50 years ago.
A slew of celebrity encounters and one-of-a-kind pieces from around the world are just a handful of things you can find here.
Two teachers with one vision
Courage My Love first opened its doors in 1975 when Stewart and Patricia Scriver, two Toronto teachers, decided to turn their love for all things fashion and antiques into something.
While the couple’s daughter Cece Scriver was only two years old when the store opened, she’s now one of the co-owners and says she still remembers the early days like it was yesterday, from the celebrity visitors to the memorable pieces that have come through the door.
For the pair, giving up stable jobs and a steady income was worth it to feed that passion.
“They opened this little antique store and sold everything they owned to do it,” Scriver explained. “And then somehow, on one of those first days, someone came in and spent 100 bucks, and we have never done less than that in sales in a day since. And that man still shops here to this day.”
Collecting treasures
If you’re anything like me, looking around this vibrant store stocked with everything from flowing lace dresses to tweed blazers and stained glass lamps sparks a big question – where do all these quirky items come from?
“My mom was and still is such a fashion person,” Scriver laughed. “She was like, ‘Well, I’m just going to make this and that,’ and then the stuff just flew off the shelves. She would also find a lot of the clothing. She would go out and truly thrift, and she had this innate sense of what anyone would want before they probably even knew themselves. That talent is just in her.”
“You also have to add something fresh every five years or so,” Scriver continued. “The latest addition was glassware. My dad was like, ‘Coloured glass is going to be hot,’ and he was right about that, as always.”
Family ties
While you may think that being 86 years old would stop Scriver’s mom and dad from hand-selecting items for the store, you’d be wrong.
“My parents go around to every single thrift store outside of the city, and we also go to farm auctions. After making such a name for ourselves, people now come to us, people from around the world,” said Scriver. “They know we love antiques, and they’ll show up with them for us from different parts of the world.”
If you’re curious how one family can work so closely after 50 years, you may be shocked to know that not only do the Scrivers all work together, but they all live in Kensington Market. “Not one of us has ever driven to work, we roll out of bed and pop over,” she stated.
Look Good In Blue
As the years have gone on, Courage My Love has become a staple in Kensington Market, so much so that everyone from rock stars to royalty shops there.
“If they dress well, they’ve been here,” chimed Scriver. “When I was seven, Blondie was here talking to my dad, and he said, ‘Hey Cece, this is Blondie,’ and I went, ‘You’re not blonde,’ and walked away. I was such a little brat,” she laughed.
“Royals have visited before. We were the only place doing what we were doing. Very cool artists and people rocked through here because it was the place to come find something interesting.”
“Kensington is special,” Scriver said. “It’s a place where you can become something. Everybody here has invented themselves. But we’re all very close, and we all know each other, so don’t poke one of us, or we’ll all come for you,” she joked. “It’s actually very sweet how close everyone in the area is.”
“We aren’t going anywhere,” grinned Scriver. “I told my daughter whenever she’s ready, she can start thinking of something to add to this place.”
I left the little blue store on Kensington Avenue with a giant smile and a new sense of cool. I have a feeling that’s exactly what’s kept Courage My Love around for all this time.
A word of advice from Cece? “If you have something good, make it even more good.”
