If you're not familiar with City Cottage Market, they're an east-end grocer that does atmosphere as much as they do groceries. With pillars like supporting local, being a family-friendly, non-discriminatory community hub and offering a welcoming space and safe environment, City Cottage Market is no ordinary corner shop.
Prior to their new home on 1427 Kingston Road, City Cottage Market used to be located at 81 Haig but needed more space to provide east enders with their favourite goodies; their new spot is four times larger than the original, allows dogs, gives them room for a Friends-style couch, and is the community space they've always wanted in Birch Cliff. They also have a kitchen, hot food offerings, seating inside, and even a full-service coffee bar. It's a one-stop-shop where folks can go to feel at home (but also practically buy stuff for their existing homes). Given their popularity at 81 Haig, it's wonderful that the owners, Daniel and Liana, can maintain their roots in the same community.
Daniel and Liana opened the shop after being inspired by Rose Apothecary from Schitt's Creek, although this was always an idea in Daniel's heart. Their Covid-pivot success story is a warm reminder that sometimes we just need to take the scary step away from our (and, in Daniel's case, extremely well-paying) desk jobs to fuel our souls with what makes us happy. Daniel's mom also passionately works at City Cottage Market, and if you're not going for the fresh loaf of Blackbird Baking Co. bread, you're going in to see Daniel's mom.
More space means more freezers, and being able to provide high-quality, quick frozen meals for customers to make for their families is an asset to the area. They carry prepared foods like wraps and salads, and have partnerships with other Toronto businesses like Village Juicery, Tori's Bakeshop, and Lazy Daisy's (yes, they have the biscuits). Not a single product in City Cottage Market is produced outside of Canada. That's called supporting local.
City Cottage Market has many exciting things planned for the future! They are buying a liquor license from Kingston Social (who were in the space before them) so they can operate as a full-service bodega, possibly open a speakeasy in the basement, and will be renting out their space on weekends and evenings for pop-ups and events. Follow their Instagram for announcements.
