Downtown Orillia is a cornucopia of food, fashion and fun. If you haven’t shopped here yet, or you haven’t been in a while, Fall is a great time to come down and check out the dozens of shops, cafes, and restaurants along Mississaga Street and beyond. Whether it’s a random vinyl record, a local author’s book, or the latest kitchen gadgets that you’re shopping for, you can find it locally.
Nicole Birch, owner of Studio Eleven is busy filling her racks with new ladies’ fashions and she says Fall 2018 is shaping up with lots of stripes, shades of grey and embellishments that will personalize fashion choices to create that unique look.
“I’m seeing lots of faux leathers and faux furs coming in for Fall,” she says. “Turtle necks and chunky sweaters are coming back, and they are really big again this year.”
Whether you are searching for a few classic pieces or a whole new wardrobe for the season, Downtown Orillia has a wide variety of shops selling women’s and men’s clothing for all budgets, ages and styles.
Just Elaine’s offers high-end fashion and wardrobe consulting, while at Closet Jems Consignment Boutique, the racks are also filling with classic and trendy items, and store owner Theresa Gifford says this is the place to be if you are into retro fashions, and who isn’t?
“Retro is huge this year,” she says. “Teens and the Twenty-somethings are all looking at the 80s and 90s for their styles. Closet Jems caters to a wide market with fashions that are on trend and gently used.
Fashion Therapy is one of the newest shops, and owner Nancy Nevala boasts that 80 per cent of the clothing lines are Canadian, and the rest are quality choices from the US, France, Peru and Turkey.
While there is lots to choose from, if clothes shopping isn’t your thing, there are plenty of unique places to find treasures for yourself or gifts for the upcoming holiday season or a special birthday or anniversary. Everything from hand-poured soy wax candles at Candles with Care to custom furniture at Long Way Home Custom Furniture and Design, Downtown Orillia has something for everyone.
Shopping locally offers residents a chance to give back and promote locally-owned and operated businesses while boosting the local economy by keeping your hard-earned dollars here in the community. Thriving local businesses are the backbone of a healthy city.
Orillia is serious about supporting downtown businesses. The city recently introduced the Passport Parking App to allow drivers to pay for and extend parking remotely, get notifications when parking is about to expire, keep track of parking history and get emailed receipts. That means no more running out of a restaurant mid-meal to put coins in the meter. It’s a convenience that shop owners hope will bring more people to the downtown area.
It’s a special place, located close to Couchiching Beach Park, so visitors can make a day of it and see much that Orillia has to offer.
Of course, when that day of shopping and sightseeing leaves you a bit hungry, you can choose from a variety of restaurants and cafes to satisfy your appetite. From the baked goods and salads at Mariposa Market to the wood-fired pizza at Rustica Pizza ~Vino, Downtown Orillia caters to your palette.
by Robin Maclennan
Local Shops
Becker Shoes
33 Mississaga St E
CC Bak 2 Basics, Women’s Clothing
50 Mississaga St W
Closet Jems
96 Mississaga St E
Dapper Depot Menswear
39 Mississaga St E
Fashion Therapy
140 Mississaga St E
Glass Lighting Gallery
2 Mississaga St E
Harold + Ferne: The Local Goods Co.
165 Mississaga St E
Jack & Maddy A Kids’ Store
143 Mississaga St E
Just Elaine’s
138 Mississaga St E
Kahuna Surfshop
175 Mississaga St E
Kelly’s Klothing
75 Mississaga St E
Lahay’s Hobby & Craft
21 Mississaga St E
Long Way Home Custom Furniture & Décor
141 Mississaga St E
Plum Loco Clothing Shop
114 Mississaga St E
Sarahannedipity
11 Peter St S
Sinergy Clothing
97 Mississaga St E
Studio Eleven
89 Mississaga St E
The Kitchen Shop
70 Mississaga St E
Town’s Jewellers
51 Mississaga St E
The Sock Drawer & More
112 Mississaga St E
