Queen West

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Gentrification tugging at roots of Queen West neighbourhood

His shop is packed to the ceiling with antique mirrors, old microphones, Star Trek lunch boxes and tired-looking mannequins once used in Toronto department stores.

Abraham Shalechi stands behind the cluttered counter greeting the occasional customer, wandering in from the cold. He greets his patrons with a warm smile and allows them time to peruse his many treasures freely. Seldom does anyone purchase one of Shalechi’s unique wares.


Queen West is not so cool for everyone

When Vogue named part of Toronto the second “hippest” neighbourhood in the world (Tokyo being the first), many Torontonians were thrilled to have received international recognition. However, some locals have a different opinion of what living in a “cool” neighborhood really means.