It’s clear from the moment you walk into Waterfront Gifts & Apparel that it isn’t your typical gift shop.
Sure, there are the expected tourist staples: brightly coloured ‘Kingston’ magnets, mugs emblazoned with trolleys and cruise ships, and subtle nods to the city’s penchant for limestone via Kingston-branded coasters. But that’s essentially where the tourist gift shop cliché ends and something refreshing and unexpected takes over.
Waterfront Gifts & Apparel itself is rather beautiful, actually; open, airy and meticulously merchandized with an expansive wall of windows and skylights bathing the store in natural light. And while undeniably gorgeous in its appointments and products, it still maintains a relaxed atmosphere that encourages customers to snoop around.
Every surface in the store features something unique and locally-minded, with almost every product sourced from a Canadian merchant or artisan. At Waterfront Gifts & Apparel, you’ll find items from the likes of Cate & Levi, Shiva’s Delight, Ark Imports and Whitewater Premium Candle Co. to name a very select few. The shelves are a virtual ‘who’s who’ of established Canadian brands, while still leaving room for lesser-known businesses to be discovered.
In terms of apparel, Waterfront Gifts offers an extensive collection for customers to choose from. Here, you’ll find it all: Kingston-branded graphic t-shirts you will actually want to wear, colourful knit hoodies, hilarious boxer shorts, premium bags, and perhaps most impressively: awesome onesies you simply won’t be talked out of buying. Everything is distinctly Canadian, but without blatantly hitting you over the head with thousands of maple leafs or ‘eh’s’ in giant block lettering.
But perhaps what truly elevates Waterfront Gifts & Apparel above your typical tourist trap gift shop is their vast collection of gifts you actually want to buy, whether for yourself or someone else. This isn’t just a store for tourists – locals should also definitely find plenty of reasons to come back. From beautifully silkscreened pillows and ornate jewellery, to an impressive assortment of entertaining items (think cocktail mixes and Canadian poutine gravy) and drink ware (Group of 7 coffee mugs? Yes, please), you’ll be hard pressed to leave the store empty-handed.
So whether you’re new to town, or a seasoned regular – check out the offerings at Waterfront Gifts & Apparel (248 Ontario Street). You’ll be pleased that you did.
