location: 23 Bernard West
phone number: 514.270.9333
hours: Mon - closed; Tues-Wed 12pm-6pm; Thurs-Fri 12pm-8pm; Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
payment methods: cash, interac, Visa, MasterCard
direction: Between St. Laurent and Clark, closest metro is Laurier, but it’s a bit of a walk from there. Better to take the St. Laurent bus (50) up to Bernard and walk half a block west.

There’s no musty smell or cluttered, dingy feel at Local 23. This community oriented clothing store is a beautiful array of old and new finds, with its brightly painted walls and wide selection of bags, shoes, jewellery, CDs, and clothing. Half carefully selected second-hand pieces and half unique boutique items from local designers, this is a spot where you can splurge on a stunning appliqué leather purse, or find the perfect handmade Christmas card for your sister. The atmosphere is very fresh, modern, and accessible.

“We look for anything that’s beautiful and well conceived or pushing the edge a little bit,” says Genevieve, one of the store’s two owners. “We want people to be frivolous and have fun while shopping.” A major draw is the store’s in-house designer, Jen Glasgow, who makes beautiful (and surprisingly affordable) handmade hats and silk-screened clothes. This is a place that’s difficult to leave empty handed . . . I know I didn’t.
Naomi Lightman