Take a journey back in time and taste a slice of country life in the city. At Old’s Cool General Store we pride ourselves in relationships and building community. We have a variety of unique items including handmade soap, toilet paper, alternative and health foods, accessibly priced art, vintage toys games and old tin robots. Stop by today and explore our shelves for yourself!more...See more text
Hidden amongst aging bungalows and low-income rentals at Lumsden and Westlake in East York, Old’s Cool General Store is a throwback to the days when you could get everything you needed at your local corner store: milk, ice cream, smokes, the paper and a big dose of local news and gossip.
While the milk now comes in cartons as well as bottles, and the cigarettes are hidden from view behind the gluten-free and vegan treats, Old’s Cool still offers that sense of community and cozy friendliness from a bygone era.
Owners Zahra Dhanani and Mariko Nguyen-Dhanani set up shop in 2015 with a vision to be more than just another dusty convenience store. They wanted to create a community hub, a place that could foster connections between neighbours. “Human beings are social creatures, and whether we’re introverted or extroverted, we still need connections,” says Zahra.
While a lawyer by training, Zahra has spent most of her life self-employed, working as a community builder – especially in Toronto's marginalized communities. “I’ve always been my own business person,” she says. Her business partner, Mariko, is also self-employed as a city contractor, so both women are no strangers to the rigours of small business ownership. But the pair were looking for more than just a money making venture: Zahra was looking to fund her community work and create something that would contribute to the surrounding area. With an established clientele and a long history of serving the primarily residential community, the duo viewed the 100-year-old storefront as the perfect opportunity.
