It’s a rite of passage for art lovers in Toronto: Checking out the hub that is the city’s 401 Richmond building, located at Richmond Street and Spadina Avenue in the bustling Queen West neighbourhood. Grab a coffee, make your way through the building’s plethora of art galleries and end with a perusal of the perfectly curated books and objects at Swipe Design –Toronto’s destination design boutique that’s been around, in some capacity or another, since 1987.
The beloved store carries an extensive collection of design, art and children’s books, as well as small, classic industrial items like housewares, jewellery and paper goods. The staff know the clientele seek out the store’s revolving inventory and knowledgeable staff for inspiration. “That’s where the name Swipe came from. Designers come to ‘swipe’ ideas,” says Kellie Hadjidimitriou, the store’s manager and buyer, who has been with the company since the late '90s. “We want our customers to be able to walk in and ask for something and we'll know what they're talking about.”
