What to expect at the Popify pop-up shop
Popify is launching for a few short days this week in Kensington Market. While Toronto has pretty much won the lottery with holiday time ephemeral store fronts and craft shows, our very own collaboration Popify will be part gallery, part hands-on shop, part party (say that 5 times really fast), and part online store - with free shipping North America wide. We've teamed up with e-commerce website Shopify to create an IRL + URL hub for indie makers to showcase everything from designer toothpicks to skateboards, plus clothing, curiosities, and (hopefully) a few things you've never seen before.
Here are a few things you'll find at the Popify storefront.
Robotic Puzzles: Areaware's Cubebot
For the lover of toys and colour in your life (or toys and natural woodgrain), these Transformer-meets-creepy-artists-model bots are designed by David Weeks Studio (USA). Inspired by Japenese Shinto Kumi-ki puzzles, the cubebot can hold oodles of poses (suggestive or otherwise) and fold into a perfect cube. You can add this delightfully controllable human-esque figure to your chaotic, un-cube-able life for $24.
Magic Metal Coffee Beans: Joulies
Speaking of the perfect gift for a control freak, check this out. Joulies are stainless steel coffee-bean like shells with "an advanced phase change material that melts at 60ยบC." So what? So you put them in your scalding hot coffee (thanks, grumpy barista of my life past), and they make your brew not only become the perfect temperature - they make it stay that way. I could not make this up. The magic beans will be yours for $60.
Wireless Faux-Analog: Grain Audio
Fireplace DVDS are passe - just kidding, they're great - but here's a (better) bit of trickery, geared especially for the lover of radio aesthetics in your life. PWS - The Packable Wireless System is a portable Bluetooth speaker that looks like the kind of slick old transistor radio that I would literally fight to the death over at Value Village. You can tune into your Spotify playlist via this gadget you got at Popify for $250.
Lazy Camper Snuggie: Poler Outdoor Stuff
Polar is onto something big here. The Napsack is a sleeping bag with zippers at the arms and a cinch at the bottom. You can wear it like a puffy, ridiculously styling coat around the campfire, then (hopefully, depending how many PBRs were consumed) find your tent, and snuggle in to sleep as easy as 1, 2, 3 - no drama required (there's only room for one in this thing). It's $97 and comes in burnt orange or black.
The Requisite iPad Case: DODOcase
While the dodo bird never lived to evolve thumbs and own an iPad, you did, my friend, and you deserve a case worthy of the effort. These cases are in a league of their own - crafted using age old book binding techniques (also developed by thumb wielding humans - score!) they're worthy items to point out when jerks say the art of book binding is dead. These library friendly American-made iPad Air cozies are $85.
Popify runs from December 5 - 8, 11 am - 7pm, at Homerun, 165 Augusta Ave in Kensington Market.
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