Mama Loves You Vintage Toronto

Mama Loves You Vintage

Mama Loves You Vintage is a mother-daughter operation out of Toronto's Queen West neighbourhood. 

Melo (mom) and Mahro (daughter) Anfield opened their vintage boutique on a trendy strip of Queen St. West near Augusta Ave in 2012. 

The shop came to be after a joint realization that the previous career paths of both co-owners lent themselves to starting a venture of their own. 

Mama Loves You Vintage"[My mom] used to buy for a vintage store and I used to work for a vintage store and we were like, 'why don’t we do this ourselves?'" says Mahro.

"Everyone in my family is involved. My dad drives the vintage wagon too. It's definitely a family business," she adds. Mama Loves You VintageWhile Mahro holds down the fort in Toronto, her mother is at the opposite end of the country—sourcing vintage in Vancouver. Mahro believes this is part of what sets Mama Loves You apart. 

"The fact that half of the operation is in the west coast makes us unique. A lot of our stock is different because we have different sources."

Mama Loves You VintageThe interior of Mama Loves You feels like a cross between the boudoir of a 1930s Hollywood starlet and a living room in the 1970s.

Pennant flags and pictures of pin up girls pepper the walls. Handpainted signs with retro lettering mark the $5 bin and cash register. Maribou feathers line mirrors and display cases. Sewing patterns and baby dolls can be found strewn across the store.

Mama Loves You VintageThe shop's tall ceilings with original black crown moulding are contrasted by its bubblegum pink walls, but this appearance may be deceiving.

"Even though we are a bright pink store, we have a lot of stuff for the dudes," explains Mahro."We always have Carharts, we always have denim, we always have t-shirts—it's not just dresses." 

Mama Loves You VintageIn fact, Mama Loves You has a little something for everyone—beyond just womenswear and menswear. In the middle of the store there is a mini rack of children's clothing. Even the little ones have the option to be decked out in vintage garb. 

A kids sweatshirt would make the perfect gift for an expecting, vintage-loving parent. 

Mama Loves You VintageApart from your standard vintage finds—jeans ($50-$75), t-shirts ($25-$65), button-downs ($30-$45)—Mama Loves You also has an array of rarer items, like silk scarves ($10-$25), formal wear dresses ($50-$150) and pajama sets ($20-$50). 

Mama Loves You VintageThe shop's original curation of "1900s-1980s" has evolved over time. "As time has gone on, we're doing more 80s and 90s. We're even doing 2000s, which we would never have thought of when we started," explains Mahro.  

Mama Loves You VintageShe clarifies in-store there is more of a 1960s and 70s presence, while their online shop is geared towards the 1930s and 40s. 
Mama Loves You VintageOverall, the prices at Mama Loves You are decent in the grander scheme of the vintage market. It is a must for shopping on Queen Street. 

I will definitely be back, although the surplus of incredible pieces are guaranteed to do some damage to my wallet.  Mama Loves You VintageMama Loves You Vinatge is located at 541 Queen St. West. 

Photos by

Fareen Karim


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