Please let's help Miss Pippa's

Let's Please Help Miss Pippa's!

by Sydney, a devoted regular

I've posted so often about Miss Pippa's, an absolute gem of a west-end shop, that

friends know where to find me if I'm not at home. I routinely watch passers-by

stumble upon the shop for the first time, exclaim with delight over its quirky

beauty and pretty wares, and the next time I pop in, they're there too: like me,

they've become regulars, lingering over iced Americanos and cold glasses of

rosé on steamy summer afternoons. And/or picking up gourmet groceries,

Swedish candies, artisanal bath salts and soaps, vintage housewares, and of course

the shop's signature: fresh floral bundles artfully arranged by owner Anton Levin.

Who has stayed true to his mandate: Miss Pippa's is a place where everyone is

welcome.

I'm a loyal Torontonian who worries about how our city is unfurling post-

pandemic. I know that many small businesses that managed to stay afloat during

lockdown are only just now playing catch-up, having to deal both with old loans

and new expenses. The price of everything has gone up -- including rent.

Anton had long dreamt of a place like Miss Pippa's, an inclusive little shop where

everyone could take a moment to be surrounded by beauty. But it wasn't a smooth

journey: he paid rent for seven months before he could open with all his permits in

place, and only operated for eight months when lockdowns were ordered. Not to be

daunted, he pivoted immediately, fashioning a little takeout window with safety

plexiglass: regulars will remember using their daily exercise to walk over, masked,

to see Anton's eyes smiling atop his mask, as he handed over a bag of Miss Pippa's

goodies -- candles and sweets and wine and bath salts, any little thing to give us

comfort in those dark times. And they really did, and we are so grateful still.

But such a start means not being able to get ahead. No safety net for surprise

expenses. No reserve funds for rent when things are slow in the summer months as

folks take their holidays. And the rent itself -- well. We Torontonians know only

too well how rents are punishingly steep, and the small shops that give our city its

flavour bear the brunt. Miss Pippa's is no exception.

Please know that this gofundme was my idea. And it's selfish -- I love Miss Pippa's

and I want it to continue to thrive! But Anton has also become a friend, and I want

him to have a little cushion against the anxiety of expenses. So he can get ahead of

the eight ball, as it were, and enjoy the place he has created for us all.

I know. There are expenses galore these days. And lots of worthy projects to give

to. So any little bit helps. $5 would be lovely. $50 would be grand. I feel

confident that we, Miss Pippa's devotees, can make a difference and show a little

love to Anton and the shop. He shows it to us and all his customers, every day.

Thank you, everyone.