Before Toronto had Ossington (or now Geary Avenue, for those in the know), Queen West was the spot to be in the city. Queen West was known as the city’s fashion district and cultural destination, thanks to independent music venues that lined the blocks. Still, in recent years, the strip has lost the foot traffic it had previously seen for decades — whether that be to online markets, Kensington convenience, or scrolling resale apps from their couches. But a new vintage opening is helping bring back some of that fashion-obsessed energy to the neighbourhood.
Curato officially opened its first full storefront at 692 Queen St. W. on June 6, transforming a formerly vacant storefront into a destination for individually curated vintage clothing and one-of-a-kind finds. Behind the shop is Toronto vintage veteran Paul Germanese, one who remembers the strip in its prime.
“I’ve been doing vintage for over 10 years now,” says Paul. “I started going to Value Village around 2014 or 2015, just finding cool stuff.”
Like many collectors of his generation (those currently in their mid-20s), his obsession with vintage started with streetwear. Looking for everything from Supreme to ’90s Nike, Paul couldn’t help but become fascinated by the modern fashion inspired by vintage pieces.
Before opening Curato, Paul learned everything he knows from Toronto vintage institutions like Throwback Vault, where he spent three years seeing all ends of the business from pricing inventory to managing day-to-day operations. After leaving to pursue his own dreams, he launched Curato, an appointment-only vintage gallery operating out of a Richmond Street space and online. The concept quickly gained traction both in person (even Scottie Barnes paid them a visit) and online until a major challenge arose. Paul says his online business, which relied heavily on American customers, dropped almost overnight.
Instead of scaling back, he found a way to adapt.
The gallery did a complete 180 and opened its doors to the public for anything from walk-in shoppers to community events, movie nights and late-night raves. The events became so popular that they eventually caught the city’s attention.
“We were throwing parties, DJ nights and movie screenings,” says Paul. “Then the City of Toronto came by and told us that wasn’t happening anymore.”
While the late-night events may have been short-lived, they helped transform the gallery into a community gathering space and showed Germanese that there was an appetite for more than just shopping.
Eventually, an opportunity arose that felt full circle: a storefront on Queen West, the street where Germanese first explored his own love for vintage.
“We got the keys on May 15 and completely renovated it in about two and a half weeks,” says Paul. “On June 5 at 7 p.m., there was basically nothing in here. The next day we opened.”
The rapid flip was a product of collaboration between Paul, his longtime friend and store collaborator Sam and a small group of friends who helped bring the vision to life. Stepping inside today, customers are greeted by bold branding, curated racks and friendly faces in the window. The store’s eye-catching blue and black exterior with bright red window graphics has already become a standout feature on the street.
The shop carries a mix of vintage clothing and accessories selected by the critical eye of Paul through his years of experience in the industry. Rather than overwhelming shoppers with endless racks the focus is on quality and discovery.
The move also represents something bigger than a single store opening. Curato may just be the first move towards the resurgence of Queen West after years of uncertainty.
“I think Queen Street is always going to be a hub for fashion,” he says. “A lot of businesses closed during COVID, but I feel like it’s starting to come back.”
He’s not alone in that optimism. The stretch between Bathurst and Strachan has seen renewed activity in recent years, with new businesses opening alongside long-standing neighbourhood staples.
Paul hopes Curato can become part of that next chapter.
He’s already discussing ways local businesses can work together to draw more people back to the area, including the possibility of larger community-focused events in the future, similar to Do West Fest.
For now, he’s focused on building Curato into a destination where shoppers can discover something unique, connect with the people behind the racks and experience vintage fashion in person.
Curato is now officially open at 692 Queen St. W., but Germanese’s ambitions don’t stop at the storefront.
The original Richmond Street location remains open and is being transformed into a dedicated gallery and event space. The plan is to host art exhibitions, pop-ups, brand activations, and community events that bring Toronto’s creative scene together.
For Germanese, the Queen West shop is just one piece of a larger vision — one that blends vintage fashion, art and community under the Curato name. And if you have similar dreams or what feels like unattainable ambitions, Paul has some advice for you:
“Sometimes you just have to say ‘f**k it’ and take a chance,” he says. “Dreams aren’t going to come to you. You have to go get them.”