While the strip of Gerrard Street East that runs from Glenside Avenue to Coxwell Avenue has been dubbed the Gerrard India Bazaar, the shops that line the streets are by no means exclusively Indian. The families and inhabitants of this neighbourhood come from a diverse range of economic and cultural backgrounds, so the local businesses have been undergoing a massive shift towards reflecting this diversity. Erin Salisbury and her husband Guy Bagley raised their children in this neighbourhood. After numerous self-employed careers in sales related industries, they found themselves seeking out their next venture in 2011. “My husband is a big kid,” jokes Erin, “and at 50 he was looking for a career change. There was never anywhere in the neighbourhood to buy toys when we were raising our family, so we opened a toy store.” This decision was also a natural progression after the couple bought an online loot bag business to supplement their income. Shortly after, Erin and Guy signed a lease and expanded the online business into a bricks and mortar toy store.
