Toronto Premium Outlets

I popped into the new Toronto Premium Outlet this weekend on my visit to my parents. Or rather, Dad dropped off my mother and me because parking was nuts. People were circling, looking for parking. They were paying $10 to park in an auto mechanic’s lot across the road or parking in the cemetery parking lot. Eh.

And it was crowded; don’t let this picture fool you.

There was a mix of high-end and low-end stores with line-ups in front of the Coach and Kate Spade stores.

So is a trip to Toronto Premium Outlet worth it? I’m not sure. There were very good deals to be had in the emptiest and most expensive stores – Boss Hugo Boss, Brooks Brothers and Ports 1961  – a fabulous tweed strapless dress, not available in my size – (sob!). It’s not worth the trip for me to visit the Banana Republic and the J. Crew stores. They had their factory lines which were lower quality and didn’t fit as well. I tried on J. Crew’s factory version of the Tippi sweater. It was 100 per cent merino but the fit wasn’t as good in the lower back – lots of bagging.

Some lovely things at Boss Hugo Boss including this bright coral dress.

So, Toronto Premium Outlets – go if you’re in the area but focus on Boss Hugo Boss, Fossil, Ports 1961, Ted Baker (more the men’s section) and Brooks Brothers. You can get a silk dress for 70 per cent off, which isn’t bad. I don’t think it’s worth a specific trip out there yet. Maybe with a Burberry store opening in the fall.

There isn’t even a coffee shop yet.