Ardith One Canadian Pottery & Crafts

I wandered in here yesterday and wondered if I’d get out with my bank account intact.
It’s not that they are overpriced — they’re absolutely reasonably priced, especially when you consider that we are talking about hand-​made craftsmanship.
No, the problem is that so much of what they have is so beautiful, so wonderful, you want to take it all home.
One of the things that I was most impressed by is the functionality of most of their inventory. Oh, they have a few wall pieces, some cutesy clocklets, that kind of thing, but I’d say 90 per cent of the inventory is stuff we will use in our every day lives — mugs, plates, bowls, pitchers, butter dishes, garlic jars, vases, serving dishes, spoon rests, tea pots, and so on.
If you are tired of the cookie-​cutter nature of the mass-​produced-​in-​sweatshops-​in-​Indonesia items you’ll find in most kitchen and home goods stores, you’ll love this. If you enjoy using something you know was created individually by a talented artisan as opposed to machine-​molded, this is the store for you.
Most of what they carry is pottery, but there are also some beautiful hand-​blown glass pieces, some jewelry and even wood. And it is entirely Canadian-​made products.
I managed to behave and not buy everything I wanted, but it was hard.
I spent about $ 220 on two mugs, two matching soup bowls, a berry bowl, and a butter dish, and that was presents for four members of my family, and another I have to pretend I don’t know about (yes, even though I picked it) because my mother is «giving» it to me. So for handmade, dishwasher-​safe, microwave safe, unique, beautiful and functional gifts, an average of about $ 30 per, INCLUDING HST. Not bad at all.

I love Ardith One! For 37 years they have been selling high-​quality, locally crafted pottery! My mom even had a wedding shower dedicated to gifts from this shop. The selection is huge and the owners work in the shop and provide helpful advice and recommendations. Examples of beautiful pieces include over-​sized bowls, tea-​pots, vases, water jugs and place settings. Though this is a small shop and easy to miss, it’s a true Toronto gem and worth a visit.