Ten Thousand Villages

What a wonderful store! Was recently here during a Monkland Ave. street fair this past August and my family and I were so impressed by this store and the lovely lady who worked here (who I think was a volunteer. Nice!).
All the merchandise for sale here is hand-​made by artisans in marginalized and developing countries — more than 30 in all. You’d think as such that the products for sale would be reminiscent of wares at a hippie or «granola”-esque hemp fest. At least, before I visited this store, that’s the stuff I’d conjure up (i.e., string bracelets and macramé vests and the like). But no! This store has some beautiful and unique art pieces, wall art and sculptures, garden bronze art stakes and rain chains and wood and metal wind chimes, stunning handmade jewelry made of glass beads and metals, precious metal rings and bracelets, hand-​knit slippers and socks and hats, and more. Much more. All unique and hand-​made.
There were also some lovely scented skin care products, lotions and potions, soaps and such, all prettily packaged, and any would make for a great hostess gift.
I kept thinking, this is the place to go for gifts. Not only would you be getting a one-​of-​a-​kind item that any recipient would appreciate (and probably think you spent a ton more on than you actually did), but you’d be helping out un– or under-​employed workers in these underdeveloped nations, helping them live a better life. It’s a win-​win, as I see it.

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this place — I’ve been shopping there for years!
Location: Monkland Village. This store is a decent size though it can get a little cramped if there are a lot of people there. The clerks are OK, though I’ve met friendlier people at some of the other locations.
Stuff: Everything is fair trade — you’ll find jewelery, dishes, wall hangings, sculptures, CDs — even Tibetan singing bowls! They have a pretty vast selection and you can almost always find something unique that was handmade by local artisans of participating countries (check the label on the item you pick up — you’ll see where the artisan is from).
Price: Very reasonable. It really depends on what you buy and how much work into it; for example, a wall hanging can be expensive and so can some of their awesome art pieces.
More importantly: TTV’s mission is to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries by bringing their products to our markets via long-​term fair trading relationships. They work with 35 countries and 130 artisan groups, offering them fair value for their work. Did you also know that store clerks in your local shops typically don’t get paid for their services? They’re all volunteers (except for store managers, I think).
So what are you waiting for? Instead of giving your money to companies that don’t really need or give a crap, spend it here, where you are helping to make a difference in communities where every bit helps.