Stumbling Upon Hanukah...

Written by: Dave Goodman

So I'm minding my business, goin for a nice kosher breakfast at one of my favourite eateries in the city, Seniors in the Yonge and St. Clair neck of the woods, and after leaving my bacon and eggs, I stumble upon one of my favourite 'gimmicky' stores as well, Paperboy Cards & Gifts.  Now I am not opposed to Christmas, the store decorations, the incessant carols that you will hear in every major retail store during this time of year, but a part of my Jewish soul longs for some Hanukah 'Dap' (as us street folk like to refer to it as - please see urbandictionary.com) in the very stores we peruse in our leisure time.

Upon popping into my gimmick shop for a gander I was more than pleasantly surprised to find not only some Hanukah options that spiced up the store next to the requisite Christmas decorations that every retail outlet must have, but some real practical pieces that would make latkas feel cool and menorah's shine proud.

What was even more encouraging about this stumble upon would have to be the locale.  We were definitely over a kilometer away from Bathurst St., so I figure you don't get too much Jewish foot traffic in that area (one block south of St. Clair on the East side of Yonge), yet this proud Jewish store owner (I think) had the courage to put up a Hanukah display like this, off the beaten Jewish track in TO...as Alana Kayfetz would say...Yasher Koach Paperboy Cards & Gifts!

 So this holiday season, as you walk through aisles of Christmas decorations and are sad about the lack of Hanukah rep, remember about the few and the proud south of St.Clair off of yonge.  And I swear, I have NO special allegiance or pre-existing relationship with the store owner, this is pure 'dap' for a proud Yid in the city!