Being a Canadian fashion brand that has maintained our head office just outside of Toronto for 20 years, it has been hard for us to watch this pandemic hurt so many of our customers across the province of Ontario and other provinces across Canada.  

The city of Toronto has been affected and infected with nearly the largest case loads of Covid on a daily basis.   Toronto is the most locked down city in the world, and Ontario is the most locked down province in the world.  I use present tense as we are still not 100% open for business.  

Our brand caters to many businesses locally and throughout the province who have had to adapt, or just shut down over the past year.  Some have really embraced social media and online shopping to create a new customer shopping experience.  Others have not been able to pivot fast enough in smaller towns in Ontario where they rely on tourists from the United States to travel through and spend like only tourists do when they are on vacation. 

These same store owners have also incurred debt over the past year that they never would have anticipated before Covid.  So not only do they need to sell some of their stock from previous seasons (where they normally would have been able to if stores were open), only now they need to sell to pay off debt, staff, rent, and themselves.  For many it has been a nightmare that has caused them, and their families endless stress.  What the government has offered has helped, but has not been enough for independent business owners. 

As shops begin to re-open on Friday June 11th, 2021 the US Canadian borders will not.  Which means that many of our customers will, for a second year in a row, not be able to attract the American demographic they have grown to depend on throughout the summer months.  

Boutiques across the province who carry Guru are committed to sustainable fashion, supporting a Canadian fashion brand, and offering their customers an exceptional experience.   Please support small business in the coming months as you visit shops closer to home while the province re-opens.  The business owners want to be back in their clothing boutiques selling you feel good fashion the way it was intended. One-on-one.