When Rachel Chester opened Red Pegasus in 1995, Toronto’s Little Italy was undergoing a transformation. With an influx of young people, the purely Italian nature of the neighbourhood was becoming hip and modern. “Lots of new stores, bars and restaurants were opening up,” she says. Driven by filmmakers, artists, musicians and activist, “the place was budding, we were ripe.”
With its wild mix of eclectic wares for house, body and soul, new and long time residents alike quickly found Red Pegasus to be sweet fruit always ready for picking.
Adopting a modern take on the general store, Rachel says she focuses on quality items that are timeless and feature a great design. And if she can source these locally, all the better. “Wherever I get my merchandise, I always check up on the business’s ethics and sustainability practices,” she says, adding that the store is filled with goods made of refurbished and reclaimed materials.
