Meet the Entrepreneurs who participated in the ILEO Community Storefront in the Distillery District
Meet the 20 ILEO Storefront Starter entrepreneurs who participated in the ILEO Community Storefront this summer! Featuring participants from both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cohorts, the ILEO Community Storefront featured a vast array of products including locally-made clothing, beauty products, abstract art, food and more.
Mr Chow Chow is an Afro/Caribbean Pickled Fruits and vegetables recipe. Yasin has great love for making people happy and what better way for him than to provide people with healthy tasty food at an affordable price.
Instagram @MRCHOWTORONTO
Awale Art Inc. specialises inpaintings & acrylic abstract work. We exist so you can have the art you love. This means giving you easy access to incredible art images and top-notch craftsmanship because when you put an art/painting you love around you, you’ll love your space more… and that’s what Awale is all about.
Instagram @AWALEARTINC
Otomii started from a personal need to share homemade food that is inspired and preserved by generational recipes. Our products are a variety of Mexican recipes made with love and quality for the community.
Instagram @OTOMIITORONTO
Pin-Ace is all about fostering connections through LGBT, Size Positive, and Social Justice themed enamel pins. The viral Customizable Pride Pins are the most intersectional identity pin on the market. “I want to be able to show my community that I am here and make connections right in my neighborhood!” – Darcy
Instagram @PINACEPINS
Sweet Eshsha Inc is a crafter of candles, wax melts, odor neutralizing room and Linen Sprays and soon will include beeswax products, using beeswax procured from future bee hive farms.
Instagram @HELEN_THE_LIGHT
Nakai skincare & Cosmetics;
Nakai is about defining beauty and loving the skin you’re in, in your own way. With 23 years experience as an Aesthetician, Maggie created Nakai, a skincare line that is favorable to people of color and a lipstick collection that helps bring out each individual’s authentic side.
Instagram @NAKAISKINCARECOSMETICS
Kustom Keepsakez; Kustom Keepsakez is a gift shop that turns your memories into everlasting keepsakes. We offer monumental & sentimental gifts for you or for your loved ones, with a focus on bereavement gifts. We have personalized gifts to those who have lost loved ones in order to bring sustenance and comfort into their lives.
Instagram @KUSTOM.KEEPSAKEZ
Organically You: At Organically you, we use 100% wildcrafted Sea Moss straight from St. Lucia and blended with spring water. We are skilled at crafting Sea Moss for your personal needs such as;increasing protein, for vegans/vegetarians, taste texture preferences, and skin eczema, psoriasis, acne, oily skin, natural facials/ hair sprays, natural hair oils, oxymels, fire ciders, Raw Canadian Honey Infusions, natural house cleaners, and natural scented house sprays JUST FOR YOU!
Instagram @ORGANICALLY.YOU
Inity Orijahnal: We sell handmade crochet hats, crochet beach/resort wear for women and jewellery that are inspired by African/Caribbean culture.
Instagram @INITYORIJAHNAL
Gabees; GABEES Haitian Pâté is a deliciously flaky wholesome layered puff pastry filled with Creole Flavours of Fish, Beef, Chicken, or Spinach that will leave you wanting for MORE!! We have vegan, gluten-free, and halal options in our menu. The patties can be eaten at any time on the go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Instagram @GABEESFOOD
Hana & Hala is a Hand smock embroidery business that creates graceful pieces for children and adults. We sell hand smock night gowns free size for women, pregnant women. Home decor includes- (cushion pillow cover, table cloth napkin bedding, baby bedding set) in a soft cotton and linen fabric for beauty and comfort.
Instagram @HANAANDHALA.CA
Agapē Company (Agapē); Agapē, an intentional wellness company dominating the industry since it started as the only North American company to combine wellness and faith. We produce a wide range of intentional wellness products from multipurpose body oil, to digital downloads and physical wall art print typography designed to invite God’s love into your space. Our products are multi-purpose and can be used for relaxation, unwinding, and self-care. Our mission is to promote peace and relaxation through the use of our products and bring more people to faith through wellness activities. We hope that our products will help you to connect with God and experience His love.
Instagram @AGAPECANADA
The Fragrant Harbour; The Fragrant Harbour is a small House of creative noses that takes you on a scent journey by a simple light of candle wick, encapsulating stories with every scent. We offer a collection of seven BTS candles, each with a personalized scent profile inspired by the seven band members. By combining two popular trends – scented candles and BTS – our innovative candles offer a new way for fans to show their support and relate to the band.
Instagram @FRAGRANTHARBOUR1841
Rah Goddess; Peta-Gaye Harthan launched her Scarborough business, Rah Goddess, to meet the growing demand for natural skin-care products. Intentional about the ingredients in her visually striking, hand-crafted body scrubs and soaps, Peta-Gaye is always looking to expand her customer base.
Instagram @_RAHGODDESS
The Wifey Collection; Stemming from her own experience as a Muslim woman seeking modesty and style, The Wifey Collection specializes in hand-embroidered Kaftans, head wraps, jackets and skirts, mixing west African prints with Toronto fashion. With success selling online, she is hoping to reach wider audiences this summer at the ILEO Community Storefront.
Instagram @THEWIFEYCOLLECTIONOFFICIAL
K and Q Empire; Latanya Pinnock started K and Q Empire to offer natural skin and haircare products across the GTA. Having already created and tested her products with sampling, she is now ready to build her customer base at the ILEO Community Storefront.
Instagram @K_QEMPIRE
Hot Like Mari; Launched by Scarborough local, Maria Toquero, a.k.a. Mari, Hot Like Mari serves up home-made pepper sauces combining scotch bonnet peppers and green Thai chillies using a range of bases including pineapple and vinegar. Full of heat and with different flavour options, Mari invites you to ease into your spicy side!
Instagram @HOTLIKEMARI
Laboterra; Applying her pharmaceutical background, Kristiana Musta launched Laboterra in 2021 to promote a cleaner way of living. Specializing in vegan, organic, and paraben and sulfate-free products, Laboterra offers bath bombs, soap bars and body butters ideal for sensitive skin and all sold in plastic-free packaging.
Instagram @LABOTERRACOSMETICS
Untainted Bath and Body Care; As a mom looking to create safe and healthy bath products for her son’s sensitive skin, Kadaesha Lindsay launched Untainted Bath and Body Care with the goal of providing families with all-natural, non-toxic bath and body care products. Her line includes body butters, lotions, soaps, exfoliating scrubs and hair oil.
Instagram @UNTAINTEDBATHANDBODY
Isle of Ashteroth; Ashriah de Matas debuted her business, Isle of Ashteroth, at the ILEO Community Market in summer 2022, connecting with customers and refining her business model. In both tea light and heart-shaped motive styles, Ashriah’s unscented, hand-poured beeswax candles make the perfect gift.
Instagram @ISLE.OF.ASHTEROTH