How Toronto businesses are showing their LGBT pride

Pride season is upon us as the corporate world goes gay


If Pride is queer Christmas (Ed note: Not to be confused with Halloween, the Gay Christmas), then it is certainly an excuse for local businesses to gussy up their stores in rainbow colours in the hopes of showing pride (and getting some of that hard earned LGBT cash).

It’s easy enough to just stick a rainbow flag in your store window and call it a day, as many, many businesses in and adjacent to the Church-Wellesley Village did this year.

Here’s a flag.

And another.

Another.

Is it too much to ask for a little creativity?

You’d think with all that Starbucks money, they could afford to put together a more impressive display.

Of course, some flags are a little bigger than others. In Yorkville, Holt Renfrew could afford to add a variation of the Pride flag alongside the Canadian flag and Holt’s flag that always flies above the store.

And who could say no to a rainbow-flag adorned drone?

Yes, drones raise a lot of questions about our right to privacy. But aren’t these ones cute?

 

Since big corporations got the message that LGBT people do crazy things like get bank accounts and eat fast food, they have since switched up their branding during Pride week accordingly.

And David’s Tea wants the community to know that they’re not like other teas.

Next year, DT, we suggest “Tea you won’t want to spill.”

However, there were a few businesses with Pride that floweth over.

All we want to know is if that elephant onesie comes in adult sizes.

Adorable! And its next door neighbour, Dudley’s Hardware, has a whole rainbow of products for any activities you may get up to this weekend.

You know, in case you need rope for . . . storing a kayak.

The Love Shop in the Village went for a simple yet striking image that celebrates the entire spectrum of gender identities — a rare decoration to find during Pride Week.

On the outside, Loblaws at Carlton and Church seemed lacking — just one Pride themed ad for Joe Fresh adorns the walls.

But inside . . .

Now, that’s a lot of Pride.

Of course, some stores don’t need any special decorations — they are blaring their true colours 24/7.

And some are showing Pride, albeit unintentionally.

This is a threesome we can get behind.

HG Watson is Xtra's former Toronto news reporter.

Read More About:
Culture, Opinion, Pride, Toronto

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