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IQ Living
Category: Shopping Home & Garden Home Decor Home Decor [Edit]
542 Danforth AveToronto, ON M4K 1P8
Neighbourhoods: The Danforth, Greektown
(416) 466-2727
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Tanya B. said: "Moving requires two things- good movers (El Cheapo!) and good painting tools. I discovered Primetime Paint & Paper while browsing my new St. Lawrence neighborhood, and was incredibly impressed and inspired. The staff know their…" read more »
11 reviews for IQ Living
11 reviews in English
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Review from Keidi K.
1/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I don't know why I hadn't stopped in here before, it's pretty much next to all my old usual.
Their front display definitely grabbed my attention, and no not because of their brightly colored orange background, they had a very well organized closet!
Now for the last month I have made the decision to really invest on some organizational pieces for my closet, I think this will be the road to happiness, like finding the shoes or belt I am specifically looking for.
Once you get inside you know this place will be pricey, but also functional with cool pieces that you know will make your life easier. I would say almost 80% of their items are kitchen related and after trying to get through all of that without declaring bankruptcy I headed for the end of the store where the closet items were.
What I found interesting here was that their prices were only about $5-7 more than you would pay for the exact same product online which is great because it would cost the same or more for just shipping. -
Review from Charlotte S.
Toronto, ON
2/14/2012
This is another one of those havens for impulse buyers on the Danforth. In short, I love it!
IQ Living is constantly changing their window decor and offerings. It is always clean, if not a bit over-stuffed and overpriced. I realize the little guy needs to charge more, though, so I don't say much, except in the cozy, friendly confines of Yelp.
Essentially, any quality kitchen gadget you may need can be found here. Lots of fantastic Le Creuset offerings, Henkels knives, etc. A good selection of eco-friendly options (bamboo utensils, litterless lunch accessories, etc.) are there for you to view.
The staff are all immensely helpful in my opinion. They recognize that the store does draw a certain crowd (you know, the #firstworldproblems crowd?) and they're aware and ok with it. They deal with every customer in the same manner, whether or not you're looking for those little corn holders (shaped like corn, awwww) or a much more pricey pot or knife.
They're also conveniently located directly to another impulse-buyer Mecca (albeit an outdoor-themed one) which has me convinced they are owned by the same people. I guess anything is possible.
IQ Living sends mailers every so often, but they don't inundate you and you are free to browse without being asked if you need help 600 times within 5 minutes.
Lots of stock, lots to look at and a range of prices from accessible to "you'rekiddingmeright?". Definitely worth a gander. -
Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
12/23/2011
VIBE
A lot of stainless steel and very friendly and eager to help staff.
MERCH
IQ Living is known for its array of kitchen supplies. They have some great brands here and if you have an active cook/organizer as a friend, this is a good place to shop for them. Or on the flip side, if you know someone who desperately needs to get organized in the kitchen, this is the place for them. I've found some amazing finds for laundry goods as well including a three bin laundry basket for $50. Whaat?! There are some lovely bathroom accessories as well especially if you LOVE stainless steel!
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
Not sure if it will actually raise your IQ. Talk to the staff. Great window displays as well. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
8/29/2011 2 photos
IQ Living is quite different than the other stores and business on the Danforth.
Great to browse around and check out the cool office and kitchen gadgets. Maybe you can find a nice and unique house warming gift?
I was carrying my yoga mat on my shoulder so as my usual clumsy self, I really worry that I might knock things off the shelves when I was browsing around....
I definitely be back again to check out the cool things IQ Living carries!Listed in: Kitchenwares Shopping in GTA!, A Day at Greek Town!
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Review from Lauren M.
12/17/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Pretty cool shop on the Danforth. Lots of kitschy household items for your kitchen, bathroom or small living space:
-Dining and table ware
-Pots and pans
-Baking stuff
-Kitchen gadgets
-Bathroom accessories (shower curtains, soap dishes, etc)
-Cookbooks
-Office chairs
Everything is kind of crowded together in narrow aisles, klutzy people beware!
Mostly brand names (lots of Umbra) so it seems to be higher priced. Personally, I'd rather go to Kitchen Stuff Plus to buy anything. But this is a neat shop to kill some time browsing or to pick up a gift if you happen to be in the neighbourhood.Listed in: Pimp my Pad!
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Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
9/23/2010 3 photos
I got a Staple Free Stapler($6.99), it's not Free and doesn't use Metallic Staples. Is that why they call this place IQ Living??
It's a nice Kitchenware, Officeware(small selection) place. Think in terms of Kitchen Stuff Plus even in terms of visual colors and product placement. Friendly, helpful staff that I find most of these store types recruit easily.
They even have an aisle for the young ones which is nice since cooking would be a great part of the growing up process. Good example is Italy, where they are educated at a very young age. I saw it on an episode from Jamie Oliver.
I like browsing Kitchen Stuff Plus from time-to-time therefore this place is just as A-OK as that and since it does have a bit more unique items that other places I visit might not carry, this place is a place I would visit and other Home Cooks probably will too if around this neighbourhood.Listed in: Retirement Planning
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Review from Michelle V.
Toronto, ON
4/28/2009
This is a store that is very pretty to look at. A store where they'll sell little kitchen knick-knacks and you think to yourself "Oh, that was clever. Why hasn't anyone made that before?" then you realize the world can and will continue to turn if that Pot Clip Spoon Rest didn't exist.
Aside from the knick-knacks, they have a wall's length selection of Cuisinart brand appliances and some modern and sexy furniture in the back.
It is a great place to get the perfect gift for your housewares-loving friend (hint!). And bless my friends for getting me that $100 gift certificate for my birthday last year because, like all pretty things, this place does cost a pretty penny.Listed in: If You Took Me To These…
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Review from Dardana M.
ON
1/11/2009
Walking in this store is like visiting a foreign ecosystem. Here, a very tightly-wound network of highly specialized creatures each fulfill a basic (did I mention specific?) purpose that the whole tribe requires to proliferate.
At the very least, a store like this is fun to browse. Shiny, brightly-coloured plastic kitchen baubles, and sleek chrome-y racks for everything imaginable gleam like a rainforest of housewares. The bamboo plates and forks also help considerably with this metaphor. Speaking of everything imaginable, who knew that humans needed so many gadgets to live worthwhile lives? Who knew toddlers could bake?
Who knew that five minutes in this store could make me long for luxurious, upper-middle class domesticity?
Find here: holders for garlic shaped like garlic, pitter/slicers for AVOCADOS (yes, JUST avocados), and- my favourite- a ~*decanter cleaner*~ that looked like a soft and squishy piece of coral (and nearly blinded me with its lack of necessity). Books by dudes like Jamie Oliver and Rachel Ray remind me that I am not supposed to be able to relate to the lives that these products facilitate. Thus, I signed up for their frequent-buyer card to feel better about myself. -
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
12/19/2008
When I first saw IQ living I was confused. I knew that I had an IQ and that I had been living for some time now and so I wondered what this store could offer me that I didn't already have. When I went in I found out and it was everything. IQ Living is kinda like IKEA but expensive and everything is put together for you already. I'm sure if you go on the right night you will find Batman walking through the isles getting supplies for his utility belt. If you are not Batman or even Robin and more of a Mario Batali you would probably enjoy the Ming Sai designed cookware and utensils. There were several cookbooks by chefs you will see on the food network, but these are the highlights of the store and there are better chefs on the channel anyway. I would recommend this store for people who are looking to have fancy gizmos that may or may not make their life easier.
Like the review? Check out the link to my blog on my profile. -
Review from Lynda W.
Toronto, ON
9/29/2008 2 photos
IQ Living is a really neat store.. I don't know how to really describe it, you can buy anything you can possibility think of for the kitchen, bath and laundry here.. They had a good supply of baking items, like cool cupcake holders, baking cooks, chocolate mixes etc...
You can find rubber duckies and rubber ducky sponge holders amongst other things. I don't know, it's sorta the yuppies home living store. They had the most comfortable bar chairs I've ever sat in. For a hefty price tag of $329, it's not for everyone... They also had the perfect table for condos, it doubled as a coffee table and could turn into a larger dining room table. Made out of wood, which had wheels to adjust the height of the table, for a price of over $1000, it seemed like a pretty good deal!
You can find some really good things, especially for an occasion like a house warming gift or a b-day gift. Lots of cool things. Prices, a little on the more expensive side. -
Review from Lan T.
Toronto, ON
7/19/2009 ROTD 9/27/2009
I love this store. I've been shopping the city for a 12oz Klean Kanteen bottle and at some stores, they have the audacity to charge $32 for it! At IQ Living, it was only $17. I'm quite fond of their selection of kitchenware. I found the neatest can opener, lovely Maxwell Williams cutlery, perfect cube ice trays, and the best is the ice kebobs. I made the mistake of going with my husband who held my wallet hostage.
