Mjölk opened in 2009, combining gallery space in the front, and furniture and accessories on display in a living-space context behind.
Mjölk is a celebrated design shop in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood that turns 10 this year. Founded by husband-and-wife team John and Juli Baker, it specializes in artisanal lifestyle pieces mainly from Scandinavia and Japan. To celebrate their anniversary, the Bakers have worked with some of their favourite international designers – Winnipeg’s Thom Fougere, Oslo-based Anderssen & Voll and Japan’s Oji Masanori – to produce pieces through manufacturers and artisans in Toronto, many of whom are located within a 15-minute radius of the shop.
The store is an early example of a digital platform transformed into a retail space. Before opening Mjölk, which is Swedish for “milk,” the Bakers ran a design blog called Kitka where they chronicled their renovation experiences while exploring mid-century design, featuring their favourite items from Scandinavia and Japan. After visiting both areas of the world, they decided to bring their aesthetic home to Toronto and, in 2009, opened their own store, combining a gallery space in the front with furniture and accessories displayed toward the middle and back in a living space context. Pottery has been a mainstay, as are pieces made through exclusive collaborations with designers.
Ten years on, the Mjölk story continues to evolve. Last fall, the Bakers debuted Minka, a parallel concept shop and biannual publication inspired by their 19th-century stone farmhouse in Ontario’s Prince Edward County. Minka highlights a more rustic approach to their signature aesthetic, taking a cozy approach to Scandinavian and Japanese minimalism.
Mjölk, 2959 Dundas St. W., Toronto, 416-551-9853, mjolk.ca.
In stock
Blaise Misiek/Handout
Anderssen & Voll x Mjölk Min Watering Can Copper, $475.
Thom Fougere x Mjölk Blackened Brass with Walnut Fire Tools, $1,795.
Blaise Misiek
Mjölk Bronze Incense Holder Case, $75.
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