On a stretch of 1.9 kms, sandwiched between Yonge Street and the Royal Ontario Museum, lies the posh district of Bloor Street where the rich buy their Louis Vuittons and Hermes. These days of the pandemic, 17 stores or boutiques are closed, 8 of which have the sign “prime retail for lease” stuck to their windows. Never in my Canadian life, since I first set foot here in 1974, has there been that many vacancies, until now. While I can’t remember which boutiques ceased operating in Bloor, one store stood out for me — the Gap which is not even high-end but had 3 levels of shopping space which I would visit when I needed new shirts or items for Christmas gifts. (more…)