Store Guide: Young and Tae, a new store on Queen West that sells stylish leather boots for under $200

Store Guide: Young and Tae, a new store on Queen West that sells stylish leather boots for under $200

Store Guide: Young and Tae

Name: Young & Tae
Sells: Women’s leather shoes, boots, purses and accessories
Contact info: 630A Queen St. W., 416-901-9887, youngandtae.com
Hours: M-F 11-9, Sa 11-7, Su 12-6
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Young & Tae, a new women’s shoe store on Queen West, stocks the footwear equivalent of the Holy Grail: stylish, genuine leather shoes and boots that don’t cost a small fortune. The Seoul-based brand, owned by husband-and-wife team David and Jenny Kim, is an offshoot of South Korean wholesale shoe company San Marco. Its designs meld classic European shapes and styles with youthful details, like zippers, bold colours and knee-high lacing. The best part: the average price point hovers around $150.

The minimalist shop is designed for maximum efficiency: shoes and boots are staged on white oak pillars, a waist-high mirror runs along one wall and wooden blocks provide convenient trying-on stations (or resting posts for patient partners). Our favourite styles are trendy without being flash-in-the-pan, like Isabel Marant–style suede and leather ankle booties ($120) and sleek riding boots in black, brown and deep red ($170–$190). Non-boot options include soft leather driving moccasins ($90) and sling-back pumps in fuschia and cobalt blue ($80). Brightly hued leather bucket bags are roomy enough to work as everyday, haul-everything totes.

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