Everything to do, see, eat and drink at Stackt, Toronto’s new outdoor market made of shipping containers

For years, this 2.5-acre lot at the corner of Front and Bathurst sat vacant as the city debated its fate. The parcel of land is destined to one day become a park, but for the next few years, it has been leased to Stackt, Toronto’s newest fully-accessible market built out of 120 shipping containers. Stackt is a mix of event spaces, retailers, restaurants, services, galleries, and it even has its own brewery. With the shipping containers occupying only a third of the land, the remaining outdoor space has been landscaped with AstroTurf, a beer garden and a gravel pavilion that will soon feature a giant fire pit to keep the space animated straight through the winter months.

The programming planned so far includes concerts, al fresco movie screenings, flower-arranging seminars and various lessons, (how to skateboard, how to cook over open fire). It will also be the new home of the The Stop’s Night Market June 18 and 19. Founder Matt Rubinoff’s goal was for the market to appeal to everyone: kids, parents and kids at heart should be able to engage with the space. The containers are all insulated and also have A/C, so the market is prepped to stay open all year long. Vendors have rolling leases that span from two days to 18 months, which means that the offerings here will change regularly. Here’s a look around the space and what it has to offer.

There are various places that visitors can cop a squat. Like those chairs to the right:

Or these benches:

Or these cement stools by Stacklab:

These crates will eventually house flower and veggie gardens:

Belgian Moon has taken over three shipping containers to create their first Toronto microbrewery:

Those looking to have a pint or a flight can hang out in this giant hall...

...or enjoy their drinks outside in the beer garden:

Belgian Moon’s snack shack serves a mix of things to eat from around the Golden Horseshoe, including these pretzels (plain and cheese) from Brampton’s DasBrezelHaus:

This cinnamon sugar pretzel is also from DasBrezelHaus:

The charcuterie board (with meat cured by Speducci Mercatto) was designed to pair with Belgian Moon’s brews. From left to right, there’s culatello, salame gentile, porchetta and a prosciutto made from Berkshire pork. The cheeses (all from the Cheese Boutique) include a triple-cream brie, a grassy Basque sheep’s milk cheese called etorki, a hunk of Grey Owl and a three-year cheddar:

They’re also serving up sandwiches, like this one from the Junction Triangle’s Tuck Shop Kitchen:

Mississauga’s Lion City, which has a cult-like following, is here serving their popular Singaporean laksa. The broth is a mix of aromatics (lemongrass, onions, ginger, shrimp paste), chicken stock, chili and coconut milk. Each bowl comes with rice noodles, tofu puffs, shrimp, fish cakes, cucumber and dollop of sambal:

Hamilton’s beloved Donut Monster has their own container, which opens up onto Bathurst Street and has lineups out the door most weekends:

Reunion Island Coffee Roasters takes up two shipping containers. The shop’s doors open onto Bathurst and into the Stackt courtyard:

There’s also a bubble tea spot called Bean and Pearl:

Yam Chops, the vegan butcher, has a location here, too:

Here’s the cheery home of Carmel Floral:

Inkbox Tattoos offers Torontonians the option of getting temporary tattoos that last for up to two weeks. Their artists can also offer you the life-long ink option, if you’re not afraid of commitment:

Avant-garde creative agency Filmartist is here enticing people to pop in with their AR video display:

This is one of the larger event spaces, but it’s currently being used as a selfie backdrop:

Flow is pushing their new flavoured waters, but on Saturdays they’re also offering free yoga:

House of Hayla makes monochromic vegan heels:

This is Cofo Design’s first-ever retail space. OCAD and Ryerson grads adore Cofo because they help emerging designers get their home decor creations produced:

Endy’s first brick-and-mortar location is lacking bricks and mortar, but you can still try out their mattresses, duvets and pillows:

Jacki Lang has a mini gallery with work from local artists available for purchase:

Jomo Studio sells trendy concrete planters. They also host workshops where you can learn to make your own:

69 Vintage is here selling bright togs:

Dresden Vision’s specs come in a rainbow’s worth of colours. The Australian glasses are made out of durable, recyclable materials:

ArtPhere sells minimalist Japanese bags:

Toronto-based Ellie Mae has a container here, too:

The StartUp Here Toronto container displays a rotating selection of work by up-and-coming local designers:

28 Bathurst St., stacktmarket.com, @stacktmarket