How the owner of a Yorkville salon found a gorgeous apartment right downtown
Tired of running into clients on her days off, Rebel and Beauty owner Olga Onulov decamped for the core
The Renter: Olga Onulov, owner of Rebel and Beauty, a brow, lash and makeup salon in Yorkville.
The Story: In 2022, Olga was living in a 600-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment near Yonge and Charles. She was paying $2,100 a month, which didn’t feel worth it given how slow her landlord was to repair her broken fridge and leaky plumbing. More importantly, Olga yearned for some separation from her salon, as she’d often run into clients while walking around her neighbourhood on days off. She wanted a place farther south but still, if possible, within walking distance of work. She set a maximum budget of $3,000 and began her apartment hunt.
Option 1: Front Street near Spadina
Listed at: $2,599 Rented for: $2,599
Olga liked that this one-bedroom-plus-den was close to the many amenities at the Well. At 19 floors up, the place came with a great view of the city and tons of natural light. The tower had an indoor pool, a shared rooftop patio, a loaded gym and a basketball court. And it was close to the water, which Olga loved. But the interior of the unit, built in 2003, felt dated, with old appliances and ’90s-style cupboards. The condo was also slightly farther from Yorkville than she had hoped. She decided to see what else was out there.
Option 2: Dundas Street East near Jarvis
Listed at: $2,550 Rented for: $2,550
A couple of months later, she saw this one-bedroom corner unit that was also flooded with natural light thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows. And Olga enjoyed its clean look and industrial accents, like the living room’s chunky concrete column. The complex was equipped with a gym, a party room and guest suites. Her walk to work would be a brisk 35 minutes, plus TMU station was only a few blocks away. On the downside, the apartment had a Juliet balcony but no real outside space. She kept looking.
The Rental: Richmond Street East near Victoria
Listed at: $2,450 Rented for: $2,450
Olga finally found the 165-square-foot balcony of her dreams attached to this south-facing condo. The unit also had a sparkling corner kitchen with high-end appliances. While the bedroom had less storage space than she would have liked, Olga knew she could transform the den into a walk-in closet. And the location was good: a 40-minute walk from work or just 20 minutes by transit—a healthy distance from her salon and clients. “It allows me to take a breath,” Olga says. “On a frustrating day, I can retreat to my balcony for some Pilates and sunshine.”
Andrea Yu is a freelance journalist based in Toronto. She reports on a wide variety of topics including business, real estate, culture, design, health, food, drink and travel. Aside from Toronto Life, her writing has appeared in the Globe and Mail, Chatelaine and Cottage Life.
